Fending Public Library.

Feilding Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 254, 1 May 1897, Page 2

Fending Public Library.

A meeting of ratepayers and subscribers to the Fcildiug Public Library was lie.'d in the Borough Council Chambers last evening to receive the report of the i Library Committee and di-cuss matters 1 of interest h: coumction with the Library. There were some twenty ladies and gentlemen present, Mr J. H. Stevens, chairman of the committee, presiding. The treasurer, Mr W. G. Haybittle, road the halaucc sheet for the twelve mouths ending March 31st, 1897, showing : — Receipts - Credit balance on band April Ist. 1896, £68 19s 3d; rates. , £'61 17s Id; subscriptions, £51 17s; doi nation, £1 ; total, LlB3 13s 4d. Expenditure, — By Librarian's salary and . commission, £45 8s 8d ; books and periodicals, £63 7s Id ; rent, &c, £11 7s ; I furniture, £17 9s 8d ; lighting and sun- , dries, £9 6s 9c! ; balance on hand, £80 \ 14s 2d ; total, £183 13s 4d. I The chairman, Mr Stevcus, explained , that the large balauce they started the , year with was accumulated for furuishing the new rooms, and they had decided t to speud £25 of the balance now in band . on the purchase of now books. This meeting had beeu called for the purpose of consulting the ratepayers and sub- ) scribers on the affairs of the Library. , Although the committee was by law ap* , pointed annually through the Borough Council and was not elected by or di f rectly accountable to the ratepayers and j subscribers, yet they, (the committee) 3 had decided to Invite them to give assistance and advice in promoting the wel- , fare of so worthy an institution. He t asked, on behalf of the committee, for 1 the cordiality and assistance of all. In the selection of books for the Library they adhered to the opinions of the lead- . ing reviewers. He was placing before t the Postmaster General, with some hope . of success, a proposal to allow books to be sent out from or returned to public libraries, at a nomiual rate of £d or Id, , which would allow country people an \ opportunity to subscribe and benefit the . libraries in every way, The public were D invited to send suggestions before next r Friday as to what books to get. The L25 they proposed to spend would pur- \ chase about 150 new books: The cbairi man then read a general report of the , institution as follows : — r " The biilance-sheet and statistics of } the Library will give yon assurance of its substantial position, f-ome eighteen . months since, in order to strengthen the fin.inep, we were compelled to raise the annual subscription to 15s, and having ei you see by our treasurer's report attained j that object, we have decided to reduce the . subscription lo residents of the borough j from 15s to 10b per onuutn. The mnga- [ zine rooms have lately been msde frre to v ladies who, with the subscriber?, will find s there writing materials, chess and draughts, and the best selection of magaa zines and illustrated papers procurable. s A section of the library has been sat apart [1 for boys at n notninsl subscription of 3a { per annum, and to further aid the cause r. of caring for the young folks all spare pictoral supplements are Bent to the Boys' Club The lending library consists of 1188 volumes among which are fiction and general literature, 930 ; books of reference, 40 ; history, 30; science, 26; poetry, 16 ; miscellaneous, 76 ; young peoples' books 60. During the year 270 Ia books have been added ; 8450 books have beeu taken out on an average of three times. There are at present 62 subscribe eas, each of whom has read an average of 55 books, the largest number being ' taken out by one subscriber being 17. Among the books of reference are several a valuable and comprehensive works, such e as the Statutes of New Zealand, complete from 1842 to 1896 -A perfect Jaw library, * and the last edition of Chambers Encyclopedia of 10 volumes, which in itself ia ' &[• feet reference) library. The committee hold an insurance policy of £500 on the jj books. The question of procuring only n specially-bound books baa beeu under consideration, and we have resolved to ? order £25 worth of specially-bound ij books from London. There were twelve daily papers supplied to the Library , free ; six weekly papers were purchased, also five illustrated papers and ten magazines ; total, 33 papers and magazines, " The Queen "is kindly supplied regularly by Mrs Johnston, " Illustrated , Bits "by Dr Johnston, " London Truth" 1 by Mr J. Prior. The thanks of the i people are due to them. Magazines and illustrated papers, after lying on the table for a month, may be subscribed for at half rates on application to the 1 librarian. These subscribers have often to bear the loss of stolen copies. Such ' meanness still existed, and he (the 3 chairman) was willing to pay a substantial reward for the detection of the 3 sneak. It is not generally known that I all books may be read by the public ia } the book room, but subscribers only.may ' remove them. Bates to the amount of ' £61 17s were received, but £20 per 1 annum is refunded to the borough for the excellent accommodation provided, ] The Hon. Mrs Feilding has generj ously presented a handsome and vainI able portrait, in oils, of the worthy ; gentleman after whom our town was 5 named and tbis bad been bung in 3 the free reading room. The committee now propose to follow out what tbis has suggested, namely, to make of that room an interesting portrait gallery and have 1 already secured, by presentation, por- , traits of the late Douglas Hastings Macarthur, who formerly represented this ' district, and Frank Yates Lethbridge, your present member. I would, no ' doubt, have been able to announce a ; similar kindness from Messrs Walter Johnston, Bruce and Stevens, former members, but deferred asking them until I could put the request with more certainty of success by saying that we have already got the other three, lam also goine to get the portraits of the past Mayors of the borough if the Council does not take up the matter very soon. I have, also, to announce a furthur generous gift from Charles Pharazyn, Esq , of the sum of £6 odd, being the amount pßid by the local bodies for the land taken as the site of the Kiwi tea bridge. The gift was apppreciated the more because it was unsolicited." In reply to questions, Mr Stevens said additional shelving accommodation had lately been provided in the Library and the hooks had been re arranged and relettered. The 3s a year applied to girla as well as boj s. There was a catalogue in the Library, and he hoped they would soon be able to have catalogues printed. In reply to Mr Bray as to whether there was any difference between ratepayers and non-ratepayers in the subscription, My Stevens said that residents of the Borough were entitled to subscribe at . the lesser rate (10s) a year or 3s a quarter, country subscribers paying 15s a year or 4s a quarter. If a subscriber resided within the Borough he must be a ratepayer, though it may be iudirectly. Mr •?. Greenwood urged the desirability of all trying to secure new subscribers. Mr L. E. Koade said ho would like to sec the Graphic on the table and Mr j Stevens replied that the committee con. sidercd the Illustrated London News better and therefore it was kept in preference. Mr T. West moved and Mr C. Bray seconded, That a hearty vote of thanks bo accorded to the. chairman and com. mittee for their labors in the past. j This was earned by acclamation. I Mr Stevens having retarued thauk^ | for the vote the meeting terminated,