WESTLAND INSTITUTE. 



Annual General Meeting. 

 The President, Mr. J. B. Lewis, in the chair. 



Annual Report. 



In presenting this report the Truscees of the Institute have every 

 confidence that it will meet with the approval of its members, and 

 although the past year has not been what may be termed a phenomenal 

 one, still they are satisfied the Institute maintains a steady position, and 

 that its influence and utility have a fixed and permanent foundation, 

 requiring only better support from many of the citizens, which it richly 

 deserves. 



A matter of considerable importance in connection with the Institute 

 has lately arisen, and is still pending — viz., that of obtaining from 

 Mr. Carnegie a grant for the erection of a suitable building for a public 

 library and museum. 



A good deal of correspondence bearing on the subject has passed 

 between His Worship the Mayor, the Institute, and the Borough Council, 

 owing to tlie necessity of certain conditions imposed by Mr. Carnegie 

 bsing complied with preparatory to that gentleman signifyiog his consent 

 to the grant, and a conference has lately been held between the members 

 of the Borough Council and the Trustees of the Institute in order to 

 accomplish the object in view, with the result that there is every proba- 

 bility of pending difficulties being overcome. 



However, as'^uming the application will be ultimately successful, 

 such a building as that proposed will not only be a great acquisition to 

 the town, but a decided boon to the public. 



The members' roll now contains sixty-seven names ; but it is to be 

 regretted that the membership of so worthy an institution has not in- 

 creased to a greater extent, seeing the many advantages to be obtained 

 from it by the payment of a small subscription. 



During the past year several committee meetings have been held and 

 were well attended, unremitting attention having been given to all matters 

 of interest in reference'to the Institute, and during that period the library 

 has been supplemented by the addition of many new works, fiction and 

 otherwise. 



The reading-room has been well supplied with the leading daily, 

 local, and other newspapers, and the Trustees desire to record their thanks 

 for the many donations of newspapers to the Institute from newspaper- 

 proprietirs. 



The Museum, under the continued able management of the indefati- 

 gable curator, has had every care and attention bestowed upon it, and, as 

 a place of resort, is even more popular than ever. 



The ordinary subsidies from the Government, Borough Council, and 

 Harbour Board iiave been of material assistance in augmenting the limited 

 income of the Institute. 



