MECHANICS' INSTITUTE.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXXI, Issue 12541, 1 December 1904, Page 4

MECHANICS' INSTITUTE.

■ The annual mating of the Timaru Mechanics' Institute was. to have been held last night, but only five members .attended, including the vice-president, Mr W. H. Munro. Ten members were required to form a quorum; and the meeting therefore lapsed. It was decided to adjourn till next Wednesday week. The committee's report states that the present membership is 293, or 19 less than at last report, and suggests that each subscriber try and secure an additional member in the Institute. During the year £IOO 3s 2d was paid for books and magazines. The standard works of George Macdonald, Charles Dickens, . George Eliot, Victor Hugo, Sir Walter Scott, and Mrs 1 Henry Wood were added to the shelves of the library, besides most of the latest novels published. Three new magazines were placed on the news room tables, making sixty-five daily, weekly and monthly papers aDd magazines—Colonial, Motherland and American. Several donors of free newspapers had sent notification that they could not in future supply,libraries free, chiefly on account of the increase in number of these institutions. Notification had also been received from several newspaper proprietors who previously supplied papers at half price, that they would nofr continue to do . so. A special appeal was made for donations towards defraying cost of repairs to the building, which realised £45. The committee thanked, for the greater part of this sum. the Timaru Operatic Society, bamd contest committee; and Borough Council, the subscribers' re

Bponse to the appeal not coming up to expectations. Part of the work had been done, tlie outside Avails.have been washed and painted, the front liall varnished .nid distempered, the library walls distempered and ceiling painted, and window blinds repaired and repainted. The committee regretted to" record the sudden death of one of their number, Sir D. Evans, who proved himself a most enthusiastic member, . and one who endeavoured to advance the welfare of the institution, ilr Valentine, who was elected president at last meeting, was compelled to resign Ms seat through stress of work. Mrs Goodman , ? , carried out her duties as librarian in a highly satisfactory manner. The committee again urged the necessity, of a larger membership. With the benefits to be derived in comparison with the rate of subscription,: the membership should be fourfold. lf_eaeh member wonld secure one additional subscriber, as .suggested above, the library could then be said to be fairly well supported. ' balance sheet showed receipts £3Ol lis lOd, as follows :• —balance from last rfim: ' members! subscriptions, il/tj lis; subsidies and donations, £65 fts; odd members, news room, papers and bopks reverted or solo, etc., £37 Ss 3d. Expenditure : salary, £9O; fuel and gas, i>Oi bs od; insurance and rates, £l2: purees of books, via IS li Printing and sundries, ifai/S-LSs od; -balance in bank, £SB 9s 8d