OUR PUBLIC LIBRARY

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 4, 3 November 1883, Page 3

OUR PUBLIC LIBRARY

Many of our readers have doubtless perused a work by Mr Walter Besant, entitled “ All Sorts and Con Jitions of Men ; an impossible Story.” The heroine is a yonng lady, possessing immense wealth, being sole heiress to one of the largest breworks in the United Kingdon. Hundreds of houses; rows of exeats : and vwtmoua brewery, worked day after day for her sole profit. and advantage j all hers I All her own I All the property of & girl I She possessed a philanthropic disposition and fell to meditating on the dull, prosaic life of hard living, incessant toil and lack of amusement that falls to the lot of the London sempstress, She conceived.the idea of entering herself upon snch a life that she might more fully recognise its needs. She touk the name of Kennedy, resigning her own of Messenger, well known in the world iu connection with Messenger's stout,

One idea led to another. She founded a dressmaker's establishment on novel principlea. Her work girls began work at 9 o’clock, and left off at eleven for half an hour of recreation and play. She had aaphalte courts adjoining her work rooms, n,ud tayght her girls to play lawu tennis. She had a gymnasium erected and encouraged them in feats of strength. At one o’clock a plate of roast beef, with potatoes, bread and ale, was provided for each workwoman. Au hour was allowed for dinner instead of the five minutes given to the meal in ordinary London di essmaking establishments. Some old pensioners took turns in reading to the girls while at their work in the afternoon. Tea was provided at 5 o’clock, and half an hour allowed for recreation. Work was then resumed from 5.30 to 7 o'clock. For the evenings Miss Messenger, alias Miss Kennedy, provided a drawing room, b joks, newspapers, periodicals, pictures, works of art, and a piano. The girls danced, sang, embroidered, conversed, and invited their friends to join them. Her dream was that the girls and boys of the working classes might have easy access to art, music, light reading, decorative painting, pictures and all those luxuries of culture and refinement which adorn the lives of the rich, and in the Vid World, are too often unknowm the poor. Her plan succeeded. Day by day her company of girls giew more more cheerful, more refined, leas fretful, less peevish, less mean. They did not know that their employer and leader was the celebrated Miss Messenger. They knew her Ohly as Miss Kennedy, their fellow worker, leader and friend, to whom the wonderful Miss Messenger supplied the funds to carry on the institution. The crown of all Miss Messenger’s schemed was the building of the Palace of Delight. In this delightful budding there were to be concert rdoms, lecture rooms, dancing halls, threatres, i libraries, picture galleries, tea and coffee rooms, mu*ic rooms, apartments furnished for painting, drawing, sculpture, modelling, wood carving, and all manner of arts. It was to be the resort of the Working people. Here they were to dance, play, siilgj act, learn, read, study, carve, paint, or practice whatever art they pleased. The Palace of Delight was built in the heart of Stepuey. There is a grand scene to furnish up, in which Miss Messenger presents the building to the working people of Stepney, It is her bridal day, fur there has been a young gentleman with equally philan hropic views, behind the scenes, assisting in all her plans. The curtain falls with great eclat just as the work-woman, Miss Kennedy, is discovered to be the wealthy and mysterious Miss Messenger. In the bridegroom’s speech he says to the assembled people—“ In this palace you will find, or you will make for yourselves, all the things which make the lives of the rich happy. Here you will have music, dancing, singing, acting, paiuting, reading, games of skill, games of chance, companionship, cheerfulness, light, warmth, comfort, everything. It is not by setting poor against rich, or by hardening the heart of the rich against the poor, that social prosperity may be attained j it is by independence ana by knowledge. But the Palace will be for joy and happiness, not fur political wrangles. Brothers and sisters, we will no longer sit down iu resignation. We will take the same joy in the world that the rich have taken. Here we shall all together be continually thinking how to bring more sunshine into our lives, more change, more variety, more happiness.” Such is an outline of the story ; such is the dream of a novelist, who calls his dream impossible. It is an impossible condition of things, however ? No one who was present at our Arts Exhibition, which continued during the whole of last week, would be able to think so. Every night the hall was opened, and all sorts and conditions of man entered, to sing, to play, to listen, or admire. Everyone exhibited his or her individual work of art or choice possession The new Library rooms were a picture gallery, where rare works were to be enjoyed. A flower show, songs every night, a pleasant • resort to spend a couple of hours in innocent and instructive amusement, was open to all classes, who met nightly to stroll, converse, sing and applaud. We are sure that there was no individual in this town who could not afford a shilling to enter if he would. With us for that one week, at least, the novelists i dream was realised. We had a Palace of I Delight, and it was all our own.

