THE GLOBE. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 1882. SIR G. GREY’S LIBRARY.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2625, 5 September 1882, Page 2

THE GLOBE. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 1882. SIR G. GREY’S LIBRARY.

The munificent gift of Sir George Grey to Auckland of his private library is one that should not be passed over without notice. It is indeed a very prominent example of patriotism and benevolence, and. however much we may differ from the donor in his political views, it is impossible to prevent being struck by the very excellent qualities of the man who can give up so much for the public weal. For it must be remembered that in this country it is certainly a greater sacrifice to part with a library than it is in the old country. In a new country, where tbo possibilities of obtaining intellectual

and refined recreation are not frequent, it is a great boon to a scholar to be able to retire to his own private library, where he will ba at once surrounded by objects of interest and a large collection of fine works. A man accustomed to such a pleasure must in the very nature of things realise a large gap when the familiar companions of his life are removed. The very talents that have induced him to collect these works will make him miss them all the more. It is no light thing, then, for Sir George Grey to have parted with his library to Auckland, and we are glad to see that the province thoroughly appreciates the gift, and that efforts will be made to house it in a befitting manner. Moreover, Sir George’smunificence is likely to have a valuable effect in the direction of affording an example to wealthier colonists. It cannot fairly be said that, as a rule, these gentlemen exert themselves to put an impress on the intellectual life of their generation. We have certainly one notable exception to this rule in the person of Mr. George Gould, whose munificence has furnished us with a very valuable nucleus of a public picture gallery. Bat, taken all round, rich colonists do not realise one of the main privileges of possessing wealth. In the palmy days of Athens the amount of money that was spent on raising the public taste was almost incredible, and the consequence was an increase of general intellectual life which has left its mark to the present day. Men lived simply in private life, but the works of Phidias and his contemporaries illus- ■ trated their public munificence. That age was an altogether singular one, and there is little chance of seeing its like again ; but, looking round on other countries of a this day, we see what can he done, if any influential grade of men determine to raise the intellectual standard of the'.eountry. The British Museum is the flrst sight in London that the man of intellect makes for. The Melbourne Library—which two years ago contained 100,000 volumes—testifies • to the wise prodigality of the colony in its desire to give free scope to the mental aspirations of the residents in Victoria. We do trust that some of onr leading men will take a leaf from the book of S’r [< George Grey, and determine now and - then to sacrifice a little private pleasure for the pnhlic weal. That there are a ( large number of valuable pictures existing 5 in private collections in Canterbury i a e made manifest by the loan collections a that have been brought together these 2 last few years by the Art Society. Cannot wo hope that now and then a gift to the Province may be made by e gentlemen who are patriotically inclined. A owner must indeed feel a pang when he parts with a work of art, ’• bat surely the knowledge of the pleasure ® he is about to give to his fellow-country-men should be more than a counterpoising 9 solace. We have now an excellent basis in the Museum on which to found a capital collection, and wa have a promising nucleus of a reference library. If the spirit that has animated Sir George ! < Grey and Mr. Gould were more general, the result would be a great lift to the possibilities of onr future intellectual development, THE LICENSING COMMITTEES. Wh must say that it is with much regret 2 that wa have heard of the resignation of ’ two members of the Licensing Committees of Christchurch. As no reasons hare been given why Messrs. Ha.man and Cunningham have taken this step, it is not for the public to enquire into the matter. Those gentlemen are at perfect liberty to act as they please withous giving any reasons whatever. The public have before them the net results of the action of the Committees, and it infers that in such bodies, a gentral system of give and taka has to be adopted. But the public have, wa think, a right to complain when the men (hey have chosen, on the ground that they will do their hast for the community, choose to abandon the undertaking, to the possible grave detriment of their constitnencios. The Licensing Act, it must ba remembered, is of a purely experimental character, and the public ware well aware of the great difficulties that would attend its initiation when they first elected their representatives. But wa take leave to think that they expected ;® that the men they chose would stick to e their guns. The burning question was l, the midnight extension question, and it is •• not onr part to enquire which members 7 were in favor of closing at ten o’clock, except in very exceptional instances, and which were not. Suffice it to say that the public, we know, are convinced that everything has been done by the committees with the best intentions, and that r they have grappled with a very complex , t question with the utmost desire to serve r their constituents. Jn resigning, Messrs, Harman and Cunningham have not only r placed their confreres in a false position, but have broken the continuity o action ! in this year’s licensing work, which would have been most valuable in what wa may term a historical point of view. We should have infinitely preferred to have seen all the members standing by their colors till the end of the licensing year. Apart altogether from the grave public ineoni venience that might have resulted from what has taken place, the constituencies have, we think, a right to complain.