The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1881-11-08 00:00:00

LITERARY AND
_SCIENTIFIC INSTITUTE-

ANNUAL MEETING:

Under the presidency of the treasurer, William
Conos, Esq., B. A., the annual meeting cf the above
institution was held in the large Lecture Roots. The
attAndance of members was not numerous. There
were present the Mayor (C. Edmunds., Esq.), the ex-
Mayor (J. T. gtsphena, Eeq.), Memo. J. A. Collins,
Rev. V. J. Chanter, G. A. B.IIMIM, L. H. Matthews,
R. N. Cox, A. Reynolds, with F. W. Matte:lace and
J. Rolls, hon. secretsrie...

The annual report, read by the senior secretary, stated
that there had been no increase of members during
the year, and the amount received for subscriptions
show a sight deficiency; the attendance at the readings
room and the borrowers at the circulating library are
nearly as gr-at an when the income wan half as much
agates, the difference arising from the decrease in the
class, who are able and willing to anbectibe to an
institution of this kind for its own good rather than for
the pets ml return which they may oht dn. The
question of opining a recretation-room at the rear of the
reading-r om had been carried into •ffect, but with
unsucces•ful results, but the comanitte were quite
"tilling to place it at the service of any members
signifying their wish to use it. After much tteliberatinn
the committee had decided to advise the discontinu-
ance of the Gardene,s'Cltronkle, Building News, Dade
Chronitle, and Mat of Ragland Erpress, but as many
took an interest in the garden, a cheaper paper—the
o .rdening Illustrated, may take the place of the
Gardeners, Chronicle. They would advise that the
Nineteenth Centet•v be added to the list of periodicals.
The don re of various periodicals were thanked for
their contributions. The committee had been able to
make no appropriation out of the funds for additions
ti the circulating library, but they hal the pleasure
of recording their acknowledgments to Lady Bravoy
for the gift of a handsome to lurne, " "lunshine and
Storm in the EPA," and the Res. R. L. Carpenter
for the " Memoir of Dr. P. P. Carpenter," and the
"Literary Ladder." A mum of .1:5 had been voted for
future additions to the library. Hiving no money to
spend under the heat of lecture., &c., there had been
none, and they hid been unable to obtain voluntary
assistance in this direction. List July. the Briclport
Orchestral society discharged an o'd obligation of the
Choral Society by giving an excellent concert, when
Captain Whetham kindly granted the free use of the
Drill Hall. In July also, a communication was
received from Mr. C. G. Nantee, secretary of the
School of Art. Petting forth that the students were
hindered in their work by the imperfect accommodation
afforded by the lecture-ro ,m, the class ro ,1111 occupied
by them. The gallery in the lecture-room would have
to be removed, hut the school would be willing to
provide a room outside the building for lectures, when
required, or, as an alternative, to pay an agreed sum
In the way of rent. The committee of the institution
then came to the reeolution that the time was come
when an amalgamation of the two institutions may be
effected with advantage to both. In this resolution
the committee of the School of Art concurred, and
asked this committee to submit a proposal of how this
amalgamation is to be effected. In reply, this com-
mittee drew up a general outline of a scheme, which
may bs briefly stated. The principle of amalgamation
hart been accepted. the commit'ase of the institute
were prepared to apply to the members for unction to
effect the proposed alterations in the lecture-room, but
as part of the same scheme, they proposed that the
class rooms at the beck should be so improved as to
make them available for general meetings of members
and other purposes, for which the lecture-room would
be no longer fitted; at the mime time, they would be
ready to advise such a tarations in the rules as would
allow the number of the managing committee to he
incremed, so that thee specially interested in art
mi4ht be included. A general committee being thus
formed, which might appoint from its own members
smaller committees to mamas the different
departments of the institute it would be necea.ax7
that the whole of the estimated cost of the proposed
alterations should be raised before the proposal
for amalsgamstion amid be submitted to the members,
and that the classes should be handed over free of
liability, for the past conferences of the two
committees have since been held, and it wan hoped
that matters might have b int so far matured as to
allow of a definite pr. posal being submitted at this
meeting; but this has been found imp *Bible. A
meeting will probably be necessary at which
special
lmmittee hope to receive the went of the
members to • plan which they trust will give greater
stability tot wo valuable institutions."
The accounts presented showed a balance of
10.1 due to the treasurer. The retiring
members of the committee were Meows. T. Collo:, .7,
A. Collins, T. Male, and W. Tucker. Mr. T. Colfos
did not desire re-election as president, so Mr. W.
Golfo:, his brother. was elected pres,dent in his place,
and re-elected to the office of treasurer. The . ther
three gentlemen named above were re-elected, as were
the whole of the remaining officers. The report
being adopted the tenors and Period-knit, for the year
ware (turea of by auction, and the meeting
iw concl by • vote of thanks to the president.