Aud the results are still among us. We have not only the pleasant recollection of charming social gatherings, but a permanent good in our new public library. Here we have a pleasant reading room free to all, where books, papers, and periodicals are placed upon the tables, that those who run may read. We have shelves filled with works by the best dead and living authors, a nucleus upon which to build a still larger collection. For a trifling subscription, within the reach of all, the delights of literature in all branches is obtainable. It was pleasing to see the crowds thronging the reading rooms every evening last week, to contemplate the cheerful faces of our citizens. We feel sure that few were there who could not in some measure appreciate the delights of literature. A true love for and appreciation of books, brings so much happiness and innocent pleasure, that it is well it is in everybody to acquire such taste. Reading soothes and cheers the mind, provokes mirth, inspires conversation, and changes the current of the weary thought. A lover of books is never dull. 11 e posseses that within himself which compensates for all disappointments, visitations, and petty cares. Where lovers of books are, gossip is not. The conversation naturally takes a higher and purer turn than that of discovering our neighbours foibles, or discussing his motives. hen a true love of reading is more widely disseminated among us, there will be an end of petty carpings, recriminations, and gossip. Mrs Brown will wear her old black hat in peace, Mrs >mith will continue her friendship with Mr Jones without being annoyed by invidious remarks, Mrs Robinson’s new silk suit will give joy to the wearer without exciting question as to how she paid for it.

I It is well to cultivate a taste for even the lightest description of literature, ptotided always that one avoids the really vicious books that arc sometimes disseminated, and which, we do not think will be found in our library. The newspapers are the history for the present, and will always afford good for the mind and topics of conversation. To the mechanic the library affords access to the light science may throw upon his work. We live in an age of extraordinary progress and We in a small town at the Antipodes ejijoy privileges for which otir fathers sighed in vain in the cities of the old world. And for which in© inhabitants of those crowded cities still vainly struggle and toil. The benefits which seemed even to the modern novelist an impossible dream for the toiling masses, are ours to-dav. Room, good fresh air, leisure, good clothing, sunshine, remuneration for labour to supply alt moderate heads, these are the privilege of all in this favoured land. : tV© have no poverty, want is to us unknown. And last; pot least, good for the mind and soul is amply provided. See that we do not abuse or disrtg*rd the gifts.

On all grounds a Public Library should be well supported. Our children are growing up around ns, with the best of educations, supplied by a liberal state. Their future mental requirements must be considered as well as our own. The boys and girls now learning in our midst will wish to continue that euncatitfn after they leave school, by self culture. The young men will find interest and occupation in the Library and reading rooms, which may guard them from the many temptations which every town affords. The empty headed rattle-plate may be converted by a love of healthy literature into the studious, useful, respectable Citizen. The frivolous, useless girl may learn from good books, those wiser thoughts and purer sentiments which make in any class the noble, sensible and useful matron. Place good models before the young and they will mould themselves accordingly. In many of our colonial towns, the Public Libraries are largely supported by liberal donations from private sources. Let us all combine to forward the interests of the institution to our best ability Each can aid by subscribing, thus increasing the funds of the Committee, and enabling them to send for more books and periodicals. Our Library as it now stands is" a credit to the community, and we are certain that in future years the growing population will look back with gratitude to the efforts made in our own time to place the institution on a proper footing.