THE CARNEGIE LIBRARY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 81861, 10 October 1906, Page 3

THE CARNEGIE LIBRARY.

On Monday night the committor in

charge of the propose! Carnegie Library project recommended 10 the Hoicugh Council to acquire Mr Holdsworth s residence, on the corner of Courtney and Liardet stress and the Carrington road. Cr. Belli ingcr, in moving the adoption of the report, did so with confidence, being ful'y c nvincc'd that the committee, after much trouble, had come to a right and sensible conclusion. The borough f New Plymouth, he said, was >adly dolicien; in reserves for public purposes. The site --fleeted was suitable and desirable in every way. It was central and commanded one of the finest views of the town. The interest on the purchase money of ,£3OOO would bo covered bv revenue derivable from lining the hou ,s e properly at, say, ,£125 a year, and from revenue thai would become available by the letting of the rooms to be vacated in the Town Hall, which could be expected 10 bring in 25/ a week. The site under notice comprised three quarters ot an acre, with a frontage of 123 ft to Liardet street. There were many difficulties in the way of using the suggested site at the rear of the Town Hall.

Cr. Coliis supported the previous speaker, but said ic was useless to cun'sider this scheme unless the Council was prepared to look ahead to having good municipal buildings. Otherwise, ho supposed that ihe library would have to be placed on the site next the Town Hall. The Mayor said that the matter was one of expense. The whole question hinged on that. Cr. Browne complained that 'lie Council rejected every recommendation of the committee. lie considered the site now under discussion was an ideal spot for the purposes of a library and municipal building'-, including a theatre or opera house. Cr. Wilson said he desired to give the committee every credit for its work til selecting the finest available sites, bet it was no use lo blink the fact—despite Cr. Bdlringer's assurance that th: committee's recommendation was backed bv the support of the public —that there would be Ihe strongest opposition to any proposal to pledge the credit of the borough to a further extent than was absolutely necessary. By what amounted to begging New Plymouth had received a promise uf a grant of £2500 from a gentleman by .whose death the grant would probably

lapse. Vet the committee recommended to the Council a /'3OOO site lo house this library. It was urged that the house on tiie property could be made to pay the interest on the money borrowed, but the Council had to face the question of icpaynvnt of the money a- well a's contributing the interest. Now. would that residence hi readily lea-ed if it had a big brick building erected alongside for public purposes? Could it be let ic.ijily even now? It was an exceptional buiklijiy-,' at an exceptional rpnt, and not- iii demand by the average people. The present tenant, he th< ught, was contemplating a trip, and that was the reason, probably, why the property was offered. lie would oppose the comiuiUc's scheme, on the grounds thai it was far beyond the means of ill.' Council, and would be 'so for some years yet. lie was not going to ask

:hi> Council in hoi row ihis /*3o x>, and. in order to t'Sl the feeling of tho Council. he would niov that the libi,ir\ \>r I'i'ct'Ml <>n llu* I'l'sorvi' adjoining tin* Town Hall, wi-h a y.iew u,f eventually combining the nuinici]y\\ buildings. The committer >em<vl ii) havt! reported mi every available -iU i hut the proper one, which was the (ino ho mentmnv-d. The Council had ihat site, which o wt nothing. There n;> hope of jjottintf a fancy site, h'.i if iho cM;niiniU(.M' wa 1 ' d^toimin (, cl to have a fancy why not approach 11k> rnni'nt for the use of Marsland 11 ill j Cr. Montoath held ' v imi!ar opinions, and stated that ho was sure no councilor had I'vi'ii dreanvd of buying : land for the i : biary site, but in.tcnii- ' el in put it on tic-' se v tinn (lie Town Halt. ct wiiirh a description had hri-n sent ;<> Mi Carnegie betoie h«* granted the money. The ratepayer-* would not sanction any further loan —they had had a fi'l of it. If they wore jjoinjr to bui'd a library let them put it on this central section, rijjht in the centre of the working population, in the heart of the town, easily acr< s.-:ible from all part-; of the town. Cr. ikockintf S;i *d he was sure there no rhance of money to buy the ''ite suposted, or for any ether site, whirh was th' 1 reason why \v had declined in put a price on Ms own land in Powderham street. lie was not in love with tho ->i{e nexf the Town Hall, but eould not s--o muy hojic lit buying any other, Cr. fluVh'll asked how Cr. ]Mlrii.joT eisti'd be sure the wre with him when the mailer had ivvi been plaeod before the ratepayer-'. Why. even the Council had noi l rx,wn of it umd a s"»*w minutes 'I tie library ouuht t > be buik on the >! e next ill'' niun : cimi buildings but c .11 rn»"ee 'ur-u'd Pot \\ '\ wUh a foriv-htot po!»-."' In ;;n"\ver ><» a fjuestion, the borough solicitor said tho land at the rear of ihe Town Mail vv; p ; ,.- ( ~f j', ( , rt . S o rV( , for a Town Hall and loclure-rojjn, whilst the section adjoining was*sot

aside for the benefit and improvement >f the borough of New Plymouth. Cr. IScllringer complained that : t was the "same old cry." The borough should have luid a rmm.cipal theatre and a decent library ten years ago. They were in as good position now as they would be in ten years' ime to purchase a site, perhaps better. I'l'.e commit!'e had been repeatedly requested to keep the library out of the eon;re of tin 1 town, and he was preP':red to have this proposal placed before the ratepayers for ratification. The Council was not "game to go for a siie. (live it a shove along, - ' hj" said. "Don't let it be a wet blanket 011 the town. We are the truslees of tlv borough, and if we don't give it a lift, who's going to New Plymouth had been just as diffident about real progress away back "before lire war." Th" amendment, to erect the library next ihe Town llall, was carried, but on being put as the motion was lost. The matter was referred back lo the committee for a further report.