The Wairarapa Daily. TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 1885. THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 1976, 28 April 1885, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 1885. THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.

» As the ratepayers will be called upon ou Thursday livening to electa new Library Committee, it will not be out of place to draw attention to the present position f)j. e fiibrary, especially as efforts have been matfe gloss over (lie. weak points in tlie nianagenfe/jt <;f the past year, and to pans o|f a bogus report which was never laid before the Committee, and whieli was drawn up by one ot' its members in sncli a fashion '8« to express h view exactly llio reverse of ilitffc taken b_v till) majority. Even tjje comparison of the last balance sheet i»ith tlml of 1879, proves that- instead of premising, the Library has T)je crucial test of it all lies in the amount of subscriptions received, betiause tho subscriptions are an exact guage of the amount of interest that is taken in the institution by the public, as well as of the extent of its usefulness We find that last year the subscriptions amounted to 15s, while in 1879, or live years ago, the receipts from the,' same source were ,£23 ss. The actual difference between the two amounts is not so very .biit it shows ut i'allintr off, and that, top, j)) £ace of the tact that during the period njWi&G/} the population of Musterton has aimcst doubled. Taken in proportion to population, it will be found that there has been a falling off of about fifty per cent. There has been no decrease in tlie Bsrober of books kept on the shelves, tliougl;. ji must be admitted that a considerable'.jwtfiflh of the, additions wliicji Ijave recently Ijeejj flpide, consist of frightful rubbish. We.tbink ; ;tliat the falling off in sulispjiptions is in great part due to the want of care exercised in ordering new books, and that the remainder must lie ascribed to bad management, On further com-, parison of the two balance sheets, it will be found that while subscriptions have fallen offHVohi £23 5s to £2O 15s, the amount paid in salaries and commission has grown front £Hf JOs to £69 3s 7d ; in fact it has-more |t|ian doubled itself, while the Library has become of less use to the public. Were it not .that- the amouut received in ratfs, for rent of rooms, and from the Town Lands Trustees had materially increased, there would have been an actual loss upon the year. How, we think that all this is very deplorable. T}ie library is the only one in a large

and populous district, yet there urn only about sixty Bulincriliers, although the subscriptions for ratepayers are only five shillings, mid non-ratepayers ten shillingß. It is evident that the administration of the Committee during the past year has not been successful, mid Mr Oaselherg, who Ims occupied the position of Chairman since his election to the Mayoralty, spoke very plainly upon that point at lb lint meeting of the Cuimnittee, and on his suggestion, it was agreed .to make several recommendations to their successors with the view of effecting improvements. We think that the present system of. electing (he Committee is not calculated to secure' the returns of the most useful men. Tim balance sheet shows very plainly that only a very' small proportion of the ratepayers subscribe. The majority appear to content themselves with the payment of their rates. On the other hand non-ratepayers have a very natural aversion'to snlisontio to anything where others who do not subscribe have a voice, in the management. We believe that a return to the old plan of electing-the Coniiuittee would restore the library to its former prosperous condition, to which it could never be raised liy the best efforts of a (Joiiiinittee that is returned chiefly liy ratepayers who do not take the least interest in it.

MrF, H. Wood advertises a reaper and binder for sale;

Mr H. E. Eton, chemist and druggist, has issued a neat circular, printed on toned paper, setting forth particulars of his business.

The Wellington City Council has taken steps to have its endowment in the FortyMile Bush surveyed and cut up into sections, with a view of lotting them. The Loyal Masterton Lodge, 1.0.0.F,, M.U., meets to-night, when the report of the Committee on the advisableness of erecting an Oddfellows' Hall will be brought up for consideration, A cricket nntcli wa3 played at Waihengaon Saturday last between a local team and the Greytown band. The former scored 45, and the latter 83, Captain Edwin telegraphs at noon Bad weather betwcon North and East and North West. Glass further fall, and after ten hours heavy rain. The New Zealand Times mentions that when the Volunteers marched to Island Bay yesterday, they kept tlioir powder dry until, they vouched the Island Bay Hotel, We prosuma that at that point they stopped to wet their whistles, The poll in the Mastcrton Borough Licensing District for the purpose of determining whether the number of licenses may be increased, or not, will be taken on the 12th of May next, between the hours of 9 a.m. and G p.m. An excellent chance for purchasing timber will be offered on Saturday, May 2nd, when Mr F. H. Wood will offer 50,000 feet of various descriptions at Mr Bint's sawmills, Kaiwaiwai, It will be put up in Ms tg suit-purchasers.

Mr G. F, Mansoll, who recently .disposed of his shop to Mr H. E. Eton, intends to re-establish himself as a tobacconist, and lias taken premises adjoining the Theatre Royal. The necessary alterations and fitt ings are al ready welladvanced, and the new shop will be opened in a day or two,

The following parterly licensing meettings are notified in our advertising gc/J----umns Masterton, and Masterton Borough, on June Ist, at the Gourthouse Masterton; Alfrcdton, on June 6th, at the Schpfllhouae Ejkatahuna; Castlepointj on June 9th, at the Pijbjic Hall, Tjnui. The hour of meeting is at noon jn each instance.

