THE LIBRARY RATE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 117, 19 May 1936, Page 6

THE LIBRARY RATE.

A better course than that adopted by the Auckland City Council in putting forward its request for the raising of the limit on the library rate would have been to seek, fiistlj, the support of other municipal bodies. This is a matter which concerns every inunicipa council, and the Government is unlikely to revise the Act unless the change is generally, desired. The question could be taken up with each borough or city council now, or raised at the next New Zealand Municipal Conference. If a majority of the councils were in favour,, the Government would doubtless act in accordance with their wishes. There is good reason for raising the limit. At the present rate of a penny some libraries are seriously handicapped and cannot give satisfactory service. The supply of new books is below requirements, space is cramped, and the upkeep of existing volumes is difficult. Two years ago the Munn-Barr report recommended that the penny in the pound limitation should be eliminated, as in England, or the rate limit advanced to threepence, as in Scotland, and strongly condemned the practice of starving libraries of funds after they had been established. It is shown that no other department of municipal activity was restricted in this Way. There is. a strong case for amendment of the Act, but the request should be representative of municipal opinion generally.