Mechanics institutes in New Zealand, and their effect on the development of library services. LIANZA conference, Wednesday, 8 September 2004, 2 p.m.

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1 Mechanics institutes in New Zealand, and their effect on the development of library services. LIANZA conference, Wednesday, 8 September 2004, 2 p.m. David Verran Auckland City Libraries, P.O. Box 4138, Auckland, New Zealand. david.verran@aucklandcity.govt.nz Mechanics' institutes in Britain and 1840's New Zealand. The first of such institutes can be traced back at least to 1821 with the Edinburgh School of Arts and the 1823 Glasgow and London Mechanics' Institutes. They provided lectures on science for local craftsmen and skilled workers, otherwise known as mechanics, with the range of lectures soon expanding to include various aspects of "self improvement". By the time of their export to New Zealand in the middle of the nineteenth century, the norm was more to provide a modest library of fiction and some non-fiction, a reading room for newspapers and magazines, and a venue for popular lectures and classes, book readings, selections from plays and light drama and music. Working men were notably absent from attendance. Nevertheless, the entertainment provided still had to have an educational aspect or infotainment in today's vernacular. The Auckland Mechanics' Institute. Originally opened on 30 September 1842 in rented premises, by 1856 the Auckland Institute also boasted a lecture hall, which for many years was the only public meeting place available in Auckland. That hall had been financed by a two to one grant from the Auckland Provincial Council. The annual report to members in 1856 boasted a lectures and classes committee, a library committee and a repairs committee. That in 1858 also reported classes on debating and music, and concerts, while that in 1861 reported lectures on such topics as astronomy, the British Empire and chemistry. In 1866 it boasted a circulating library, a reading room and reference library, a hall, and classes on elocution and discussion or debating. In the 1860's lectures included such topics as "Temperance", "The importance of right principles", "Shakespeare" and various aspects of the writings of Charles Dickens. Musical entertainment included soirees with bands and singers. Generally the major expenditures were the salary of the secretary, and the purchase of oil, candles, firewood and furniture, newspaper and journal subscriptions, books and their binding, and general maintenance. By the 1870's the institute had tried to revive itself by according to "Daily Southern Cross (7 June 1870)" offering "a series of light and amusing literary entertainments... (along with)... scientific, historical and other lectures, together with concerts, etc; thus making it something like what an institution of this nature is in the old country". "Shakur (1984) argues that by 1860 the mechanics' institutes were "the most pervasive and effective institution in Great Britain for the after-school education of skilled workers... (and became)... more social and less educational" as public authorities took over some of their roles. In New Zealand mechanics' institutes adopted that more social role from the beginning. On 6 June 1870 the Auckland Mechanics Institute echoed very much the programme available at the nearby Newton Athenaeum, although with less Shakespeare and more popular music. However, the Auckland institute was described in "Daily Southern Cross (24 May 1872)" as "an effete institution fast verging into obscurity and threatening to become defunct".

2 2 Nevertheless, it lasted nearly thirty-eight years as a place where books and newspapers could be read, and books borrowed upon payment of a subscription and a loan fee. In 1879, with a declining membership, the Institute asked the Auckland City Council to take it over, and in 1880 its book stock was absorbed into that of the new public library. Hence, Auckland City Libraries dates from 1880, but remained based in the mechanics' institute building until For some time after the Auckland Workingmen's Club kept the additional "and Mechanics Institute" in its title, obviously retaining some of the social functions. It should be noted that the Auckland Provincial Council Library, also absorbed into the new Auckland Public Library, was just for elected members and readers nominated by members. Other Auckland area institutes. Elsewhere in the Auckland urban area, the Onehunga Institute opened in 1862, and affirmed that it was open to all and not just "mechanics'. By 1879 its reading room was struggling, but receiving money from the Onehunga Borough Council. That library eventually faded, but was replaced by a Carnegie funded library in the early Twentieth Century. That became what is today the Onehunga Community Library, a part of Auckland City Libraries since The Newmarket Literary Association dated from 1869 and there was later a Newmarket Literary Institute & Reading Room, which lasted from the 1870's to the 1890's. The opening of the locally funded Newton Athenaeum on 7 June 1870 provided brief excerpts from the classics of music, drama, poetry and novels, along with more popular songs. The aim according to "Daily Southern Cross (8 June 1870)" being "the social, moral and intellectual enlightenment of the masses". The Athenaeum also provided a reading room