Bristol fllMiseum ano Xibrarp. 



REPORT OF THE COUNCIL 



FOE 1890. 



Whex, some twentj- years ago, this Association was formed by 

 the amalgamation of two old Bristol Societies, it deliberately 

 adopted a self-denying constitution by which the Shareholders 

 were precluded from deriving any jtecuniary advantage from 

 their shares ; and it was manifest that the establishment of such 

 an Institution was not so much for the benefit of the Shareholders 

 as for that of the citizens at large, who could, equally with the 

 Shareholders, take part in all its advantages. It was presumed 

 that the knowledge of this fact by the citizens of Bristol would 

 beget a generous treatment, and that many wealthy persons 

 would esteem it a duty and honour to come forward for its 

 support. Again, the promoters, when framing its constitution, 

 took care to arrange its rules in accordance with the Museum 

 and Libraries Act, by which it was hoped and expected that the 

 Institution would escape all Imperial and local taxation, more 

 especially as the old Institution, in Park Street, was never taxed. 

 But your Council have seen with much regret that neither of 

 these expectations have been justified by the event, and that the 

 Building Debt which was incurred when the second portion of 

 the building was carried out still remains an incubus on the 

 Institution, which cripples all the efforts of its managers, and is 

 gradually making it increasingly difficult to carry on the under- 

 taking at all; and this burden has been enhanced by the 

 building having been, after all, subjected to Imperial and local 

 taxation. During the past year a fresh tax has been levied 



