POLYNESIAN SOCIETY.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 May 1918, Page 3

POLYNESIAN SOCIETY.

OPENING OF HEMPTON BOOMIn tile presence of some of the members of the Polynesian '.Society and a few friends, his Worship the ila,vor of New Plymouth (-Mr. C. If. Burgess) yesterday afternoon publicly opened the Hempton Room, in which the society's valuable library is now permanently housed. In performing the ceremony. Air. Burgess said it. gave him pleasure to do so, because he was enabled to place on record publicly the generosity of one of the oldest and most respected families in New Plymouth. When tilie borough contemplated the building of the museum, the Hempton trustees made a geerous offer of a donation of £SOO, with the only restriction that it should he nsed to provide a permanent home for the library of the Polynesian Society and the room he known as the Hempton Room in memory of the late Captain Thomas Hempton- The Mayor .briefly referred to Captain llenipton's association with the early history of Taranaki and New Plymouth. He said the council had been pleased to accept the offer, and, on behalf of the citizens, he expressed their thanks and appreciation of the generous gift. Apart from the material value of the gift, it was fitting that the name of one who had been so closely identified with the early history of the district should ilie commemorated in a manner that would be of benefit to the whole district. He hoped others would follow tlie example thus set. Mr. AV. L. Newman replied on ihehalf of the Hemptnn trustees, thanking the council for its consent to the form of the memorial. The,late Caytniii Hempton had been a creat lover of books, and Ins forebears had been associated with the publishing business for manv yenrs, and were the founders of tlie Hemnton Subscription Library of the City of Londonderry He hoped the time would come when the library would attract students from other centres and even from overseas.

Mr. S. Percy-Smith, president of the Polynesian Society, expressed appreciaof the sentiment Mint induced the family to make the donation, which was reallr a. p-ift to the community. It, lind long been the wfcdi of the fwve.'cfv lo have a permanent home for its library. and the thouelitfulness 0 f the family of the late Cawfrsin Hempton had enabled them to realise that idrnil much sooner than they had anticipated. Miss Hempton wa<? then asked to turn the kev in the door, and the Mavor declared the room open, amidst heartv n-nnlause. The visitors then inspected the library. and were afterwards entertained it afternoon tea. by Mr. Percv-Rmith. Tt i K the intention of the society "nen the library to the nnblie on Mon■lers and 'Saturdays from 2 to 4 p.m. and in Wednesdays from 7 to 9 p.m.