for newspapers and magazines for local residents, but following a drastic fire in 1886 it was decided not to rebuild. More recent examples include the individually funded Leys Institute from That library dates from 1905 and the gymnasium from 1906, and is now with Onehunga part of Auckland City Libraries. In the greater Auckland area the Waiuku (Literary) Institute was formed in the 1860's or 1870's, and both the Papakura Literary Institute and the Rodney Athenaeum in the 1870's. The Helensville area boasted the Kaukapakapa Public Hall & Athenaeum formed in the 1880's, and later both the nearby Makarau Public Hall & Athenaeum and the Parakai Public Hall & Athenaeum. From the 1910's the Warkworth area in turn boasted both the Ahuroa Public Hall & Athenaeum and the Big Omaha Mechanics' Institute. These appear to have been rural community centres with small libraries. Northland, Waikato and Bay of Plenty institutes. The Whangarei Literary Institute was formed on 11 March 1871, followed later by the Waipu Library & Literary Association. Elsewhere in Northland the Okaihau Mutual Improvement & Literary Association was also formed in the 1870's. Later there was also a Wairoa Mechanics' Institute. In the Waikato, the Hamilton Institute lasted only from 1870 to 1874, when a combination of a fire and the secretary of the Institute running off with the funds finished it off. There was a short lived Hamilton Literary Association from 1875 to 1878, and from 1888 the Hamilton Borough Council opened up a former toll house at the traffic bridge, and provided some books to commence library service to local residents. That became the basis for Hamilton City Libraries. In the 1910's the Kaihere Athenaeum, Library & Institute was formed near

3 3 Morrinsville. The Tauranga Mechanics Institute lasted from 1871 to 1881, when a fire destroyed the hall, library and reading room, the local council then provided a public library, while the Opotiki Mechanics' Institute was formed in the 1870's. Institutes in the Coromandel area. As the second most populated area in the northern half of the North island in the nineteenth century, the Coromandel Peninsula boasted a number of mechanics' institutes. The Thames Mechanics' Institute was formed in However, by 1875 it was instead functioning basically as a museum. From 1880 the library and the mineral collection gifted to it went to the new Borough controlled free public library, and from 1886 that mineral collection was at the Thames School of Mines. Elsewhere in the Coromandel there were literary institutes at Kaponga and Tokatea Hill by the early 1870's, the Driving Creek Institute was formed in 1882 and there was also the Coromandel Institute itself. The Mercury Bay Athenaeum was formed in the 1880's. As an example of the fare offered, the Grahamstown based Thames Mechanics' Institute on the evening of 1 November 1871 presented the trial scene from Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice, a light musical interlude and what the "Thames Guardian & Mining Record (31 October 1872) "termed a "pleasant drama". The location was the Academy of Music in Brown Street and a choice of stalls, boxes or pit offered to those attending. The Academy of Music later took on a life of its own as a major venue for popular entertainment. Auckland Provincial government support. The Auckland Provincial Council voted funds for mechanics' institutes from At first it part funded just the Auckland and Thames Mechanics Institutes, but in 1872 also part funded the Coromandel Mechanics' Institute. In 1874 it funded technical classes in arithmetic, mathematics, mechanical and architectural drawing and Maori at the Auckland Institute. By the 1874 / 1875 financial year funding went to the Kaponga and Tokatea Institutes in Coromandel, the Mechanics' Institutes at Auckland and Thames, and the Public Library and Institute at Gisborne. A library had been formed at Turanga in 1869, in a room in the Courthouse. Around half the total Council allocation went to other libraries in country areas. Mechanics' institutes in Hawkes Bay, Westland, Marlborough and Southland. The small population Hawkes Bay and Southland Provincial Councils appear not to have ever addressed the issue of funding such institutes, while Westland County and then Provincial Council regularly defeated attempts to provide endowments for literary institutes and the like. Nevertheless, both the Hawkes Bay Mechanics' Institute and the Napier Athenaeum & Mechanics' Institute were formed in the 1850's, while in Westland the Hokitika Mechanics' Institute was formed in the 1870's. Marlborough Province had a Picton based Marlborough Literary Institute from Southland doesn t feature. Wellington area mechanics' institutes. In Wellington the original Port Nicholson Institute lasted only from 1841 to late 1844, but efforts were made to revive it in June 1848 and it was renamed the Wellington Athenaeum & Mechanics' Institute in A new hall was opened on reserve land in April 1850 and lectures, concerts, debates and conversazione continued into the 1860's. In 1855 a reading room was also proposed. However, there appears no direct financial assistance from the Wellington Provincial Council. A new building was opened in 1877, but financial difficulties in the 1880's led to the Wellington City Council, with some private support, providing a full public library service from 1893.

