LOCAL TOPICS.

Putaruru Press, Volume VIII, Issue 364, 13 November 1930, Page 5

LOCAL TOPICS.

(By “ Verax.”) The Public Library. Culture plays an important part in the life of a community. In the broadest sense it finds expression in ! music, art and literature. Most towns possess musical societies and libraries. Putaruru used to boast of both. The Glee Club is spoken off to-day by older residents with enthusiasm. After a useful life the club passed into the limberlost of yesterdays. It will come as a painful surprise to many to know that there is a danger of the Putaruru Public Library suffering the same fate. The Library Committee have been advised that the Government subsidy usually given has been suspended during the period of financial stress. This means that the Putaruru Library will only have about £4 a year to buy new books. There are only 70 subscribers on a yearly average, and this in itself is a reflection on the town and district. The subscription rates are very low, and the service given by the library is an excellent one. The ladies who act as honorary librarians should get greater appreciation than they do. They give up their afternoons and evenings in all sorts of weather to help the library along. The Town Board have not been asked to give any financial assistance, but the desirability of making a small grant towards the library funds should commend itself to the local governing body. To slightly alter a well-known ahporism, “ without culture men perish,” or at least they fail to live in the best and truest sense of the word. It is to be hoped that the people of the town and district will rally to the assistance of the library and that the Town Board will make a friendly gesture towards the institution, the loss of which would be a retrograde step. Schoolboy’s Orchestra.

To continue in a cultural strain: The appearance of the Putaruru District High School Boys’ Orchestra at the recent concert was a pleasing sign. It indicates that given the opportunity the boys of the school desire not only to develop the cultural aspect of their school life, but to give pleasure to others. The boys have proceeded so far very much on their own, and it is to be hoped that those gifted musically will assist the boys in their commendable efforts.' Now that a piano has been installed in the school the chances of the orchestra expanding into a town institution should be rosy. The Cemetery. The writer was sorry to see that the Chamber of Commerce had held over (even temporarily) the question of giving a donation to the cemetery restoration fund. The Chamber have discussed the disorderly state of “ God’s Acre ” frequently, and have used strong terms in denouncing the state thereof, so that when given the opportunity to back up its protest in the most effective way possible, it failed to do so, and robs their protest of some of its value. There is an old saying: “He gives twice who gives quickly.” Verb sap.