PUBLIC LIBRARY QUESTION.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 14237, 28 December 1911, Page 7

PUBLIC LIBRARY QUESTION.

POSITION OF THE MUSEUM

INTERVIEW WITH THE CURATOR

A statement bearing on tho public library question was mado to a "l J ro:ss" reporter yesterday by Mr Edgar It. V»*aite, curator of tho Cantorbury Aiuscuui. 31r Waito, who is now recovering frum a serious illness, said that ho had been virtually cut oil from tho ouisido world lor ifao past fiv« weeks, but that quite recently his liledieal adviser iiad allowed liiiu to do a iuuueU auiouiu ot lvuumg.' Talciny; advantage oi lliis, ho hail mado him- ' cell aecjuainted With tho discussion roilio public library recently j prmveu in iue columns ol "rho i'lvfas/' ■ vho adniirabio oi tho history of j tuo institutnm preparcU l>y Mr T. \V. ltowv , . a meinbur Canterbury Col- ! lego Board, of Governors, the leuaer in "jine Press," , the with tho jlayor, aim, lastly, tho lettcx by .Mr ii. Wynu Vviiliains. Jlr Waito said it appeared probable that tho Civy Council, uudoubuxlly the natural ana proper exutouian ot tlie.. institution, woutu bo wiluny to taku over control ot the l J ublic Jjiurary providing a satistactory arrangement could bo made as to tho endowments, and this was, cl course, tiio wholo crux of viio matter. "1 would here," continued Mr Waite, "liko to make & httlo pertinent digression as to the position of tho Museum. Tlio museums of Auckland, Canterbury, and Otajio aro independent institutions deriving their revenue from -private or semi-privato sourea3. Tho Dominion Museum, at Wellington ie, of course, a Government institution and may be left out oi consideration. Both tho Otayo and Auckland inuseiiDLs benefit largely at iho> hands of privato donors. Wo b'ayo but to recall tho munilicenco of the late Dr. Hocking and others in respect to Otago, whiio in Auckland vrhon au> special object is dcsircnl it ap[)ears to bo merely necessary to ahnounco tho fact when tho money is at once forthcoming. Let us on tho othor hand look at Canterbury. Not a voluntary contribution (with ono single- exception) has been mado to the funds of tno Museum certainly for many years past. Someone would be certain to romind mo of tho skeleton of the Okarito whale, but in anticipation I may say that under tho peculiar aud exceptional circumstances attending tho purchase of the skeleton, tho bulk of the contributions were by no means voluntary, but were hardly fought for by myself and the small committee which so ably seconded my efforts. We may therefore,' I think, leay<j this question out of the general discussion. Tho Canterbury Museum, is admittedly' the largest and most attractive institution of its kind in New Zealand. It is a magnificent asset to tho city, and the, privileges which it offers have been absolutely free to residents and visitors alike for the past half century, and yet, except during tho earlier years of its formation, tho public have not contributed ono penny to its upkeep. I am of course aware-of tho origin and sourco of the endowments hut no credit can bi? taken for tho income from these endowments by tho present generation. The connection between the Museum and the Public Library is that both institutions derive their revonuo from the same endowments. Should the question be referred to the Supreme Court, and should it bo dqcidod th*t a portion of the endowments bo handed over to the City Council it would mean that the income of the Museum would remain approximately as at present. I have 'repeatedly pointed out that the institution is starved and expansion, except within narrow limits, is impossible. If the City Council would take over tho library irrespective of the endowments, the funds of theMuseum would bo appreciably augmented, and thus the public of to-day would pay at least some of tho debt whioh it undoubtedly owes. In order to place tho library on a higher plane it would bo necessary for the Council to levy a rate, and tho extra amount to be called in consequent on tho relinquishment of the endowments would surely bo very email and would possibly not be objected to when it was realised that two of the principal educational institutions of the city wero benefiting thereby. "I am quite aware that my suggestion is quite a voluntary one) hut I would appeal to tho loyalty and oatriotism of tho ijeoplo of Canterbury to givo the question careful thought before submitting it to the determination of tho law courts. Should such an extreme step be necessary I trust at any rat<j that the aspect of the question I have advanced may be deemed worthy of discussion in tho columns'of 'The Press. , "