4 4 In the 1850's there was also a Hutt Mechanics' Institute, and elsewhere in Wellington Province the Wanganui and Taranaki Mechanics' Institutes were both formed in the 1870's. The Featherston Literary Institute was formed in the 1890's and six separate institutes were formed in the Taihape area from the 1900's to the 1930's: Kaitieke, Mataroa, Pukeokahu, Taihape itself, Tiriraukawa and Utiku. All appear to have resulted from local initiatives. Nelson area mechanics' institutes. The Nelson Literary & Scientific Institution was formed by ship's officers on the "Whitby" on its way out to Nelson on 17 May It had the aim of spreading general knowledge in that New Zealand Company settlement, and also encouraging scientific research. On another ship the "Mary Ann" there was a competing movement to set up a benefit society and a mechanics' institute. Some have read into this an element of class conflict in nineteenth century Nelson, but this is likely more a case of imposing theories on unrelated events. Eventually on 6 June 1842 matters were decided in favour of the "Whitby" people, but with a liberalisation of the conditions of membership. A local citizen provided the land, and the building itself boasted a library, reading room and a room for public meetings and lectures. However, for most of the 1840's it operated basically as an elite gentlemen's club. In nearby Richmond a separate Mechanics' Institute was formed in 1846, with lectures provided. From 1850 the Nelson Institute began to also provide lectures and classes. In 1859 the Nelson Provincial Council provided a new site for the Literary and Mechanics' Institute, and 200 Pounds towards building costs. That opened in 1861, and continued until a fire in The 1907 Nelson Institute Act allowed for incorporation and the ability to draw on 690 acres of land. Until 1965 that Institute still offered a subscription library service, and it is now known as the Nelson Provincial Museum. Elsewhere in the Nelson Province the Charleston Mechanics' Institute & Library was formed in the 1870's. Canterbury area mechanics' institutes. The Canterbury Provincial Council was more generous than other Councils. There were regular funds for "Public Libraries, College and Museum", but this largely went to the combined University College, Museum and Public Library. In 1875 all such funds were less than 1% of total Council expenditure. Pressure to establish a local mechanics' institute dates from at least March 1852, and the Lyttelton Colonists' Society was formed in The Christchurch Mechanics' Institute was founded on 26 May In January 1868 the Mechanics' Institute was renamed the Christchurch Literary Institute, and in 1870 the Provincial Council passed a Museum and Library Ordinance for Christchurch. From 15 December 1873 the property of the Literary Institute went to Canterbury College, who then ran the Canterbury Public Library from 1878 to 1948, when the Christchurch City Council took it over. In the greater Christchurch area the St Albans Mutual Improvement Society ran a meeting place from 1867 and added a library in The Council's ambitious 1875 Public Library Ordnance encouraged lending and reference libraries, newspaper and periodical reading rooms, but also "meetings for social and intellectual improvement, educational classes and lectures, the collection of scientific apparatus or other things illustrative of science or useful for education, providing rational amusement and recreation" through mechanics' institutes, athenaeums and reading rooms. However, in the following year the Council was dissolved.

