CORRESPONDENCE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1768, 22 August 1884, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

READING ROOM. (to the editor.) Sir—lt was my intention to have taken a part at the meeting on Wednesday night called for the purpose of changing the room from a downstairs to an upstairs one for reading purposes, If I had remained at the Institute until the meeting was held I should have voted against the removal of the reading room to the upper room. It might be better utilised by using it for inparting instruction—say three nights per week—in drawing, chemistry, and other branches of science, for at present there is no place wherein the young men can make au advance on their previously acquired knowledge, Take for example these boys who have passed the fifth or sixth standards in the public schools. How much will they retain of these standards work in two or three years after tliev have left the school 1 Besides this, how many young men are there in the town who have not had the opportunity of passing these standards who would now be too »lad to have the chance of improving themselves, At present the only most likely place for them to spend their nights is just that one which neither parents nor their employers Jeaire to find them, and this is another :eason why I, for one wonld like to see the upper room used for such like purposes as I have mentioned. Tam well iware that some time ago a gentleman n the town proposed to utilise this •oom in, the manner indicated, but infortuuately his proposal was not tdopted, but now we have made some ilight advance in intellectual culture, t is to be hoped in the' right direction >erhaps the present proposal may meet vitli the approval of the public, which nust in the end be productive of the [reatest possible good, not only to the r oung men of Masterton, but to New Zealand generally. In proportion to iur intelligence as a colony will we nake progression, and if we retard this irogression it is through a negleofc on he part of ourselves in not using the wans placed at our disposal to improve iur young men by affording to them he opportunity of attending the classes ?hioh I should like to see established t the Institute. In relation to ways nd means to do it few towns in New lealand are so favorably circumstanced s Masterton is in having provided for ; endowments yearly increasing in alue. It perhaps may be wrong 1 asserting that the youth of the town ave the greatest right to claim the on's share of the money which is at ie disposal of the town trust, and 'hich ought to be appropriated in such r ay that the young men may havo . rery facility granted to them for),

acquiring a' knowledge of these Sb. I branches of knowledge by which, j themselves in the first place and New ■ Zealand next, may and will be benefitted. To do this, in my humble estimation, would be of greater importance than simply to make the upper room into a reading room. I am, &c. } W, P. Ford. ■■ MALARIA.- ■ Sib,—Both Masterton papers have • lately been complaining of nuisances said to exist in the town and considered to be the cause of much aicknes3. Both' ' . j the inspector of nuisances and the city ■ fathers have been .blamed in a .measure for not taking efficient steps to • suppress nuisances. There is, however, another aspect of the case which does not appear to have been touched on, and with your permisiou I should like to write afew lines upon'it. As there ■" is not an overflowing amount of neiws in the town most'people read the account of the'doings; and sayings of our representatives in the Council. I do, and take interest ,in the reports, and I remember that medical officers were appointed some time ago to assist the borough authorities in arrange-. , ments for the health of the people... ; It is but fair to assume that 'if v ; epidemics broke out here, or any contagious disease, the medical men would immediately report the matter to the authorities. This has not, to my knowledge, been done, and therefore , people rest contented in the belief that in the absence of any medical statements, the town is fairly healthy, and there are no infectious diseases or . neglected sanitary precautions. If, as I you seem to indicate, this is a false , security, then the said medical officers are guilty of grave neglect, which is the l more serious as it is a question; of life , or death. I am, &e., i Pater,