THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. MONDAY, JUNE 16, 1879.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3221, 16 June 1879, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. MONDAY, JUNE 16, 1879.

At the last meeting of the Committee of the ■Thames f Mechanics'? Institute one pf the .members gave notice thati at the next meeting, he would: move that-His* Worship the Mayor be requested to call!a public meeting of the ratepayers with the } object of f getting an expression of opinion as to the advisability of the Borough, Council taking ''joter; the Ingtitute and admini«- , Iterinjf It ff, Publicj' Libraries ,'A.cti'' and throwing it open as a-free public library< '<> -Spine' ■ xnay'.be:inclined to doubt the '''wisdom of | S abolishing;• t Jie \ present .order of things'; that they jdo not see the 'necessity of it, and that>all can afford the "'} small subscription; at present chargedTpr .enjoying." ■. the, jprmjegea;, ,o£,.'tjbe".library! •'' and such statements. >• On the other hand it may be urged that the advantages thitt :>wouul aeSriie td' the commuuty'thr^tigh haVing a free library, in thoir midst ;aro mndoniable, and as . the cost to the burgesses would"bo; very: small; ■we are 'in- ; , clined to imagine that the majority would be disposed to accept the small additional burden, when'they take into consideration the bobn that wilt be conferred, pn the public.;Thje,moide^'pf^procedure 'undbr . the Publio iLibraries Act, 1869, ii that the Mayor having received a request from }th£ gpVeriiirig 'feßiJy' lie; prpsidies; over, 'or; a .'rpbjuisi^o^^ advertising it, will request, the burgesses .to vote for or against the Act being made operative,' the ple:biscite'!'b6ing'''eo'niltl'6!t4d.V in , tho : same ; manner as, the election, for councillors. ' ■.A majority of votes would decido whether the Act was to be brought intp.force ornqt., Supposing the adoptipn was carried, it would then be. competent ■foif i!th6 Cottncil—or other local body, counties, and highway boards' having the same powers—to strike a library rate not exceeding .one,penny in the pound. The Act ftivea the local body the power of borrowing for the. purposes of the Act, and the 12th clause is, " That admission|to all, librarjios established under this Act shall be open^tq• the public free J of jdl charge." .Sin^e' f the passing pf,,the Ajct, thip,t^^iilatiu,rej evidently actuated by a desire to farther assist the establishment of free libraries, passed "The Public Libraries Subsidies Act, 1877." This statute provides for the apportioning ;of a grant for public libraries amongst the several provincial districts in proportion to population, the '. f dUtributionji in books or cash being entrusted to the Education Board, to libraries maintained or partlymaintained by voluntary subscriptions;

while in the case of municipal libraries a subsidy oqual to the amount raised by the library rate is paid out of the Consolidated Revenue to the Municipal Council. We believe that the Institute would be much hotter managed if in the hands of a local body, and we hope to see a free public library in the Thpuies before 'ong. They have been very successful where established in. other paus of the Colony. Eight country townships in the provincial district of WeiHngtown have free public libraries, aud r the /Wellington Education Board recently distributed £1145 6s lid amongst' them, of which £735 16s lldWassubßcribed, and £409 10s grants in aid. ' '