FEATHERSTON.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume 11, Issue 1302, 30 April 1881, Page 2

FEATHERSTON.

Ihe first anipiahnceiing of the Featheralonii..! a Debating Society was held at the Royal Hotel, on Tuesday last. Mr McShane was voted to. the chair, there was an attendance of fourteen members which considering the inclement state of the weather, may be considered very fair. The chairman opened the proceedings by reading the notice convening the meeting, which notice was in accordance with rule 5, he then called on the secretary to read the report. Mr Williams regretted their late secretary was riot with them, as he was sure 1 , had such been (he'case, an abler and more exhaustive report would have been the result. Mr Williams then read the report as follows : Ist annual report of the transactions of the Featherstou Mutual Improvement and Debating Society. Your committee in bringing forward their first report, do so with feelings of very great pleasure, as a retrospective yiew affords entire satisfaction and, as they are led to believe, to every individual member of the society also. The idea of forming a society having for its object the intellectual improvement and benefit of its members, was conceived by two gentlemen in May lasi. A meeting of those interested was advertized, and duly held in the Reading room of the Royal Hotel on the 27th May, twelve gentlemen were present and the project was fully discussed, from the date of that meeting the Society had received its birth and organisation, and if its life has so far not been very brilliant it may fairly claim to have proved itslf useful, interesting, and instructive,and the seed sown by the promoters has not been unproductive. The operations of the Society during the past term, extended over a period of twenty one nights, with an average attendance of twenty nine members a fact quite sufficient in itself of testifying to the thorough auoesa of the movement. A special feature which commended itself to members was the entertainments held every fourth week, the character of which Were of a social and varied nature, comprising as they did of instrumental music, songs, duetts, glees, readings, recitations, dialogues, &c., and your committee feel these entertainments contributed in no small measure to the success achieved by (he Society. The following analysis will put members in possession of the actual amount of work gone through during the past term. An address by the President (Rev Pan ton Brown), one lecture “Free Trade” (Rev H Were White) an essay on “Education” by Mr Gurr two readings, and ten debateable papers by members, embracing the following subjects;— Smoking, Taxation Free Trade, Lord Beaconsfield, Alcohol. The National debt of New Zealand, No Confidence. In addition there were five evenings devoted to the entertainments before mentioned.

Your Committee here desire to return their thanks to the gentlemen, who in giving their time and valuable services, so ably seconded the efforts of the Committee in making the Society so popular. During the past few months the Society has sustained a severe loss by the removal of a number of its members from the district. This loss includes our late President, Rev. Panton Brown, Secretary, Mr H. J. Luxford, Messrs Stevenson, Black, Freeth, sen., and Preeth, jun. The whole of the gentlemen may be classed as the most active members of the Society during the past term, aud your Committee deeply deplore their loss. In the person of their late President, the Society had a most hard working and energetic head, ever anxious for the present good and future welfare of the Association. Not less anxious, and using every effort for the success of the Institution, we have lost one of our best members and also one of the original promoters in the person of our indefatigable Secretary, JMr H. J. Luxford. Previous to the departure of that gentleman for Canterbury, the Committee made a presentation to him in the name of the Society, as a slight recognition of the valuable services rendered by him to the Peatherston Mutual Improvement and Debating Sooiely, The season was brought to a fitting close with an entertainment of a semipublic character, and there being a surplus balance to the credit of the Society, your Committee devoted it towards defraying the expenses of the entertainment, not deeming it advisable to retain a large sum in hand in the existing state of the Society. A nominal sum of fid per head was charged for admission to provide against any contingency, such ■as non-success in point of attendance. But the soiree exceeded the moat sanguine anticipations of your Committee, and a balance of two nounds remained, which sum was unanimously voted by the Committee to Mr Luxford’s presentation. As the financial position of the Society will be placed before you in the Treasurer’s statement, your Committee will not make further reference to it than simply stating that at the commencement of the term the subscription was made two shillings per month, but was afterwards altered by resolution to one shilling, which sum proved amply sufficient for the requirements cf the Association.

Such, Mr Chairman and gemlemen, is the retrospecuve view of the past season. For the future your Committee confess to feel some anxiety. The difficulty of the future will resolve itself thus—As to whether oilier members of the Society will be prevailed upon to put on one side their natux-al modeaiy, and exert themselves for the general good of the Association.

Your Committee would suggest, that to lighten the burden on the shoulders of active members, gentleman residing in and around the district should be invited to give lectures at regular intervals on some of the popular questions of the day they venture to hope the services of several gentlemen could thus be secured—the proceedings of the coming season would be agreeably diversified, and we believe there would be no difficulty in arranging a syllabus for the whole term, that would meet the approbation of members.

In conclusion your Committee venture to hope members will engage in the work of the coming term with unity and energy, and the many pleasant intellectual evenings spent together during the past may find a repetition in the long nights of the coming winter, and that Featherston people may retain the character of being able to carry through a work of this kind in spite of trouble and adversity. (Signed) James Donald, Chairman of the Committee.

Proposed by Mr Oakly, seconded by Mr Koir, ‘‘ that Qie report be received And adopted. 1 ’ (Carried.) The Committee received a vote of thanks for their services during the past

'i 1 .'lection o + officers was then proceeded with, and resulted as follows ; President, Mr Tnckey ; Vice-Presidents, Messrs Cor, Williams, and McFarlane ; Secretary, Mr Mogg; Treasurer, Mr McShane ; Committee, Messrs Williams, Cox, McFarlane, and BrunskilL

Several notices of motion werii giVetli and Tliesday week appointed fdf the (jpbtiiHg .lilglit ,bf tlffi nJJdr tyrmi Th(j vote to ilffi C/llairhian elided tile bilsirieiS of the evening;