5 5 In North Canterbury local mechanics' institutes varied from operating solely as libraries to cultural and community centres. A reading room was opened in Kaiapoi in June 1865, with a library and lecture room added later. Leithfield followed with an institute and library by the end of 1866, and a combination of privately donated land and local subscriptions created the Oxford Mechanics' Institute in The Provincial Council provided a book subsidy for both the Oxford and nearby Rangiora Institute. The Rangiora Institute was also largely funded by private efforts and while the local Road Board's offices originally provided a venue in 1872, a separate hall was opened on 1 January 1873 and a reading room and library added later in the 1870's. Both the Kaiapoi and Rangiora halls were used for most local public meetings and functions. As elsewhere members attended readings, recitations, and scenes from plays, flower shows, art and craft exhibitions, musical performances and lectures. Later, there were phonographic concerts and early films shown. There was also a Mechanics' Institute at Cust, although as with Flaxton, Ashley and Eyreton, it was basically a library encouraged by Provincial Council book subsidies. In the 1890's debates, discussions and readings ceased at the various institutes, with the book stock at Oxford finally getting a permanent home in The Kaiapoi Institute closed in 1912 with its books incorporated into the Council run public library. The Rangiora hall was burnt down in 1925 and replaced by a Town Hall, complete with free public library and reading room. The Domett Hall & Mechanics' Institute and the Woodend Mechanics' Institute were both formed in the 1910's. In South Canterbury the Timaru Mechanics' Institute and Public Library was formed in 1862, and funded by private subscriptions. A new building was erected on land granted by the Provincial Council in 1869, and by 1872 Timaru offered both a reading room and a library. The building itself was funded by a loan, which was finally paid back in The first meeting to form the Waimate Mechanics' Institute was on 18 August 1868 and from 5 July 1875 it was run as a joint public library and mechanics' institute. The Temuka Mechanics' Institute was founded on 12 September Morven Athenaeum & Library was founded in the 1900's and was still offering a library service in Otago area mechanics' institutes. The Dunedin Mechanics Institute was formed on 17 June 1851, providing lectures, classes and a library from both local funding and a Provincial Council grant. However, it had few members or books, ran no classes and in 1859 merged into the Dunedin Athenaeum & Mechanics' Institute. That Institute provided a library, a reading room, a museum and lectures. However, the Provincial Council refused to endow it with a freehold site as it wasn't operating as a free public library, being subscription based. Also, despite the enabling powers given to local authorities by the 1869 Public Libraries Act the Athenaeum refused to be taken over by the Dunedin City Council. Instead in 1875 the Otago University library took over the Provincial Council library, and the University provided a free public reference library with a Provincial Council subsidy. Dunedin Public Library dates from The Otago Provincial Council echoed the supportive policies of the Victorian Colonial Government, particularly from It set aside reserve land for mechanics' institutes and the like at Dunedin in 1863, Oamaru in 1865, Lawrence in 1870, Hampden and Invercargill in 1871, Cromwell and Riverton in 1873, Roslyn in 1874 and Arrowtown in The Lawrence institute was originally the Tuapeka Athenaeum & Mining Institute from 20 June 1865, but renamed the Lawrence Athenaeum and Mining Society around 1874.

6 6 After the dissolution of Otago Province there continued to be new reserves set aside in Port Chalmers and Waikouaiti in 1877, and in 1882 in Oamaru the old courthouse site was vested in the Oamaru Athenaeum & Mechanics' Institute. The Oamaru Borough Council had already taken over funding the Institute, and the building now houses the North Otago Museum. Tuapeka, Arrowtown, Port Chalmers, Naseby, Clyde, Milton and Riverton were still providing a library service in The handsome Invercargill Athenaeum continued to be funded by membership subscriptions, and rents from both endowments and the lower floor let as offices and shops. Generally there were significant variations in the level of official support given to mechanics' and similar institutes by the various Provincial Councils. In the 1873 / 1874 financial year Otago part funded Athenaeums at Dunedin, Invercargill, Cromwell, Blueskin and Waikouaiti, a public library at Clyde and an Institute at Roslyn to a total of 1,620 Pounds. As a comparison Auckland in 1874 / 1875 spent only 909 Pounds, while Canterbury included the Museum and other institutions within its seemingly much more generous allocation. Otago was also more liberal when providing reserve land for local institutes than Canterbury. Central government and mechanics' institutes to In 1869, following the example set by the 1850 British Public Libraries Act, the New Zealand government passed a Public Libraries Act to encourage the formation of free admission public libraries. Governing bodies could levy a library rate of 1 Penny for every Pound value of rateable property. It became 2 Pennies from However, no one immediately took up this enabling legislation, and in 1875 there was further legislation to enable both public libraries and mechanics' and similar institutes