A paragraph lias beei) goii)g the rounds of the Press that the flax jn the fjurunui delict #3 upt flower last spring, " much to the bewilderment of crowds of bees that haye in pjst • years had simple opportunity of becoming giddy with the' sweet surfeit of the flax blossoms." It will perhaps astonish the giddy writer of this curious item to learn that bees never touch the flax honey, and very seldom ever gather pollen from native flax.

Says the Evening PressMr Plimmer is erecting a new house on his land at the head of Plimmer's Steps. He has chosen to dignify his residence with the appellation of " Noah's Ark," and calls attention to it by the figure of a dove with the letters A It K and the following " sintcutorjy Jfild and beautiful" distich over the door ■;

" That Noah's Ait existed there nothing loft to prove, ' , ' l '" But here in mine attested by the presence of the dove." Mr Plimmer has the pull of Noah up to now.

||essrs Charles Pownall and Co,, scrivijiJeH, report Applications for money dpijii" jtjio preceding month very limited, and a S,'^emulation of en pita! for mprtgagp jijycsi!}ei|'i. Rates of Interest nominally roniajp unaltered at (j£ to per cent for ordinary amounts. Sums running into largo figtires upon undoubted securities liavo, however, been quoted as low as 0 per cont., and had it not boon for tlio present wr scaro, considerable transactions would liavo reached final negotiations at that ligtp, The eft'tjet upon the money market if war is declared is djffioiflt to foresee, A declaration of jjw ]jas represented a heavy fall in the English funds with a comparative riiejji] the value of money. The calculations ai'ii i|g\y, however, no longer obtainable, The plethora of unemployed capital so long existing has already made that commodity a drug upon the English market. With further contracted trado it must surely increase,' and it is worth noting that when Consols lately fell 4 per cont. upon the war alarm in London, the discount market nt 2| por cent, remained and continues unaltered, From this large overplus the Colonies are tlier.efypi; lijore likely to be fully supplied, ai) dv/e io Ipard the opinion, therefore, that thpugfy' tye'tint outbreak of hostilities may gauge ii' 'jn 1 present rates, it will not be in excess', pjl most probably only temporary. A narrow escape from what might have proved a fatal accident, occurred on one of the up country roads, one wet and §tormy night recently. A gentleman, driving }>jn family in a buggy towards home,'~Qjj 'tynijijg # sharp beiid in the roaij, leading 4 a g,y)ly, apross which only a i)arro\v bridge, handrajls Via pljwd, percejved, within a'sli'ort dis;; taijGo, fti)fiti)op ygjiicle approaching ai' a rapid PAOS fpom ti|o opposite direction! No room to pass, pip/))} evitable.' But the driven pf t)}e conveyances were equal to the gcca;9if)i). and with admirable •presence of mind applied their brakes, bringing the horses to a standstill within a few feet, and the ocjij pants were able tti congratulate each other »ij Jjaving had fitted, powerful brakes, ai)d good jamps to their carriages, by Muir and Dixo.ij'. of the Masterton Coach Factory, who are now building all kinds of vehicles at fabulously low prices, —Advt.

Heilbron's German Worm Cakes and goromiko Extract are Patented.—

Messrs Barker and Williams invite, tenders for painting the additions to the school.

Monday aud Tuesday next have been fixed for the appearance of the RadiliffRita Company. We shall make a full reference to the merits of these two stars in a future issue. '!•

_ It will be seen by an anonymous advertisement in another oolumn that the candidates for seats on the Towns Lands Trust are invited to address the electors at the Temperance Hall this evening, ■William Brady, alias' William Smith, and Thomas Kirby, alias John Brown, were brought up in the Resident Magistrate's Courtjthis morning, charged with drunkenness. They were reprimanded and ordered to be discharged by Mr Stratford,

Messrs Lowes and lorns received a day or two ago a consignment of 35 first class Lincoln rams, bred in the Middle Island. They were bought for Mr Davie, of Paliiatua, and should prove a valuable addition to thq live stock of that district,

A juvenile Gospel Temperance Society has been formed in Masterton, It already includes about thirty members, who hold weekly meetings, • Subscription lists, with a view to starting a drum and fife band in connection with the Society, have just been issued,

Remenyi, the great violinist, is now announced to appear at the Theatre Royal 011 Friday next for the one night only. The company also includes Miss Hattie B. Downing (soprano), Mr R. Himmer (tenor), and Mr Isidore Luckstone (pianist). The box plan may be seen at Mr Price's, where seats may be reserved.

The nomination for the Wardens for sub-divisions of the following Wards in the Taratahi Road Board took place yesterday (Monday) when the following were nominated —No 1 Ward, J. Reynolds; No. 4, H. Braithwaite; No. GW. Booth; No,B, H, R. Bunny; No, 7, Burton Boys, and F. Meenken. A poll will be taken on Monday 4th May for the return of one Warden for No, 7 Ward, Messrs Lowes and lorns fortnightly stock sale takes place at their yards tomorrow afternoon. The catalogue is again a very long one, and includes upwards of 5500. sheep, among these being a draft of good ewes from Hawkes Bay, and fat and store sheep of variouß breeds. Among the cattle there is an Ayrshire bull, dairy cows, and fat stock. There aro also draught horses, poultry, pigs, and a quantity of clyeerine dip.

