BANNOCKBURN PUBLIC LIBRARY.

Cromwell Argus, Volume IV, Issue 208, 4 November 1873, Page 6

BANNOCKBURN PUBLIC LIBRARY.

To the Editor of the Cromwell Argus. Sir, —In respect of growling, miners, like Bailors, are privileged individuals. Without exciting any interest in the miuds of their hearers, they 'will carp away in a, qiierimonious manner, interlarding their complainings with the usual unsavoury expletives, yet making no attempt to obtain redress for their grievances, or mitigation for any hardships they may be suffering under, in a rational or systematic way. Men of words rather than action, miners may at times be heard upbraiding the Government, denouncing the squatters, anathematizing the publicans, and sending poor John Chinaman to a region which he would consider as anything but a Flowery Land ; deriving no satisfaction therefrom, but the pleasure Of listening to their own objurgations. Talk is certainly cheap and handy, but miners when they fancy their condition wants ameliorating should be something a little more determinate. " Wise men ne'er sit and wail their loss, But cheerily seek how to redress their harms." The miners of this district are on a par with the rest of their kind. You hear them frequently growling like a bear with a sore head. They have a particular grievance just now, and have had for some time past. It is and has been pretty general throughout the district. I refer to the public library, or rather I should say the position of it. for it is itß detached and isolated position which is giving the greatest cause for dissatisfaction, although much discontent seems also to exist touching the manner in which it is conducted. The school-house has been looked on as the most suitable place for it to be placed in, not so much even on account of its being as nearly as possible in the centre of the district, as that another cause which I have not mentioned, but which now deters many squeamish persons from joining, would then be obviated. An attempt to remove the library to the desired locality, was made some time since, but was frustrated, chiefly on account of the difficulty of getting a unani- * mity of feeling among those present at the schoolhouse on that occasion. There appeared to be no obstacle in the way of attaining the wished for result, beyond that of procuring and fixing shelves and cases for the reception of the books. How it was that such a large number of interested miners as was then present could not arrange amongst themselves some means of meeting the expenses of such an undertaking, seems almost incomprehensible, and can only be accounted for by the backwardness and reluctance x»f miners to take any decided action in matters relating to their own profit and advantage. What seems difficult of accomplishment now by a body of men, was cheerfully done some years ago by a single individual, —one who would as readily assist in any good work in the present as he has in the past. Strange, then, that num. bers cannot effect for themselves, what one man effected for the benefit of numbers. There, is little cause then, I think, for grumbling, if the matter be rightly considered, and the miners have no one to reproach but themselves. The opinion that prevails with regard to the present management of the library is, that it bears more the semblance to a select library than a public one. Strangers coming to the district might remain in it for months without beinc aware that such an institution existed. No publicity is given in any way to inform the public of its whereabouts, condition, or cost of membership ; and as to the state of its finances, they are kept entirely in the dark. If the library is.a public one, why are there not quarter or half-yearly reports published of its pecuniary state ? Why does not the Committee advertise the terms of subscription, and the adTantages to be gained by joining ? People will not feel inclined to join any society without knowing the way in which it is conducted. It is prejudicial to the advancement of any institution to withhold from the public a knowledge of the state of its funds, and the benefits accruing from becoming a member of it. No man cares about paying money unless he knows to what uses it has been nut. Giving publicity to the general state of affairs would not only give satisfaction to the subscribers, but would be an inducement to others to become subscribers also. When such publicity is not given, people, in these advertising days, are apt to come to a conclusion, not a just one perhaps, but one that would discourage them from having anything to do with such an institution. But there are few ills without a remedy, and this one is far from being incurable. We have an energetic individual in this district, who in most cases is on the alert when he can be the means of enhancing the interests of the miners ; and I really cannot see why a public meeting, held under the auspices of the association to which he is attached, could not succeed in bringing the affair to a successful issue. For it appears to me to be a matter as much within the functions of that body as commonage, mining bills, and sludge channels.—l am, &c, Nemo. Bannockburn, 30th October, 1873.