PUBLIC OPINION.

Patea Mail, 5 October 1881, Page 3

PUBLIC OPINION.

Contributions. Letters, Inquiries and Answers thereto, are invited on Fanning. Commerce, Politics, and matters of interest to the Patea district. Names of writers xxced not be printed. WHAKAMARA BLOCK. May I ask why Captain Wray lias not offered section 3, block xii, for sale ? lam informed the selectors have thrown it up, and also requested Captain Wray to offer it for sale. Then why not sell it ? The fencing season is nigli over, and as the Land Act says a sale must be advertised a month, if Captain Wray delays longer, it will be late for fencing. As lam an intending purchaser I hope it will he sold in time to fence. As the old saying goes; “ Good fences make good neighbours.” Farmer. * . WHAKAMARA SCHOOL. I saw a good piece of correspondence from F. J. Gane re school affairs ; I also saw a letter which he had written to the Education Board, in your columns ; and I have been expecting to see the answer. Why did F. J. Gane withhold the answer, and only let the public know the contents of the letter he wrote ? Why did F. J. Gane propose to lease a site near the present school after the Board had gone to the expense to floor it ? Did not F. J. Gane tell the Education Board members that the site which had been surveyed was the best adapted site for years? Did not Mis Malone inform him that they had only taken the house where they are living for one year V Did not F. J. Gane say tenants were liable to leave at an}’ time, and perhaps someone may take their place without a family ? Francis Job, where is tliy consistency ? One Who Knows. ' ANOTHER GRUMBLE. I would like, with your permission, to make a few remarks on the present state of the Heading Hoorn and Library, and also on the manner in which they are conducted, or rather misconducted.

First, the windows of the Heading Boom would look all the better if cleaned, occasionally. Then the tatters of the blinds might be replaced by something decent. I believe at the last and only meeting of the present Committee, the manager was ordered to procure files for all the papers, but although ordered in January, this has not yet been done. The consequence is there are too many loose papers. On entering the Library, the first thing that strikes the eye is the notice of the" hours during which the room is supposed to be open. I say supposed,’for it is too well known that on 5 days out of 6 the room is irot opened at the right time, nor yet kept open all the time. Now although I see no necessity for the Library in a small town being open every day, still if it is supposed to be open, it ought to be, and thus keep subscribers from being so often disappointed. The next thing noticeable is the generally untidy appearance of the place, especially with the heaps of old books stuck about in corners and shelves, which ought to be sold and replaced by new ones.

And now for the new books. Hqw many new books have been placed there this year? and, secondly, what arrangements have been made by the Committee for a fresh batch ? With regard to the first, I believe £TS will pay for the, books received during the past 12 months. They arrived about 3 or 4 months ago, and I understand are not yet paid for. The second question is answered by th* fact that the Committee have held only one meeting, and that prior tolhe arrival of the last batch of books.

The catalogue is the next item on the list. The new books have not been placed on it and therefore it is practically seless ; and as for the system of issuing books, it is a perfect disgrace to any Library Committee or manager. Every person taking a book back, is asked : “ How long have you had this out ?” Sometimes it is impossible to tell who has a book that is known to be out.

I should like to know what state the finances of the Institute are in ? who pays accounts, manager’s salary &c. ? I know for a fact that the Committee have not had a meeting since February. Can the maiiager himself, or the manager and treasurer by themselves, manage all business without the aid and interference of the Committee ? If so, the Committee is only a farce, and can be dispensed with. Who is to blame for all this ? If the * manager thinks the salary worth taking, surely' the work is worth doing. If not, he ought to throw it up, and make room for a better man. If the Committee are to blame, they ought to be asked to retire and make room for better and more interested men. Hoping the subscribers will not forget to reckon up with all the officials, from the President down, at the annual election, I remain Institute.

Mr Gilbert Carson, proprietor of the Chronicle, is a candidate for the Wanganui mayoralty. PORT OF PATE A. ARRIVED, Patea s.s., Tuesday from Wellington, with 70 tons furniture and general cargo. Passengers : Mr and Mrs Lysaght, Misses Lysaglit (3), Messrs Shaw, Marshall, Eniker, Derrett, Knauf, Miller, Young, Bright, EXX'ECTED. • Wakatu s.s., to-night. HIGH WATER. . Wednesday—7-35 a.in., 8-5 p.m. Thursday—B-27 a.m. 8-50 p.m. , Friday—9-12 a.m. 9-33 p.m. Saturday—9-54 a.m. 10-15 p.m. Sunday—lo-36 a.m. 10-46 p.m.J Monday—ll-15 a.m. 11-35 p.m, Tuesday—ll-40 a.m. 11-55 p.m.