PUBLIC LIBRARY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4648, 14 January 1924, Page 2

PUBLIC LIBRARY.

ANNUAL MEETING. That very little interest is taken i>y the lesidems of Paeroa in the Public Library was amply demouut’ated when only nine members attended the annual meeting, whicn was held on Friday evening last. Mi 6. J. Bishop occupied the chair KEPOivT AND the report staled liiat during th: year urn ellurt was maue to uiing toe no. iny more prominently beiore tne public by senuing- out circulars inviting subscriptions and donations oi rn-.-ks and magazines. The appeal was responded to by the donation oi over 100 books and and a few extra subscribers joined, the number now being about .100. Que hundred and twenty new books have been added to the library, thus keeping in touch witli all the newest literature and making the library one of the most up-to-date of country libraries. The loss of the Government subsidy is keenly felt, as the committee depended chiefly on subscriptions to carry on and pay the running expenses. Since last July the reading room has been opened daily to the public. This was made possible by Mr Jenkinson, of the County. Office, who kindly undertook to open and close the building daily, thus making the room available to country visitors for rest and recreation. The extra expense in cleaning, etc., which this involved had been partly met by donations from some of the business men of the town of £2 14s 6d, collected in small amounts. The committee regretted the loss of the president, Mr S. J. Bishop, who leaves the district at the end of the present month, and place on record the appreciation of his services to the library. The thanks of the committee were due to .those who responded to the appeal by donating looks, and also to those win had presented newspapers and magazines to the reading room, to Mr Jenkinson for looking after the reading room, and to Mr O’Neill, who had kindly given his services’ as auditor. The balance-sheet showed the receipts to be : Balance from 1922, £7 18s sd; Borough grant, £lO ; County grant, £5; subscriptions, £56 8s 6d ; interest on P.O. account, 8s ; fines, 9s 5d ; .sales of old papers, 14s 7d ; donations to reading room, £2 14 s 6d, making a total of £B3 13s sd. The expenditure was set out as: Librarian’s salary £27 10s, new books ’£27 Ils. papers and magazines £l2 7k Bd, insurance £3 9s "4d, printing and advertising £3 3s, postage on circulars £1 0s 19fi, P.O. order Is, cleaning £3 2s 6d. lighting £2 19s 7d, leaving a balance of £2 8s 6d. The report and balance-sheet were adc-tped. APPRECIATION OF SERVICES. Mr J. D. Hanna took the opportunity of heartily congratulating the secretary, Mrs A. Thorp,.on the splendid work and untiring interest she had devoted to Paeroa library affairs during a period covering forty years. Mention was also made of the fact that Mrs Thorp was the only remaining subscriber who had joined the library at its inception 40 years ago It was decided to record the subscribers’ appreciation of the valuable and lengthy services rendered by Mrs Thorp. ELECTION O# OFFICERS. The election of officers for the ensuing years resulted as follows;— President, Mr W. D. Nicholas; secretary and treasurer : Mrs A. Thorp ; auditor, Mr C. N. O’Neill; committee, Miss M. Shaw, Messi's A. Blackburn, W. H. Blakeway, W. Marshall, and W. L. Lawmece. it was decided that the president, secretary, and committee should be appointed trustees pf the library. MUNICIPAL CONTROL SUGGESTED. Mr W. Marshall stated that while it wa,s gratifying to learn of the successful years experienced, he was, of the opinion that the time was now oponrtune for the Borough Council to take over the library, with a view to later on striking a special library rate and housing the library In a more commodious and up-to-date bui’ding. He considered that.if this was done the library would be put on a much more progressive footing, and the Paeroa public would have am institution to be proud of. If the Borough Council assumed control of the library it would be managed Jointly by a committee nominated by the council and members nominated by the subscribers.

After considerable discussion it was decided that the president, secretary, anl Mr Lawrence should be a subcommittee to go further into the matter of handing the library oven to the Borough Council, and that a report be prepared and submitted to a special general meeting, to be called on a date to be fixed by the sub-com-mittee.