LIBRARY AND MUSEUM.

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20828, 11 April 1933, Page 8

LIBRARY AND MUSEUM.

CONTROL BY CITY. HOPE OF CR. J. M'COMBS. His hope that the city of Christchurch would before long assume control of the public library and museum was expressed by Cr. J. M.P., chairman of the Finance Committee of the Christchurch City Council, when commenting nt the meeting of the council last night on the recent visit of a representative of the Carnegie Institute. The question is to be discussed at a meeting of the Finance Committee to-day. The Mayor (Mr D. G. Sullivan, M.P.) reported having received a visit from Mr S. F. Markham, representing the Carnegie Institute. Mr Markham had urged that if the city could give financial asistance towards the upkeep of the museum and the library, help would probably be given also by the institute. The disposition of the institute was to give help where civic responsibility was recognised. Mr Sullivan said he had not been in a position to commit the council, but he had undertaken to give the question thorough consideration. He had accordingly placed it on the agenda paper for the next meeting of the Finance* Committee. Earlier Overtures. The chairman of the Finance Committee, Cr. J. McCombs, said that in 1912 overtures had been made for the city of Christchurch to take over the public library without its endowments. The committee of that day was prepared to consider taking charge of the library and the museum, but only on the condition that the Board of Governors handed over two-thirds of the particular endowments and reserves concerned. The board was not prepared to do this, and when negotiations failed, it asked for a declaratory judgment against the council. In 1873, when the endowment was promised, a free public library had been contemplated, and this idea was maintained in 1912 when it was hoped to link up the central library with the suburban libraries. Although the board had subsequently received additional funds from the Gammack bequest it had reduced its allocation for the library from £750 to £320 annually. Cr. McCombs said he was still in favour of the council taking over both the library and the museum on a reasonable basis. The Government took the board's revenues and reserves into consideration when making its grants, so that actually the board was no better off with them than without them. At the present time the Government still assessed these revenues at their full value, which was definitely to the disadvantage of the college. The board seemed to be in a different mood to-day, and he was hopeful that the Mayor would see the library and the museum,- especially the library, brought under the control of the city.