to accept endowments and enforce rules and regulations. In 1877 the Public Libraries Subsidies Act enabled local bodies to form subscription based lending libraries, that is, library users paid a subscription of at least 5 Shillings per annum in order to borrow books. In 1890 hotel workers were seeking wages of a minimum of 20 Shillings or 1 Pound a week. The Act also allowed for a government grant or subsidy to free non-subscription libraries, following on from the support given by some of the now dissolved Provincial Councils. The new local Education Boards initially made such library grants, and funds were allocated to the different Boards on a population basis. From 1882 the Department of Education took over that function. For example in 1877 and 1878 the Auckland Education Board made library grants to the Auckland and Tauranga Mechanics' Institutes, the Tokatea, Waiuku and Whangarei Institutes, the separate Auckland Institute, Borough Libraries at Onehunga, Thames and Gisborne and other local community based libraries. However, concern was raised whether the Auckland Mechanics' Institute was eligible, as it was a member only subscription library, but it did provide a free access reading room. From 1883 to 1887 library grants to Auckland area non-public libraries included just the Waiuku, Whangarei and Tokatea Institutes, and after 1887 all grants to both public libraries and mechanics' institutes throughout New Zealand were withdrawn. In 1883 across New Zealand the library subsidy was 30% of the total income of the various libraries, and by 1887 it was nearer 45%. When restored in 1898 such grants went only to public libraries, and this continued to The amount involved was rather small, being 5,000 Pounds for the whole of New Zealand in 1877 / 1878, the maximum reached was 6,000 Pounds, and was only 3,000 Pounds by In that year the total Education Department vote was around 4 Million Pounds, thus less than 1%. In 1908 all previous legislation affecting libraries and mechanics' institutes had been consolidated in the Libraries and

7 7 Mechanics' Institutes Act, and from 1910 public libraries had the newly established New Zealand Library Association to better coordinate their efforts. It should be noted that Carnegie library grants from 1899 required there be both a free library lending service and free admission to reading rooms, but only 3 or 4 out of the 18 beneficiaries actually provided a free service. In the Auckland area Onehunga, Hamilton, Cambridge and Thames received Carnegie library building grants. Interestingly most of the buildings physically echoed the old institutes, with separate reading and social rooms on either side of a central hall. They were also built in New Plymouth, Hastings, Dannevirke, Marton, Levin, Westport, Greymouth, Hokitika, Fairlie, Timaru, Alexandra, Dunedin, Gore and Balclutha. Long term contribution to New Zealand society. Commentators on New Zealand mechanics' and other similar institutes have often regarded them as mere stepping stones to the formation of public libraries or as early but limited attempts at providing adult education, particularly in art and the sciences. The "New Zealand Mail (4 November 1871)" blamed the failure of mechanics' institutes partly on poor management, but also as much on ignoring people's natural desire for entertainment rather than a continuous diet of the earnest and morally uplifting. This suggests something analogous to the early debates in New Zealand concerning radio and later television, whether these should primarily be for educational or for entertainment. We all know how those debates have been resolved. "Thompson (1945)" identified a total of 96 institutes In New Zealand, and there may well have been others. He came to three general conclusions about them. Firstly, as many of the lectures given were scientific in nature such needs were soon overtaken by more specialist scientific societies. Secondly, they became a community rather than a prime learning centre. Thirdly, the majority were formed just to run a library, of sorts. "Belich (2001)" is more damning, regarding them as "agents of the mid-nineteenth century forebears of moral evangelism, intended to fill the spare hours of self-improving workmen with useful leisure, or at least harmless pleasures, such as listening to or reading moralising sermons, or playing draughts and reading newspapers. Generally speaking, these institutions experienced one of three fates: they collapsed, were taken over by the respectable and kept their refined curriculum, but lost their decent pupils, or they became camouflaged beer houses and lost their curriculum, but kept their pupils". The Canterbury area Oxford Working Men's Club obtained two thirds of its income from bar sales and attracted 70% of the town's menfolk. Nevertheless, mechanics institutes and the like had a significant if quite varied impact on New Zealand cultural life, at least to the 1880's. In those areas where mechanics' institutes and the like continued to be successful into the twentieth century, it was by focusing almost exclusively on providing library services. In some centres, such as Nelson, a strong institute postponed the provision of full free public library service, that is without a subscription. Auckland City Libraries did away with its subscription charge in 1946, something its Librarian, John Barr, had been working towards for years. In the rural areas served by Counties, as opposed to Boroughs and Cities, only the local mechanics' institutes provided some form of library service.

