BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XII, Issue 1738, 19 June 1886, Page 2

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

THE PUBLIC LLBRABY.

(Continuation of Report.) CrS.Abruhams moved, and Cr Stewart resolution for strik. ingalihrarvrato.be rescinded and the #ollowin| Bu%t(futed t viz,v that there Be no Ebrar£ Hue struck for the ensuing Cr E. S. Abrahams thought it a re trograde step, a selfish policy. He it was a general benefit to the ■*to«rn to have a rootn like they had. •••It helped to keep a good many out of the pußtigiioifseand- also to educate them. Fcee libraries m most towns generally rose through being founded by donation or endowment. Not sq.in this country. 'Hreo'nSiaeWa-thSt^it^wdiiia-bß.iJropOT to levy a slight rate. He had ne*,er passed thetLibr>nr^ythout seeing some persoa pksenireiliQ gSttfere. ! Cr Stewart sind 1 he claimed a certain amount of Überty f<# Ju«n|eli, «f ailb|ir" tlie^same pny.ileie} )tp !pfcher|r. Whether they were right or not it wm not for him to say, but be objected ;to pay for other men's accommodation. S The' Act says that the Library should be "open to the public ; but it never was. It was closed up, and if you wanted the key you had to go to the Town Cjerkfpr it. The majority of persons knew nothing about the Town Clerk haying it. He would support the resolution. .He objected to pay for the benefit of a few. ! The Mayor remarked thatthere seemed to be a misapprension a bout this Library business. The Library did not belong to -the committee; bi#"wag under 'the control of^e^Counc;!. ./-It/yw*. m the province of the Council to remove, the committee^whene.ver^ they choow:;,^ They coiiia discharge the'jpohimitfee at any moment. It was ni^lair to bind a committee to act contrary to their own convictions. They (thecommittee) did not wish to have tl;« cjntrol of the Library, and did not care ho-w soon they might be relieved of the responsibility. 'He, considered it would-be far better to disband the committee am! appoint a He agreed with t)r R. S. AbraHStn that it would be a retrogade step toMo aw>y with the Libraryii it was onlyf£<iueitiofc of the managements thfpgdM nto ripoh why: tffiy; should n^t^ithe : niatter into tneir own hands*; It would "-, look as if P J a j lmer«»ton were m^a yeryjmd state mdewpf they werp. todb away with their Reading Row and Library?. He had no feeling whatdvier ija' the^ina^ , leri he >hadi belqp&il l ty-the Hhrafytfot years, and as far as he was. concerned he had onls on two occasions' made use of his privilege to use the books. ! ( , Cr Woods said he h>d always objected to the\ library fate. iThe 4 public mighf havje r one it they wanted it, but. he did inotfsee why the ftfw should pay fpr^ it f He iwould please himself about giving a voluntary subscription. ■"'.''•■':■>..>■■■ ■:*■> i .. -Cr Rush objected 'to. the iamendment tfor the simple reason of what the comr ' 3 inittee had.done, by leaving out, the' < two complkined of. He did; not "believe m them," only, the portions which! told a man' what he Wai straight ' outj Such papers he could quite understand; were very unpalatable to the Palmerstotf made gentlemen.. He had belonged ttf th librftr^ '\ for , years Once he w.ent! with ttir intention of seeing the Tftbjet ; but' hbj dear me, ho such pappr as,thafe he fdund was allowed on the tables, ana; why ? Simply because the tnanaeieruent was carried on m a bigoted way by^ j committee, of which their Mayor was) one. (Cr Rush was called to. order for; making use of the latter remark, he was ; also infprmed(tbat the library. ,^as car^i riedonbv'the'CouncilO 'Cr Rush proceeded. He said tbe, management was carried on iby selfish .people, • who havl taken upon themselves to dictate to the public what they should read. Cr Stewart asked to be informed why the book room-was always locked up, and was informed that it wasjto prevent the books^being stolen. In replytb Cr West the Clerk stated that the 'revenue of : the?Priblic 'Library would, be lessened if the rate were .not struck, £110. ri .; V Cr Grace had not heard a single argument m favor of the motion. There had only been mere assertions made. Why should they force, a few to carry on the Public Library m a sihalltown like Palmer ston. (Cr Stewart remarked the library was locked up.) He cpnr sidered that the Library and Reading Room might be very much improved; but he did not see why they should rashly ' decide tht question simply be^ cause the Rationalist had been ordered off the table. (Cr Grace was called to order by the chair and several Crs.) He did not* wish to impute anything to the mover of^ •■ tlie resolution and withdrew his latter remark. He believed the Public Reading Room waß a good advertising mediiimV J ' It was the first place a stranger asked for on entering a town. ; He never hadliad any trouble m geftjhg; • books whenever ac wanted them. He : had seen those who required books get ! the key from the librarian,? 'lf Cr Abrajhams woald."/witharaw-;&«"\rifotion' and ; bring one re the . managfement 1 . of the Ilibrary he^oiii^^^p^irt^hijml Lsavliaer out the quwtidn of religion slto- ! gather, he considered, it would be a (backward step., to do aw^ay^ with. .Jhe library! They should go m for a library •worthy of ; the town, For his -part he/ did not "care what papers * were oh' the 'table He had whenayer he passed 1 the liKriry seen the reading-room filled, and he Icnew no person who he' considefedr enioyed the privile&re more than* Cr i Stewart; If they closed the Library., it would mean that; a great many would be driven to the public house. It »was thefairest way to ask everyone to assist^ m keepine: it up. ; '■■■■'< s>.>:u: i Cr. Hawkins said he concurred iwith the remarks, of the opposition. He* would agree with .what Gr R7S..Abraham had said, ' that it would be a retro- > gade step to close up the library. They, had no right to deprive the working man; of his opportunity to read and acquire information. He did think themanage- 1 inent of the library had been carried on m a secret sort of way. He had hot known himself anything about the €om» mittee till the question was brought!: vp v m th» papers. He at^cbuld niot ¥a jiißUce^ to wev.^wn: tonaltowthe thihgto goJotfifis'itis; at fTreferic, nor did he think it right on the oilier handy to shut it up. He would/vote against the motion;. — ■ .■,/.'; - The Mayor said that after what had been said he was perfectly certain the. Committee would refuse to hold office. They had been, appointed years • ago, • when the Councillors >. now sitting t were : not m the Council. They had worked m the interests of the ratepayers for yearjßji and now. . that a ■ question. ; of importance ■ hid arisen they shad referred that matter . tot the.'Counoil for 4ts opinion. He had \already made a suggeßtion,.viz., that the present Committee should be discharged arid a new management bei appointed by the Council. This, he belived, would be. best for all concernad, both the • Council and the public. ,:; '. . ■. • , "• !Cr Grace proposed--Tha,t the library rate be struck, and L\the ..? Library Committee jbe re-organised!, . . , , . , „;. , -; Seconded by Or, R. S. Abraham. 1 Cr S. Abraham remarked that, he% thoughrit would ba rather rough on the Committee to dismißß them m thejsum. miry faß^ob*?ugge.Bte!d. ; Qr West considereJit would be, unwise, to quash the library before^ seeing, what could be done by altering the management. There was not a great deal to be paid m faVor of the £ li6raryinT its present state | piisibiy jf fresh blood were, mtrq- - diiced'- some^ 'ijood might ' be" ' dernred;'They might draw up, a- report which wobld give satisfactibn to the ratepayers. Cr S. Abrahams, m reply, could hot s«»;how his, motion was. a selfish one as s^ted by Cr R. S. Abrahams. He did noV wish on any account to stir up feeline.in religious matters. Were the magoriw to p»y for the benefit of *ifew ; ? ' who were m » poiition to^do 'io shell oqt and mpport tbt library Mia old«n titnei, Tbt nutter wonl4 have bititv mp^ *H»e it ka4 ttsrtfmit if

