THE Temuka Leader. THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 1893. PUBLIC LIBRARIES.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2471, 2 March 1893, Page 2

THE Temuka Leader. THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 1893. PUBLIC LIBRARIES.

The most ancient public library of which we have any record is that fuutided by Ptolemey Soter, a learned prince, who, in the year 290 8.C., founded in Alexandria a collection of books numbered by Epithanins at 54,000, and by Josephus at 200,000. These were referred to by ail the learned philosophical men of the day and as they progressed in their researches, so did their thirst for information increase until those interested, despatched messengers far and wide, whose business was to secure the rarest and most valuable manuscripts from every part of Asia and lireece. Amongst those procured were the works of Aristotle, and the Septuagint version of tho Jewish Scriptures, works strongly in evidence at the present day. So rigorous was the pursuit of knowledge that Ptolemey Euergetes, Soter's grandson, caused all books imported into -liigypt by Greeks to be seized and sent to the museum, or library, where they were transcribed by persons employed for the purpose, and when this had been done the copies were deposited iu the library and the originals returned to the proprietors. So much to show how keen was the thirst for knowledge over years ago. Since then as civilization progressed so presumably has the taste for literature. Yet, at the present day, it is a common complaint that the institutions furnished either by the state or by private subcription, for the purpose of affording to tho masses intellectual recreation are lamentably Take for instance the Temuka Mechanics' Institute. Here may be found a collection of books, certainly not large, but numbering upon its catalogue samples of all that is best in history, science, logic, and romance, together with a very decided sprinkling of modern popular novels. Who could desire more '( Yet we find this institute most meagrely patronised. Writing of libraries, Crab be says :

"Here come the grieved a change of thought to find ; The curious here, to feed a craving mind; Here the devout their peaceful temple choose ; And here the poet meets his favouring muse."

Had the poet beeu favoured with an opportunity of visiting our local institute what a shock his feelings would have received i A glance at the reading room would have revealed one or, possibly, two old hands devouring the daily papers. Upon the table he would see the various magazines totally neglected, and enquiry from the librarian would have elicited the fact that the bulk of the volumes on the shelves were, if not " blue mouldy," at least very dusty for want of shifting. What would most probably have astonished him most would have been the fact that such a state of things could exist in the year 1893 A.D., and in a J country like .New Zealand, where boys | who pass the sixth standard at 14 years of age are supposed to have the rudiments of an education fitted toland them eventually upon the woolsack. Surely he would expect them to utilise the stored-up wealth of literature available at the moderate cost of ten shillings per annum, Again, he would wonder that even the daily papers were not much utilized, considering that the yearly subscription to each could be not less than 20s a year, whilst all the principal ones could be seen for the above named subscription. And further, granted that every reader in the town was of a frivolous minded disposition and only sought recreation in novels and so forth, might he not argue in this way ? He, (the frivolous minded; should be able to read an ordinary novel in a week. The average price of the work would be 2s. Fifty-two books a year means an expenditure of £5 4s. Is it possible a man would spend that sum when he could indulge his weakness, or shall we say, fancy for 10s 'I And yet » glance at the subscribers' list would show him * na * either people were buying their books or *IS Q neglecting to read altogether, for there are ha.'i ,v enough memWers to make both ends meet, *! ld th . e committee know that expenses are cut n..,T enou ghCan it be that interest in literature iJ fading ? Possibly so, and yet a modern poet claims that in books may be found the solace for practically all earthly troubles, as witness those lines of Peck : "Among my books—What rest is there

