TURANGANUI PUBLIC LIBRARY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2712, 18 January 1910, Page 2

TURANGANUI PUBLIC LIBRARY.

ANNUAL MEETING OF MEMBERS

The annual general meeting of the members of the Turanganui Public Library was held in the library buildings last evening. Mr. G. Grant (president) was in the chair, and a small number of members were present. The annual report was presented as follows:

“The Committee have again to- congratulate members upon another successful year. The number of members keeps steadily increasing, being now 514; while receipts and subcriptkms from extra books, etc., for the past year amount to £260 13s Id, as against £250 19s Id for the preceding year. During the year 293 books have been added to the library, and the total number of books now on the shelves amounts to 6179. As showing the large extent members avail themselves of the library, it may be mentioned that during the year no fewer than 31,418 books were issued to subscribers, besides a large number of magazines and periodicals. During the year substantia] improvements at a considerable cost wore effected in the public reading room. All the leading dailies and weekly newspapers of the Dominion are now on the files, and it is believed that-the library now compares favorably -with other institutions of a similar nature in the Dominion. Notwithstanding the additional advantages given, the committee regret that the voluntary contributions of the public amount to the paltry sum of Is fid only. As the amount expended by the committee annually in the purchase .if papers for the reading room exceeds the annual Government- subsidy, the committee may, unless better support is accorded by the general public, deem it desirable to take into consideration the .advisability of closing the room altogether, or considerably curtailing the number of papers supplied. The committee commenced the year with a credit balance of £5 12s Id, ,and on the 31st December, 1909, the balance stood at £ll 10s- sd, a result ’which in view of the extraordinary expenditure incurred during ‘the year _ must be considered verv satisfactory.”

The balance-sheet showed the receipts at £433 6s 3d, and the disbursements £l2l 15s lOd, leaving a credit balance of £ll 10s sd. The assets were set down at: Books in library £743 7s fid, furniture, fittings, and fixtures £190; a total of £933. The liabilities are nil. In commenting on the suggestion that the -free room would have to be closed or the number ol papers therein curtailed if more support was not given, it was stated that over £l6 more than the Government subsidy avas spent- on papers, etc., and as the room was very comfortable it was thought that Is fid. the amount donated to the subscription box last year, -was no: a fair .a'mount to lie contributed. The report and balance-sheet were adopted, on, the motion of the chairman. seconded by Mr. Id. A. King. The election of officers then took place as follows: President, Mr Geo. Grant (re-elected); vice-president, Mr. Id. Day; committee. Yen. Archdeacon Williams. Messrs A. Id. Wallis, T. Morgan. A. S. Muir, L. T. -Semes, G. Matthewson. and G. Stock; auditors, Messrs H. M. Porter and W. A. O’Meara (re-elected). A vote' of thanks was accorded to the librarians, and the meeting adjourned.

At a subsequent ■ meeting of the committee. Mr. G. Stock was re-elected secretary, with a vote of thanks for his past services.

The librarians, Miss A. M. Beere and Miss Akroyd, wore re-clocked. The Veil. Archdeacon Williams, Mr Muir, and -the secretary were appointed as the Book Committee. The meeting then concluded.