was not Hiß to start a circuKting^fibftiry, so he had no object m moving m the matter.' ' There were sUtionWi m the town to supply fe pablie W*)ifc m this; direction. .. The amendment was pat to the meeting and caqried. Cra West,iß. S. AbraWarn, Hawkins, Grace, and Ferguson for ; 'and Crs S.AbrahagMi, Stewart, Wood, and Rinah against."^"~ Cr Stewart wished to move" an amendment—That a rate of id m the £ :be struck, and that the prenent Committe* be discharged. v '" It was, however, pointed out that iiieh would not be an amendment, when it wtf wlthdrawn^-t^. „„ .',.w^>. - - ....:.■*.■> '"" . Cr Ferguson then moved— That th* present Library/ Committee be disbharged, and that the Library be managed by body of Coun. cillors for thHime being: "■ — Seconded by Cr Stewart. , Themoyer Baidlhiß hftdibe^ti a aenv ber of the condemned Committee for years past, an|k had no hesitation in 1 moving and, wordifigftlie above resolution >fholeof the Cpifttcil to act as a Com- i niittee would be* remarkable, and not, likely to work harmouiouily together. Cr S? Abrahams' considered that the Council roeetuigf had . jjeeb aa well as -oould jbe i: |nd jß^ -draf not^Me '■>'■ wheie Cr R. S, Abraham's remark came m. • tlf.lew tliey liad'diVertitf of opinion they could , nbfr at^ any thirtf '- Watisfactoriii-i Their disouaaionr he ». conaidered had been earned on m •» , friendly manner. ' ;; |^ ; ICr Riuah entirely appreciate th« ; . whole of the Couucil > beitig appeioted. 1 No doubt? Cx AbrahaTW- iwould like ifVf have a clio«en,few tb;conduot,ithe balii-^ nesi, but he believed it ; wnuld be, .lonnd? better t6 have a mixture of tho roufh* and the swelli. (Cr Ruah wai called to order by the Chairman. .^ He was not t^make use' of iilch ekpreaaibna.) "■' - , ;;r Cr Sush withdrew hi* romark. -''H»* :i also atated i that he agreed with ; ttii Mayor for the- firat time, he Itelievedt (Lfl|ughter).\; (^ . : ,.-. : . ,;. v ;,.,:/ ' .■'£*"'' '■•<: Cr R. ;S. Abrahams. >then pttpired. i tile fpllowine amen^m.^.j That thepreajnt Library^ouiraittee bo'diacharged j^ fresh' one ~ appointed; "to 'donsiit eft ure Grace, SUwart; S. Aurahama,- HaMHHhji' the Mayor, and the mover, i to form • quorum. , .\ : -. . ,- J .-■■.- •:.;;:.;:-. * '/V , 'The Mayor oppoaed, the amendmept. He thought that they hid managed to work weir aa a Couocii,jand be belieyed they' would work equally well ar'i'^Library Committee., tie had no dtiubt the Crs would notn>bject to meet once a month to tranaaotHhe buaineas.' He thoughtjit r adviiiDle that ai many ai poß«ble>hooia -ipfi a voice in^fF^matCr Stewart tjjjrled with thV^yor, he considered tbapj ppsaible, |hjj jihould & have 20 mojSf«gn.Jtnn committee ■ the Gounejj^^BeC" would rpte^agaiust anr »peciajOS^ja^iJ^j^«oe!njf ap> poiritefc'^P^ ;'- . ;■: . . '_,y ; QtG^K^md not see theforqSUof the argunieuta fllßd^by the Mayor and other Cra. I# a committef^tk appointed it would, let just as otwtafc rammitti-a appointed them did, aud.teporii'to^th* f ull>(^unoih ! -&.« ■. r l he sSnendhient of Cr R. S, Abraham Was.ineri put, and dedned~Tost. The motion' was^ewgied^^^r ' ; The Fire jßrig^^aaation waiad. ioorned to next meo^ißg. ' / - Cr Hawkins brought up a matter re the dispqted tide of thWlaud alleged ; ,{o b« R*6i.aVby the Railway' Company- 4u the Square. A. court case was pendinfff and he jconsidered the Corporation should step m; and hare something to say m the matter,.,.aa he bettered the GovernmenVwisre interfering with their, rights. . A play wai» to be .produced. he understood, showing the gr.dnnd ;pwnj»d by the Government to be one "chafb on each Bide.irfihe riilSiV - ' ; I'he consideration of t^e qutstion waf ndjqurned. ,. .■< g.y.-^ ; ..- l ' :r^ -;•:.-: ; . ;:-^ : Cr Rush only dissented to it beinf taken up. . He said he did. not beliert m goiugtelaw w4th the general Government. '