From wasting woes ? What balm for care / If ills appal or clouds hang low, And drooping, dim the fleeting show, I revel still iu visions rare, The wanderings of Ulysses share, Or see the plume of Bayard flow Among my books." And judging by the number of books annually published there must be many who coincide with him, but of the manyvery few must be eountod in Temuka To those who ought to be added to the few it may cot be out of place to particularise some of the advantages of becoming a member of the Mechanics' Institute. Firstly, from a worldly point of view it is cheap. The subscription is only ten shillings per annum. For this sum a member has the use of a readingroom (well lighted, and warmed in winter) in which he may peruse not only the principal London illustrated papers, including Punch, but Chamber's Journal, 'Harper's Weekly, the Young Ladies' Journal, Australasian, and many New Zealand papers. The annual subscription to aj?y one of these is more than is asked by the institute for the use of the lot. In addition he .Has the range of a library containing hundreds of volumes by the best authors, many of titejjj works unprocurable except at great expense, If of scientific turn of mind he has access to valuable works of reference. If he seeks only relaxation then surely he can find it in the p-ges of Dickens, Thackeray, Scott, or of that host of modern writers who have catered for every phase of the mind. The advantages of such an institution are not to be despised. There are few things that yield such mental satisfaction as the perusal of the works of standard authors and few things so calculated to enable a man to hold his own iu any class of society as a know- i ledge of the literature of the age. To those with lei-uee, and most people in this favored colony have plenty, and who have hitherto neglected this source of solace and improvement, we say " Try it/" You will find the prescription a good one.

THE HARBGII BOARD. The first meeting of the new Harbor Board has disclosed the dishonesty of the lato majority. One of the principal stipulations in the contract, was that a Wellmen pump should bo put on board the new dredge, and this kept other contractors from tendering. This was what stood, chiefly in the way of Messr^

Anderson & Co. making the vessel in the colony. Now wo find that Messsra Lobnitz & Co. absolutely refuses to put a Wellman pump in the vessel, and this information was in possession of the chairman at the last meeting, yet he suppressed it, and did not let some of his fellow members know anything about it. The now Board has now decided to inquire fully into that, and other transactions, but this Messrs Teschemaker, Talbot, and Manchester object to. Why should they object to inquiry being made into past transactions! Why should not tire new members make themselves acquainted with the past history of the Board so as to enable them to understand their position properly ? Is there something "fishy" which they do not wish exposed. They object thoy say to a " general raking up." Why should not there be a general raking up \ The position is now very nice. The contract has been entered into so hastily and in such a slip-shod way, that no doubt Lobnitz & Co. have the Board under their thumb else they would not refuse to put in a Wellman pump when asked to do so. There is another thing also. The money has been sent Home, and paid, and so there is no getting out of the contract. This is the fix the representatives of the large ratepayers have left the Board in. There is a shrewd, level-headed, honest, upright man at the head of affairs now, in the person of Mr Stuart; an abler man Timaru could not produce, but it will take him all his time to pull the Board through the muddle. We trust at any rate his investigations into past transactions will be most searching and that he will neither extenuate uor set down ought in malice but lay everything bare before the public.

JUDICIAL MISREPRESENTATION. A cablegram says that Mr Justice O'Brien said at the Clare assizes that life and property were not safe in Ireland. Those who know Judge O'Brien will pay little attention to anything he may say. Judge O'Brien is what i 3 known in Ireland as a Castle Hack, that is a person who does all the dirty work for Dublin Castle. He went by the soubrequet of " Peter the Packer" because of his skill in packing juries. Jury-packing in Ireland has been nn art and " Peter the Packer excelled in it. Against Judge O'Brien's assertion we have the statement of the Right Hon. John Morley who recently said that Ireland was never so peaceable. This too, is supported by the fact that very seldom any crime is re ported from that country. If crime were committed there, the cablegrams would keep us well posted on that point.

MR De COBIAN. It is said that Mr DeCobain i 3 being tried in private. This looks suspicious, but at the sametime we think it is wise. Mr DeCobain is the son of a north of Ireland clergyman, and was a shining light among the Orangemen of Belfast, who elected him to Parliament, xie wat; a Sunday school teacher and altogether a most exemplary man. It was, howevar, discovered that while attending his parliamentary duties in England he had been guilty of outrageous immorality, and had to fly when a warrant was issued for his arrest. It is better that his trial should be heard in private as it is not desirable that the people should be corrupted by a rehearsal of his ruffianism.