8 8 John Barr, who was Auckland City Librarian from 1913 to 1952 and wrote the first history of that library, is perhaps the most positive about the contribution of at least one institute, the Auckland Mechanics' Institute. "Barr (1950)" contends it "filled a most important community service during its career of nearly thirty eight years, supplying as it did literary recreation to its members and classes of instruction for the people, particularly the youths of the City, when no other means was available. It also provided for a long time the only meeting place for the use of citizens. In its hall many historically important meetings were held, and a large number of the flourishing organisations - philanthropic, social and commercial - of today were conceived and born there. The Institute's record of service is a worthy one, and its promoters deserve our esteem. With extremely limited resources it did a great deal to stimulate interest in educational and cultural matters among the residents and provided them with the means of self-improvement. In its time it was the intellectual and social centre of the City. It organised musical entertainments and lectures by the best lecturers available, as well as classes of instruction, which were well attended and appreciated. The subjects taught included arithmetic, mathematics, architectural and mechanical drawing, and there was even a class for the study of Maori. An exhibition of fine and useful art was another undertaking of importance for which the Institute was responsible". What better tribute could there be to the more successful of such Institutes? Nevertheless, public expectations continued to encourage both specialised societies and agencies of local government to expand adult education and community and library services. When it received positive support from central government from the mid 1930 s onwards, this ultimately led to the eclipse of the institutes. Nevertheless, legacies from the era of the institutes remain. This can be seen partly in the way that public libraries are currently still locally funded, without direct government financial support, but also in the overwhelming acceptance of public libraries as a vital part of the community. Jock McEldowney s New Zealand Library association (published by the Association in 1962) makes little reference to what came before, and, with the exception of some well written histories of individual libraries, much of the contribution of the mechanics institutes to the development of public libraries has been lost. Hopefully this paper restores some of the history of their often proud contribution. May I also pay tribute to the pioneering work done by Arthur.Ballard Thompson in his 1945 work on the history of adult education in New Zealand, and by implication on the influence of the mechanics institutes on the growth of popular education. May I also finally pay tribute to Glenda Northey, whose thesis on nineteenth century libraries in the Auckland area was particularly helpful. References. Acts of Parliament:. Appendices to the Journals of the New Zealand House of Representatives, Auckland Mechanics' Institute Records , Auckland City Libraries, NZ MS 525. Auckland, Wellington, Nelson, Canterbury, Westland & Otago Provincial Councils, Journals, Barr, John, 1950, Auckland Public Libraries , Auckland, The library, (pp 2-3). Belich, James, 2001, Paradise reforged, Auckland, Penguin, (pp 178-9). Bush, Graeme, 1971, Decently and in order, Auckland, Auckland City Council. Colgan, Wynne, 1980, The Governor's gift, Auckland, Auckland Public Libraries. Daily Southern Cross. 7 June 1870, (p 3), 24 May 1872 (p 2), 8 June 1870 (p 4). Dakin, James C., 1979, "Adult education in early Auckland", Continuing Education in New Zealand, 11, 2,

9 9 Encyclopaedia of New Zealand, 1966, 2, pp Hall, David O.W., 1970, New Zealand adult education, London, Michael Joseph. Kidson, A.L., 1971, "The Mechanics' Institute", Education, 20, 10, New Zealand Mail, 4 November 1871, pp Northey, Glenda, 2003, Accessible to all? Libraries in the Auckland Provincial area, , (thesis online at ) Shukur, Roy, 1984, Educating the workers; a history of the WEA in New Zealand, Auckland, WEA, (p 19). Thames Guardian & Mining Record, 31 October 1872, (p2). Thompson, A.B., 1945, Adult education in New Zealand, Wellington, N.Z. Council for Educational Research, pp