Wairarapa Institute.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XIX, Issue 1861, 23 July 1886, Page 2

Wairarapa Institute.

The retiring committee of the above Insti Into met last evening previous to the annua! mueiiug, when the following gentlemen weu present; - Messrs Porritt (chairman), Skeet, Nation, Wyett. Wood, Webster (secretary), and Dr Bey. The minutes of former meeting were confirmed, accounts passed, and the annual report and balance sheet read and approved of. The annual general meeting of subscribers followed, and Mr F. 11. Wood was voted to the chair.

Apologies were received from the Rev Mr Western and Mr Gray. The Chairman in opening the meeting expressed sorrow at the sparse attendance ot subscribers. He had hoped that the comments and criticisms that had of late appeared in the Standabd would have brought together a good meeting. Perhaps the small attendance was indicative of an unanimous feeling outside that the committee managed the affairs of the Institute so admirably that they bad better be left to follow it up. It certainly seemed to show that the subscribers were satisfied with the committee's work during the past year. He would call upon Mr Webster, the secretary, to read the annual report and balance sheet. Mr Webster read as follows; ANNUAL BBPOET, JUNE 30lH, 1886.

“ Your Committee have the honor here* with to hand you the balance sheet for the year ending 30th June, 1886, and it will be apparent to you at once that the amount of subscriptions received. £27 16s 6d, is not at all equal to what should be expected towards a library which contains not only snob a very large number of books, considerably over two thousand, but a great proportion of them being standard works of the highest value. This fact so impressed itself on the members of the Committee that they thought that some special steps should be taken to increase the number of subscribers, aud a public meeting was called which was not so well attended—only two of the public besides the committee being present at the meeting—as might have been expected. Arrangements were, however, made to endeavour to increase the number of subscribers aud augment the funds. This was the more necessary, as the Greytown Town Lands Trustees very generously offered to give a grant of £25 towards the purchase of new books if the Institute would find the same amount, and a few gentlemen, namely, Messrs Porritt, Gray, Nation, Sillier and Hobman termed themselves into a com* mittee foi the purpose of arranging for the first of a series of entertainments. At a meeting of the Committee held subsequently, a resolution was passed approving ot this course, and it was decided that the members of the Committee would undertake the carry* mg out of the entertainments in rotation, two and two. These entertainments have been most successful and are being still carried out.

“ The Committee have also to acknowledge their indebtedness to tbe Greytown Rifle Volunteers for a donation of £5, being proceeds of a soiree held under their auspices in aid of the funds of the Institute. During the year a number of useful books have been added to the library, amounting to about 100 volumes.

" The retiring members of tbe Committee are Messrs Porntt, Wood, Wyett, Gray, Skeet, Nation, Bey, Webster and Rev Western and Ward, who are eligible for re-election.”

The Chairman moved the adoption of the report and balance sheet, and expressed his surprise at the success which had attended (he efforts of the committee daring the past few months. They would have about £6O or £7O for the purchase of new books, and when this purchase was completed he hoped the subscribers’ roll would increase in names. Mr Skeet remarked that ten new subscribers had joined since the entertainments were commenced.

Mr Nation seconded the adoption of the report. The members of the committee bad had hard things said of them and he regretted that no complainers were present at this meeting to ventilate matters. The financial condition of the Institute was no doubt good, but be was far from satisfied with the support accorded to it by subscriptions. The library was a good one, but not pataonised sufficiently by the public. He would be glad to see tbe Institute itself as popular as the entertainments'now running on its behalf.

Mi Wyett spoke condemnatory of anonymous contributions to the paper. A letter which bad just appeared contained many falsehoods, and he was surprised to see such statements in a public print.

Mr Skeet coincided with the last speaker. The statement in the letters referred to concerning the number of subscribers at one time on the books showed the ignorance of the writer. It should be remembered that the outside places that contributed once to tbe Wairarapa Institute now had libraries of their own. As far as Greytown was concerned he believed there were as many subscribers now as ever there were.

Mr Webster said the statement made by the writer of the letter regarding the position of the Town Lauds Trust to the Institute was unfounded, and he hoped the Press would contradict it.

Mr Wyett said it was most cowardly to speak in the way some correspondents had done, and that when an opportunity presented itself of verifying their statements, they should be absent from the meeting. The report was adopted. The following officers were elected for the ensuing year President, Mr J. P. Russell. Vice-Presidents, Mr W. C. Buchanan and Mr C. Phillips. Committee Dr Bey, Messrs Gray, Nation, Ponitt, Skeet, Webster, Wood, Wyettand Revs Ward and Western, Auditor: Mr St George to be asked to act. Dr Spratt in proposing that the old committee be re-elected said that better men could not be found. They had worked most successfully in bringing the Institute up to the present successful issue and he knew they would continue to zealously look after its affairs.

A vote of thanks was passed to Mr Webster for his duties as hon secretary during the year and an honorarium of L2 ; 2s voted.

Mr Webster thauked the meeting and kindly presented the Institute with the honorarium as a subscription. A vote of thanks was "passed to Mr Black for auditing the books of last year and lor his donations of books. A vote of th inks to the Chairman finished the business.

At the committee meeting which followed Mr Porritt, who has filled the office of chairman for years, was re-elected to that office. Mr M ibster was re-elected secretary and treasurer. Messrs Porritt, Skeefc and Wyc-tt were elected a book committee for ensuing year. As these gentlemen will be engaged in selecting new books it is desired that those subscribers who would like to see certain books in the library not there already, should enter the names in the suggestion book which lies on the library table. It was resolved to hold the committee mci tings on the second Monday of every month at 7 o clock. It was decided to hold four more weekly entertainments, the last one to be cn a laige scale, talent to be gathered from all quarters. Mr Skeet offered to cart down some of the forms in the upper room of the Institute to the Town Hall to provide mote accommodation for the public. The committee then adjourned.