550 Proceedings. 



Annual Geneeal Meeting : 20th February, 1890. 

 Mr. T. Peacock in the chair. 



Abstract of Annual Eeport. 



The number of members on the register is 187. Fifteen new members 

 were elected during the year, and 23 names withdrawn, of which 3 were 

 from death and 7 from resignation. In keeping up a Museum for the 

 instruction and amusement of the public, the Institute is performing a 

 work which, in other parts of New Zealand, and in Australia, is solely 

 made a charge upon the public funds. The Council therefore feel that 

 the Institute deserves more support from those who are able to afford it, 

 and trust that the present members will use their influence to introduce 

 new subscribers 



The balance-sheets appended to the report give full information 

 respecting the financial position of the society, but a brief synopsis will 

 doubtless be useful to the members. The total income credited to the 

 General Account has been £2,305 13s. 9d., but this includes a sum of 

 £1,500 withdrawn from investment to meet the cost of the new addition 

 to the Museum, so that the ordinary income may be stated at £805 

 13s. 9d. Last year the amount was £736 10s. 7d. The interest on the 

 invested funds of the Costley bequest has been £482 5s., and the Museum 

 endowment has yielded in rents and interest £162 lis. 9d. The members' 

 subscriptions amount to £133 7s., a sum slightly under that realised last 

 year. The total expenditure has been £2,295 15s. 9d. ; but, as in the case 

 of the income, this sum should be divided into two portions — one repre- 

 senting the ordinary expenditure incurred in the maintenance of the 

 Institute and Museum, amounting to £763 2s., the other the cost of the 

 new hall and its fittings, equalling £1,532 3s. 9d. Part of this, it will be 

 remembered, was shown on last year's balance-sheet as an overdraft at 

 the bank. The position of the invested funds of the Institute may be 

 regarded as satisfactory. The total amount at the present time is 

 £11,370 10s. lOd. As previously stated, £1,500 has been withdrawn 

 during the year ; but, on the other hand, £1,418 Is. has been added, so 

 that the reduction since the last annual meeting is very small indeed. 

 The Council consider that the members are to be congratulated on the 

 fact that, notwithstanding the large cost of the new building, 1 every 

 liability in connection with it has been discharged, and that yet the 

 capital of the Institute barely shows an appreciable reduction. 



Nine meetings have been held during the year, at which sixteen 

 papers were read. 



The number of visitors to the Museum has largely increased during 

 the year. On Sunday afternoons a register has been kept by the janitor, 

 showing that 10,528 persons have entered the building on that day, being 

 an average of 202 for each Sunday. On week-days the visitors have 

 been occasionally counted, and, although an accurate estimate cannot be 

 given, it is believed that the average attendance has been about 110. 

 Excluding certain days on which the Museum was closed for clean- 

 ing, &c, this would give an attendance of 32,780 on week-days, or a total 

 of 43,308 for the year. 



In last year's report the Council fully stated the reasons that had 

 induced them to enlarge the Museum. As the addition is now completed 

 and opened to the public, it is desirable to give the members some infor- 

 mation respecting its construction and cost, and the use to which it has 

 been applied. It consists of a hall, 100ft. in length by 50ft. in breadth, 

 placed on the south side of the main building, and at right angles to it. 

 It is substantially built of brick, with concrete floor, and is roofed with 

 iron and glass, being practically fireproof. The total expenditure in con- 

 nection with the building was £1,532 13s. 9d., inclusive of the show-cases 



