THE FREE LIBRARY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 4530, 5 December 1884, Page 3

THE FREE LIBRARY.

Who Shall Seleot the Books?

At the meeting of the City Council last night, Cr. Upton moved:—" That the resolution of the Council of May 1883 be rescinded as far as concerns the Public Library, and that a Library Committee be appointed. (2) That the Council do now proceed to the appointment of a Library Committee." In doing so he gave ahistory of the events which had led upto his taking action in the matter. The motion which he had now brought forward was virtuaily a revival of his former proposition. It was his belief that the library would never be really effective unless a lending department was set apart in conneclion with it whereby facilities would be afforded for perusing the works contained therein by tho artisan class at their leisure. The system had worked so satisfactorily elsewhere that it had been publicly stated at Newcastle that on an average a book passed through 10,000 hands before being lost. Ho did not wish to relievo the Library Committee of all responsibility, but merely to provide them with skilled assistance enabling them to make selections wisely.

Cr. Montague seconded the motion for two reasons, viz., (1) that the Council had already decided upon the appointment of an Advisory Committee, and (2) that as the Library Committee had refused to nominate such Advisory Committee, the Council would be merely stultifying themselves un, less they proceeded to give effect to their decision. If the Library Committee were unwilling to accept the instruction given them, then it only remained for them to resign.

Cr. Mackechnie said thathehad given his own notice of motion in order to meet the case .aised by Cr. Upton, so that in the event of that gentleman's proposition being rejected, there might still remain something before the Council.

Cr. Garrett expressed a preference for Cr. Mackechnie's notice of motion and characterised Cr. Upton's arguments as lame in the extreme. Cr. Mackechnie's proposition would not confine the application for advice to gentlemen resident in tho city.

(Jr. Waymouth considered that there should be a separate Committee for the Library instead of the work being laid upon the shoulders of the Legal Committee. Cr. Aickin would have been glad to see the motion withdrawn for lie was sure that it would subserve no good object. As one of the Library Committee he felt that the motion reflected upon them coining as it did upon tho heels of certain advorse comments in a section of the press. Ho was entirely with Cr. Upton in principle, but as he did not wish to lmjjly any censure upon his colleagues, he urged the withdiawal of the proposition, Cr. Masefield regretted the tabling of the motion in its present state,

Cr. Cooper supported the motion, belioving that the Committee had no right to set themselves in opposition to the Council. Cr. Mackechnie defended the action of the Library Committee in having the courage of their convictions by reminding the Council that on inconsistent course was being pursued. Cr. Upton's whole object was to secure an advisory committee outside the Council, and this he did notapprove. It would form a dangerous precedent, which, if followed out, would reduce them to automaton. They would equally require an advisory committee of butchers to nelp in managing tho slaughterhouse, and an advisory committee of architects to shape their action with regard to public buildings. Cr. HCrowther proposed as an amendment that Cr. Upton's name should be added to the Library Committee, feeling assured that he would prove a most valuable member. The Council had had no reason whatever to find fault with the Library Committee. Cr. Annus* seconded the amendment.

Cr. Upton declined emphatically to accept election, and asked all who weae friendly to him to vote against the'amendment.

The Mayor remarked that it would not be necessary to purchase many books for some time yet, but meanwhile funds were accumulating, £200 interest on the Costley bequest having been received the other day. The Council had altogether spent only £350 upon new books, but, judging from the noiso raised in the press, one would have thought that the expenditure had been from £3,000 to £3,500, and that £3,000 of it had been misspent.

Cr. Upton having briefly replied, the motion was put and lost.