The Government has taken the most effective measures for the eradication of SQab in the I'akowai district. The whole of the (lock in the estate of T, A, Dillon, of Glenwai, lias hoen bought by the shoe]) department, and up to Saturday last upwards of 900 sheep had been slaughtered and skinned, the skins being the only part that has . been saved, sis there is no means of saving tallow on the ground. The carcases have been rolled down into a steep gully. It is hoped that this decisive step will go a long way towards clearing the country of the disease. Lieutenant Brunskill's trophy, a valuable silver cup, was presented to Corporal H. Fry of the Featherston Volunteers by Major Bunny, last evening, at the Oddfellows Hall, Featherston. In the course of his remarks, ho said that he should like to see prizes given for other shooting as well as Target firing. For instance, p'fzes should be given for firing and judging distances. Captain Dudding, who" wits present for the first time since his severe illness, also adtrossed the men, and I believe it is his intention to give a prize for the best shot at judging distances. The corps was then dismisssd by Lieutenant Brunskill.

The Blfcenix Lodge, 1.0. G.T., met at thejr lodge room, Temperance Hall, last night, when, qfter tlfe usual routine business was gqne throjigh, the following officers were elected for the ensuing term—W.C.T., Brp Squjreg; W.fx; BroGant; W.S., Bro Smith; W.F.S',, Bro Holdaway; W.T., -Bro Carpenter • WjOm Dpoan; W.M., Sister Brown; I.G, Brp Stone; 0.G., Brp Brown; P.W.C.T., BroGlasse. The instaljatipp of officers will be held next session, accompanied by the usual tea and festive gathering. Two new members were initiated, one jojnec| by clearance, and two elucidates wore prqpqsed for iiieiijbership. Bro Hoklaway handed in charter as Grand Lodge Deputy for the qurrent year, It wtw unanimously resolved that a lettor of qondolcnce for his recent bereavement be sent to Bro Turner, W,S, It was reported that the newly formed choir would hold its first practice night to-morrow (Wednesday), when all who tended to join were requested to be present.

An accident of a serious nature occurred about 4 p.m. yesterday. As one of Messrs Duncan & Sons employees was driving down Bannister-street, the horse, was a young one, suddenly turned and made a rush for an open slip panel leading to a paddodc }i) it had been turned loose the night "before. f|)g driver, J, Ralph, made every effort to hold it in, but before he could get ft proper pull on the reins, one of the wheels struck the post, and the vehicle turned completely over, • Ralph being biil'igd by it. The horse, in its struggles jb) t'rfio jteeif, broke the shafts, and one of the brflkei) entored its sido, causing .sijcli sorjmjs i.hvaa found niipegsary to destroy it. 'lt was accordingly shot dping the evening,. Ajl tlio time the animal was struggling jn the shafts, the cart was grinding on the unfortunate driver, who had a vory narrow escape fro'n being killed, Several men who were in the neighborhood took prompt measures to release the horao and right the vehicle. They found that Ralph liitd beep yciy badly bruised. He was taken to hjs l)finj.e, yjjprp he now lies, Fortunately lie luijl nn bgiiq brqlfei), The horse was a valuable ope, Qnil Jjaij only recently been broken in. The cart is now in the hands nf the wheel pights,

Messrs Foley and Berkley gave their seventh Monday evening entertainment at the Theatre Royal last night, Thero was avory goodhouse, andtheaudience was most demonstrative in its expressions of approval throughout, The comedietta of "My Uncle's Will" with which the programme opened, is one of the best ever presented in Masterton. Miss Beaufort frtis quite at home in the character of &lore»ice the heiress, and her careful acting gecured her the most flattering applause." " gr Joey's old fossil (Mr Barker) was most hMiijorous, and Mr Berkley, aa Oliarles Oushmore, contributed not a little towards the sucoess of the piece. In the original production " Round tne Camp Fire," a number of songs were introduced, several amateurs contributing suitable selections. The tftm was occupied by volunteers' and otJier|, l 'j)f the whole tableaux being yery "efecti've.' fljLr fpley's dance in ynifprm toijk by Jie W " i'fine bit of fireworls si}S.ah tp cpncljjde'this part was unfoi j;y flije //f' the Scenes going wrpiig. 4 bilious g.ubject," an excellent fargo, concluded ti}e j')r.ggfanjme, Mr T. Wrigley took the character pf the old gentleman who could not control his bile, and did full justice to it, the house being kept in roars of laughter. The other characters were ably taken by Messrs Foley and Berkley.

Don t die in the iiouse.—" Rough on Eats' clears out rats, mice, beetles, roaches, bed-bugs flies, ants, insects, moles, jack-rabbits, gophers 7sd—N.Z. Drug Company.