WAIWERA LIBRARY.

Clutha Leader, Volume XII, Issue 597, 25 December 1885, Page 6

WAIWERA LIBRARY.

In opening the proceedings at the recent soiree in aid of the funds of the Waiwera Library the Chairman (Mr D. Wallace) gave a brief history of the library, of which the following is a condensation : —

The movement to start a library originated with the School Committee 10 years ago, and the success of the movement was mainly owing to the exertions of Mr Joseph Wright. That gentleman at much personal inconvenience made a house to house canvass of the district, and got subscriptions to the amount of L 25. That sum. was afterwards augmented •by L 5 advanced by the first Library Committee. The Provincial Government subsidised all monies raised for library purposes to the extent of £ for £. We were thus able to begin with a capital of L6XX Since that time to the present the library has steadily grown till we have now 535 vols, costing Ll4O, and we have accomplished this without once making an appeal to the public save by entertainments like the present. Of the original subscribers, 21 persons gave 103 and upwards ; these were enrolled as members, or subscribers of the library. And all those who gave less than 10s, were allowed to take the amount of their subscription out iri reading. The fees for reading were 4s and 6s per annum to subscribers and non-sub-scribers respectively. Some 3or 4 years ago the Committee, finding that the number of readers was falling off and alao tbat the collecting of the fees gave a good deal of trouble, resolved to abolish the fees and make the library free, the necessary revenue to be raised by an annual entertainment. The experiment has answered very well ; the number of readers has more than doubled. The funds have gained by the change ; and our annual soiree and dance has become a very popular institution in the district. The General Government still follows .in the footsteps of the Provincial Government in giving subsidies to public libraries. During the last few years wo have received from that source about £ for £„ Last session L 4.000 was voted for libraries. The proceeds of this evenings's entertainment will enable us t° participate in that grant. And now let me make an appeal to those who have come into the district since the library was established. — The ranks of the original subscribers are now considerably thinned, and during the last 10 years only one new subscriber has been added to the list. Let me appeal to all who are nob subscribers to become subscribers at once. A subscription of 10s entitles a lady or gentleman to be a member for life, and by our rules subscribers, only are qualified to be members of the Library Committee.

In conclusion let me, on behalf of the Committee, thank i-h© Rev, Mr Spence

for the high encomium he recently passed on our- library from the pulpit. It 'would, I think, be very desirable that gentlemen in his position took a little more interest in kindred institutions. Though Mr Spence has been five or six years in the district, it is only quite lately that he seems to have become aware that our library contained a most choice selection of literary treasures.