GERALDINE LITERARY INSTITUTE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1694, 4 February 1888, Page 2

GERALDINE LITERARY INSTITUTE.

A meeting of the Committee of this Institute was held in the library on Wednesday evening last. Present —Messrs J. Mundell (in the chair), A. H. Brisco, J. Murray, H. B. Webster, W. Wellwood, and H. N. Hiskens (Secretary). MINUTES. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed, CONGEST.. On behalf of the sub-Committee appointed Mr Webster stated that they had seen the members of the Cricket Club Committee, who were quite willing to combine for the purpose of getting up a concert for the benefit of the two Committees. The Chairman reported that he had succeeded in selling the waste paper Id per lb. COEUESPONBENCE. A letter was read from the Papanui Public Library suggesting a temporary exchange of books between the two Committees. The consideration _of the same was left to the incoming Committee.

The Committee meeting then terminated.

ANNUAL MEETING.

The annual meeting of members was then held. The attendance was meagre.

MINUTES.

The minutes o£ the previous annual meeting were read and confirmed*

ANNUAL EEPOBT AND BALANCE-SHEET,

These were read. The report wan as follows:

To the Members.

Gentlemen,— ln coming before yoc with their report and balance-sheet for the year just closed, your Committee re* gret their unsatisfactory nature. Tke receipts for the year, including the Go* vernment subsidy for 1886 of £l3 12s sd, have been £43 15s sd. To this must be added % balance from last year of 6s 4d, making in all the sum of £44 Is 9d r The expenditure for the year has been £39l7s| leaving a balance to credit in the Bank of Hew Zealand, Geraldine, of £4 is 9d. Against this credit balance there , are, however, outstanding liabilities to the amount of £l4 7s 7d, making in reality a debit balance of £lO 2s lOd. During the previous year the sum of £l3 4s 6d was raised by means of a concert. Ho' funds have been available from such source this year. Your Committee have also not bad the advantage of the use of the £lO 2s, balance to credit and proceeds of Wood* bury branch that was available last year. They also regret that owing to departures and members ceasing to contribute, the number of subscribers has been seriously reduced, and there are now but twenty members upon the books, some of whom subscribe to the reading-room only. Some of these.also are doubtful. The difference between the amount received la subscriptions and the number of members is accounted for by the fact that several subscriptions for the year 1886' have but lately come to band, while some members have paid for the year 1888 in advance. Tour Committee have much pleasure in stating that with about two exceptions the whole ef the subscriptions due for the 1887 have now been paid.' At * the same time they regret excee dihgly. the apathy which is shown in supporting the Institute, and would urge that some strong efforts be made tb make the institution more popular. The library and resdibgruom have been kept in excellent order by the librarian, Mrs Boswell, and her duties in every respect have been well and faith* fully carried out. Your Committee regret that owing to the state of the funds they cannot recommend that a bonus should be granted her, but will leave the matter in the hands of the incoming Committee. With regard to the future, it will need to be remembered that no Government grant can be. looked for, and that some other means of obtaining funds must be devised if the present efficiency of the Institute is to be maintained* Soma immediate steps will also have to bt taken to meet the pressing liabilities. On the motion of Mr Webster, seconded by Mr Murray, tke report and balance-sheet were adopted as read.

EETBENCHMENT

A considerable amount of discussion took place re the financial position o£ the Institute. It was generally thought that such a large district could very well support fsuch an Institute, seeing that the sum of £4O was ample for the same. It was decided to recommend the incoming Committee to go through the list of papers'and reduce them as low as possible.

ELECTION OF OFFICE ES.

The annual election of officers then took place and resulted as follows: Patron, Rev. GK Barclay; President, Rev. J» Preston ; Vice-President) Dr A. Pish; Treasurer, re-elected; Secretary, Mr H. N. Hiskens (re-elected); Committee, Messrs j. Cunningham, A. H. Brisco, A. E. Hawkins, H. B. Webster, J. Mundell, J. Murray, R. H. Pearpoint, H. W. Moore, 1\ Wilson - Smith ; Auditors, Messrs Mundell and Webster.

VOTE OP THANES.

A hearty vote of thanks was passed to the Treasurer and Secretary for the manner in which they had carried out their duties during the past yt jar. The meeting then adjourned.

NEW COMMITTEE MEETING.

A meeting of the new Committee was then held. Present—Messrs J. Mundell (in the chair), A. H. Brisco, J. Murray, H. B. Webster, and the Treasurer and Secretary.

THE PAPEES.

The Committee went through the list of papers and struck off several that it was decided to stop. The Committee regretted having to take this action, but declined in the present state of the finances to incur further liabilities unless more generously supported by the public.

EXCHANGE OP AND DISPOSAL OP BOOKS. Messrs. Brisco, Webster, and the Secretary were appointed a sub-Com-mittee to go through the catalogue forwarded from the Papanui Institute with a view to an exchange of books, also to draw up a list of such books in the Geraldine Institute as the Committee could dispense with, and submit the same to the Committee with a view to disposal in order that more now books might be obtained. accounts. Accounts amounting to £5 9s 4d, for such papers as were to be stopped, were passed, and the meeting adjourned after passing a Yote of thanks to the Chairman.