THE HUNTLY PRESS. Friday, December 13, 1912 Notes and Comments.

Huntly Press and District Gazette, Volume 1, Issue 21, 13 December 1912, Page 2

THE HUNTLY PRESS. Friday, December 13, 1912 Notes and Comments.

At the last mooting of tho Tin: public p'"'; ‘‘T , of th 'i i? K vn,x- (i 1 l,b!u ‘ Llbral >‘ a,d Reading Room tne advisability of closing the latter was fully discussed. It was painted out that the public did not take advantage oi th ' facilities provided, and that public interest in that part of the institution was at a very low ebb. Lately, the attendance has not averaged two per night, while a census taken during three of the winter months showed that the average attendance per evening was 5.17. As the cost of maintaining the room and of supplying the literary mat *to be found on the tables is pie-lorn of the subscriptions of me V) i’s of ill 1 lending library, it was argued that this money w ;dd ho more usefully employed in placing new books on 4rlu* shelves, and would save in light fuel, and other things, some twenty pounds a year. While deploring the lack of public support, and acknowledging that t-> keep the reading room open is a financially unsound proposition, tho trustees postponed final decision until the annual general meeting, which takes place next m nth, in the hope that an increased public interest might stimulate a good attendance oT subscriber.- wlios * idea on the mailer, in the way .-f >uggestion>. might obviate the necessity of closing what ought to be one of the most educative institutions in Huntly. The letters that have appeared tt,. vt ,v in these columns u I V^ T :; from time t> time, '‘ concerning the necessity for the immediate acquisition of a recreation ground, and the institution of a local regatta, appear to have fallen on fruitful soil. For aquatic displays Huntly possesses an excellent coins ‘ ; while the natives <»! Waahi and Rakiumanga are expert- in caii >e work of a 1 i kinds, They are als * fully capable of giving exhibition • f Mami liakas, poi dances, and of the old fighting methods, so that the public meeting called for an early date should inaugurate a regatta which ouybl to becom * the principal native display in the Dominion. The natives themselves arc keen on the matter, and, with the help of th? Europeans, there is no reason why the former successes should not bo repeated, an !, of cour-e, improved upon. The enterprise of our Kgaruap , waliia friends cannot 8 -IRIT fail t 0 eXoit9 t!l " ildbllßU - miration of those win delight in tiie exhibition of that public spiritedness which bathe tendency t > force progress la tire endeavour to m ake Nguru awalii a the native capital, the residents showed a refreshing enthusiasm which ii* only oia ill * I by their pro*?nt atte npt to have railway 'workshops e.s table-bed in tin* Delta tovvnlet. Tho multiplication of workshop.' which arc built, oquippe-d and maintained by the public purse, is not desirable in the interests of economy, while tho time is not rip?, nor tho conditions favourable, for the transfer of the pop ulalion of Newmarket, Frankton, .I’atone, and other places, to N ga r u a \ v a 1 i i a. N e v e r th e 1 c s s, their effort is most commendable, and furnishes another example of that push, enterprise, and enthusiasm for the growth of their place of residence, which goes for to promote the desired end ; for, as everybody knows, “ it’s better to have tried and failed, t-hatn never t > have tried at aU.”