THE KING COUNTRY CHRONICLE. SATURDAY, FEB. 12, 1910 A NEW LIBRARY.

King Country Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 233, 12 February 1910, Page 2

THE KING COUNTRY CHRONICLE. SATURDAY, FEB. 12, 1910 A NEW LIBRARY.

MR. ANDREW CARNEGIE has given expression to a phase which wiji (ping to him as long as liis wealth JasJtSj'— apUthai J.001f3 like the remainder of his natural I if p. Hp says that man who dieg, cjte.s dis-

graced. And as Mr Carnegie is currently reported to be worth anything over forty millions sterling, his chances of passing away with an unblemished record seem remote in the extreme. Hundreds, not to say thousands of suggestions reach Skibo Castle daily. They are. not all disinterested. Many of the ready advisers are asking for help (financial, of course) for projects which show no public spirit whatever. Of public libraries and organs the Old Country is getting full, and the Laird o' Skibo is now turning his distracted attention to those remote places on the earth's surface known in certain circles at Home as "the Colonies." We can offer a suggestion even in Te Kuiti. It will not be claimed, by the most patriotic resident, that our public library is housed in a spacious and suitable building. Indeed, a frank, if hasty, criticism would describe the present structure |s a dog kennel. That the collection of books enclosed therein is so generally good, only serves to emphasise the miserable inadequacy of its home. What we want is a new library building. The present site would do admirably. But as it is a leasehold, it can get no grant in aid from the wealthy ScotsAmerican. If a public spirit is shown in Te Kuiti we shall hope to acquire the freehold of the site on which the present building stands. Then, at a convenient later time, we can approach Mr Carnegie for a grant to cover the cost of a new library. Some critics of Mr Carnegie dislike the idea of accepting the aid of his wealth. But what better purpose could it be put to? And if he helps a town, does not that town help itself, by guaranteeing the upkeep of the building, and by rating itself for that purpose? If Mr Carnegie gives £IOOO, and a district promises £IOO a year for the upkeep, in ten years' time the district has equalled Mr Carnegie in its contributions. And as it is better to give than to receive, wc cTo Mr Carnegie a good turn by relieving him of a small portion of his huge surplus, and devoting it to the provision of a suitable home for such literature as the town in a public capacity possesses.