The annual meeting of the subscribers to the Hillside Railway Workshops Library was held in the social hall last evening.
There was a fair attendance, and Mr J. Carson (president) occupied the chair. In its annual report, the committee stated that considering the number of subscribers who had gone to the front, it had been a successful year.
The revenue was 96 17s 6d, which showed a slight falling off. There was a credit balance in the bank of 16 6s 9d, and only the ordinary trade accounts were owing.
The subscribers' list had fallen away from 227 to 204, but this was fully accounted for by the number who were out of New Zealand and serving the Empire. The committee recommended that Mr R. Farrant be made a life honorary member of the library.
The only changes in the personnel of the committee had been the transference of three vice-presidents - Messrs J. G. Forbes, R. Haydon, and W. Walls - all of whom took an active interest in library matters.
An innovation was made last year by appointing a finance, or executive, committee, which meets monthly. The scheme has worked very well, and saved the necessity of calling the whole committee together for comparatively trivial business.
Over 13 was cheerfully subscribed by the employees for a roll of honour board, which would be a permanent memorial of the great war and the Hillside men who risked their lives in defence of the Empire and liberty.
The number of books on the shelves was close on 9000. The report and balance sheet were adopted on the motion of the chairman, seconded by Mr T. Leyland.
The election of officers resulted as follows:- President, Mr J. Carson; vice-presidents, Messrs H. G. Brooks, R. Johnston, F. H. Titchener, and G. A. Deare; secretary, Mr D. Hastings; treasurer, Mr W. McEvoy; trustees, Messrs F. H. Thomas and A. Mundel; auditors, Messrs J. Robertson and F. C. Evans; committee: Messrs J. Sheridan, F. Orchard (fitting shop), W. Connor, W. R. Rodgerson (smith's shop), G. Willett, and A. J. A. Smith (boiler shop). H. Stephens, T. Leyland (car shop), A. Melville (foundry), and W. G. Ward (office).
It was decided to allow subscribers to take one technical book, in addition to an ordinary book, free of charge.
•The Otago Education Board yesterday received from the Auckland Education Board a letter asking it to support a resolution asking the department to recognise a standard of 12 square feet per pupil in the floor space of schools.
The present standard is 10 feet. Mr W. Scott said that the cost of putting such a proposal into effect would be too great. In his opinion if the schools were properly built as they were in Otago, 10 feet of floor space was quite sufficient.
On the motion of Mr Mitchell, who pointed out that more space would be needed in the Auckland climate than here, seconded by Mr Scott, it was resolved that while the Otago Board concurred with the Auckland Board as to the desirability of the proposed reform, it did not believe that the present time was opportune for pressing it.
•When the Bay of Plenty Hospital Board was looking over its accounts members came across a fair sprinkling of items in the way of brandy, whisky, and a modest half-dozen of champagne for the Opotiki Hospital (says the Whakatane Press).
Mr Gow, referring to this, said he was of opinion that too much liquor was used in the Opotiki Hospital. It was resolved to write to the medical officer in charge at Opotiki, asking for an explanation of the excessive amount of liquor in the accounts for the hospital.
- ODT, 20.7.1916.
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