LYTTELTON COLONISTS' SOCIETY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 3595, 18 October 1879, Page 4

LYTTELTON COLONISTS' SOCIETY.

The annual general meeting of the members of this Society was held in the Colonists' Hall, on Thursday evening, Mr W. H. Lance, President, in the chair. There was a moderate attendance. The Treasurer's statement of receipts and expenditure Bhowed that the receipts had amounted to £265 15b, exclusive of the sum of £149 Is 7d withdrawn from the Building Society. The expenditure showed a total of £341 4s Id, the debtor balance at the commencement of the year being £9 4s 2d. A sum of £65 had been placed on fixed deposit for six months with the Bank of New Zealand, which left a debtor balance at the Bank at the close of the year amounting to £2 13s Id. The statement was received and adopted. The President then read the following report of the Committee :— "Tour Committee, in submitting the annual report to the members, regret to state that the support accorded to the Society is decreasing yearly. This is shown by the fact that, for the past year, the subscriptions amounted to only £70 13s 6d, as against £109 for the previous year. An application was made to the Borough Council to subsidise the Society under certain conditions, and the two Bub-Committeea met. That of the Council were favourable to the subsidy being granted, but some of the members of the Council were opposed to it, and the matter was set aside ; the Society, therefore, cannot expect any aiel from that quarter. The usual winter readings were commenced during the year past, but owing to the small support accorded the Committee abandoned the idea of carrying them on. r Xo meet the liabilities of the Society tho Committee have very reluctantly been compelled to withdraw the amount that had from tim°; o time been invested in tho the Building Society during the past four years. £65 of the amount has been placed on fixed deposit at the Bank of New Zealand for »ix months, while the remainder was appropriated to pay accounts. The Committee considered the advisableness of endeavouring, if possible, to enlarge tho Hall so as to attract travelling theatrical and other companies by inoreased accommodation. Some very excellent plans were drawn by Mr Weyburn, which would have met the requirements most satisfactorily, but in coneequence of the uncertainty as to tho disposal of the lease at the expiration of the present term, together with the falling through of the application to the Council for a subsidy, the Committee were compelled to give up the idea. During the year Mr Willcox resigned his office as Librarian, and Mr J. E. Willcox has been appointed. The library has been rearranged, and a fresh catalogue compiled. The necessary repairs have been made to the building, and. the foundation of the stage has been entirely renewed, rendering the whole thoroughly secure. The reading-room has been very extensively - patronised during the past year, during the winter monthß there was hardly a vacant seat to be Been on any eveniDg. This, of course, is of great benefit to the public generally, but several of the members have been excluded from participating in the benefits to which, as members of the Institution, they have a previous claim. Thi9 is a question with which, the incoming Committee will have to deal. The magazines, bound volumes, &c, in the reading-room, have been subjected to a considerable amount of hard usago during the year, which entails an additional expense in keeping everything in order. The Committee are also sorry to' add that several of the Eipera, periodicals, and illustrated papers aye been wilfully damaged, and others purloined j they can only rely upon those who frequent the reading-room to acquaint the Librarian when thej notice any such act being committed, and so put a stop to the practice. The question of the financial position of the Society, and the matter of providing fundß for carrying on during the present year, will requiro earnest consideration at the hands of the incoming Committee." In moving the adoption of the report, tho President spoke of the very meagre support accorded the Society by the townspeople generally, and thoso who frequented the reading-room without having to pay anything for that privilege, and trusted that during the present year matters would take a turn for the better. Several of those present epoko on the same subject, pointing out the necessity of either getting additional support or of closing the Institution to others than subscribers.

The report waa received and adopted. The following officers were then elected : — President, Mr vV. H. Lanco ; Hon. Treasurer, Mr B. Macfarlane j Committeemen — Messrs A. Bunker, A. Joyce, W.H. Eyes, 0. A. Bich, N. Hanney, W. Harrison, E. Kingsford, Q. Taylor, H. B. Webb, J. Dawe, and C. Leys. A vjte of thanks was accorded to the retiring officers, after which the meeting adjourned.