ATHENÆUM.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 202, 10 January 1873, Page 5

ATHENÆUM.

(To the 'JEdiior of the Mount Ida Chronicle.) Sir, —Tou have rather astonished us by your report of the transactions at the adjourned meeting of the Athenaeum Committee. We are. not to have an Athenseatn after* all—only' a library and that of remarkably small dimensions. A room 18 x 8 to hold all the mental pabulum this Committee seems disposed to provide for the r reading population of' ISfaseby.. This is certainly rating the reading appetite too low. This room would hardly hold a volume for: every reader in Naseby, even if it was packed from ceiling to floor. Is it wise, we ask, in our present circumstances, to spend all the money in the way proposed ? It is certainly not wise; it is certainly not honest, iiave they not received a subsidy of £2OO from the G-overnment, on the .condition chat other £2OO has been

contributed by the people • and does not the present building represent the greater part of this sum? Yet it is hot to be converted into au Athenaeum after all. This is'far from wise in our present condition. This Committee, from what has transpired, has certainly shown itself unfit to deal with the matter. Eroru the tenor of the speeches made at the meeting, 'called to consider' the desirability of having the Union Church converted into an Athenreiim, enlarging the present building, W as not even mentioned. It was apparent to all then, as well as to all now, tha.t the enlarging of the -building was beyond our means, and not to be thought of. How came the Committee to think that after the money is all spent, we can have au Athenaeum. if they spend the Government subsidy in rebuilding, where are the books to come from, and the furniture of an Athenaeum ? It is certainly reckless work the Committee are about. Probably, the best course for them now would be .to resign, for the following reasons: —First, that they cannot agree : whenever there is a full meeting, the builders, and the non-builders appear pretty equally divided,—Second, That early shipments of books are expected in Dunedin, and an application should -at once be made by a proper authority, for a share, at a modified price, of this consignment.—Thirdly, Because having determined what should be done with the property, a matter for which they alone they should now, in honor, leave it to the public, to appoint -their own Corn* mittee of management, and not. elect themselves for an office for which .they were never supposed to be capable. —Yours, &c, A Tinbstt Book-/Worm.