TE AWAMUTU.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1962, 3 February 1885, Page 2

TE AWAMUTU.

I'MJMC LIHItAIU. Thk animal meeting in connection with the library was ln'M on S.itmday evening. Thcro WcH a f.ur attendance of subscuber*. The report and balance-sheet woio road and adopted. The following gentlemen woie elected a committee .—Colonel Smith, Messrs Uutheifoid, Sloano, Wi iglit. Win stone, Westney and C<xrley. Colonel Smith was appointed ch.iirman of committee. IMr Carloy was re-appomted librarian. It w.\n agiecd that half of all sub^eiiptions received should be given to the librarian in return for his services. Thetrusteoi were asked to Rpply to the (ioveimnent to luve the library Mto changed from its pieM>nt immutable position to one on the (io\ eminent leserve ficing the Alp\amha road. The hite to ))• applied for is between the post-office .mil the Commercial Hotel. When it 11 notified that the subsidy has been received fiom the Government, the committee will me"t to select the books requued. Mi--.«i-, Audiow and Roche were appointed auditois. Con suleung the amount of books and the vai led clans of literature, it is surprising theieaie so few subscribers. Perhaps this may be accounted for in a great measure bv the fact th.it children attending thn school by paying sixpence a quarter can obtain book* from the school library, the books in which are not by any means confined to works of reference or tales suitable for children. Many of the woiks »re precisely the same as those in the public library, and when parents and friends of children can get reading matter for skpence a quarter, they will not pay two and sixpence, small a sum though it be. It is a pity and a mistake to fill the shelves of a school libraiv with literature far above the undernt;uidiiig of '.•hildien. It is jnactically a strong opposition to the public library which has been in existence for ho long a time and which would do wry well but for the cause just mentioned. It is to bo h< ped the (lovernmout will >-et» fit to grant the request to have the site changed, the present one is nunt unsuitable, being in an out-of-the-way place, and on the edge of a swamp. Che one to be asked for is in every way suitable, us it has a frontage to the main street, ami a library so situated would be ntoie likely to attract subscriber', besides so useful an institution is worthy of a better position.

MISCELLANEOUS. The Consolation, the last rncoof the day, was not published in Saturday 's is>u«\ It was vron by Ilewi, s'st (ilb ; Orakau, 8-t, half ,i length behind, and Lumsde?i's JVttlc Wonder, .Xst, third. The wet weather spoiled ii good day's spent; had the day been fine hundreds uioie would have been on the ground. As it wis the attendance was pond, as the amount of money taken at the pates proved. The club has the sitisfacticm of knowing tint both horse owneis and jockeys agree in siying the course is the fastest they have tnvn on in New Zeiland, and that in the course of a yeiror two it will be the lw^t in the colony. The crop of coi respondents i-. piohhc enough hero. "Liv" kindly itniews my remarks anent adulterated grog, and though fioni the tone of his remarks I infer that he does not disagreo with me, he delicately in sinuate* that lam not nn authority. ft is done in Mich an ambiguous manner that I am at liberty to take it as a snub or a compliment. I chooso the hitter, and take it as a tribute to my habits of sobriety. The Rev. Mr Dean delivered a lecture here on the subject, " Why should I sign the pledge." Tho lecturer pointed out the girat a<lvuitages nnd inducements held out to the inteiupeiate to sign tho pledge, advantages in this win Id and that to come, the gain being both temporal and spiritual. He cited instanoes of men being rescued from degredation and infamy and raided to positions of respectability by total abntinence, and urged upon tho temperate and moderate drinkers the necessity of signing the pledge alio ; not only as a measure of safety for them«olve*, for prevention is bettor than cure, but also as an example to those who unfortunately poshes* wills of lens .stiength. The addiess was Vtened to throughout with the utmost at tention, tho lecturer being frequently applauded. The Rev. Mr Dowsbury, who kindly came over from Cambridge for the occasion, occupied tho chir. A collection in aid of the Hind of Hope funds was taken up at the close of the lecture. — (Own Correspondent.)