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16
FREE LIBRARIES' ACTS.
A duly signed requisition, to convene a public meeting of ratepayers
to determine whether the Acts should be adopted for this Parish, having
been presented to the Vestry, it was referred to a Special Committee to
take the necessary steps to convene and arrange for the meeting, and the
Committee were instructed to place themselves in communication with the
authorities of the South Kensington Museum with a view of ascertaining
whether the proposed library could be connected with the Art Library
and School of Design, which the Government had undertaken to establish
at the Museum.
The Special Committee reported as follows:—
Your Committee have met twice, and have also had an interview with the Director of
the South Kensington Museum, and report as follows:—
That they have arranged that the meeting of ratepayers shall be held in the School
room, Abbey street, on Monday, the 7th inst., at seven o'clock in the evening.
That a question having been raised whether the terms of the Act of Parliament did
not exclude the right to demand a poll, your Committee were advised by the Clerk that
the opinion of counsel on the point should be taken, which has been done, and the opinion
is clear that a poll can be demanded by any ratepayer as a matter of right.
That counsel also advises that the poll should be held at one place, and not separate
polls for the respective W ards, and that the poll should be taken and the result declared
within twenty days prescribed by the Act from the presentation to the Vestry of the
requisition.
That should a poll be demanded, it is proposed to suggest that it should be taken at
the Vestry Hall, on Wednesday next, and that the poll should be open from 9 a.m. to
9 p.m.
That counsel is of opinion that the occupiers of houses, the owners of which are rated
instead of the occupiers, are not entitled to vote; but after conferring with the Clerk,
your Committee are of opinion that the Chairman of the Meeting should be advised to
accept the votes of such occupiers, but that such votes should be so recorded as to admit
of their being distinguished from the other votes, and the result of the poll ascertained,
including and excluding such votes.
That at the interview with the Director of the South Kensington Museum, he was
unable to make any specific suggestion, and it is left for an application to be made to
Government, should the proposal for a Free Library be carried, to assist in any way by
establishing, in connection with the Free Library, the Library of Science and Art, or in
furnishing buildings or otherwise.
It was moved by Mr. Hay, and seconded by Mr. Jacobs, "That the Report now read
be approved and adopted."
An amendment was moved by Mr. Coke, and seconded by Mr. Edwards, "That the
report be received and adopted, except that part of it relating to the votes of occupiers