THE ATHENÆUM READING ROOM.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3662, 10 April 1883, Page 3

THE ATHENÆUM READING ROOM.

TTo __■ Editor, of the Daily Teleop* _.] Sir, —AVill you k'nd'y grant me space in yor * open colrnns to set foiih the g-.*cat ■njus!'.cc which has been done to the Napier AtheniDi _ and its subscribers through the ir-sd'.-ted zeal of some or one of the officers of that i-islriafon. If the Atheiieum was so tei lb]/ hard up why did not the conn* : l tee employ i "ie means usual"}- adopted in Napier on beha 1 . r i charitable*' istitutions for "rais'ig the w.'nd," and supplement the f_ds with the proceeds of a conce: j'r Nofc they, when one of the officers of that inst'tation can command nearly £70 hy just setl'ng h'"s hand to some fount'l do aunent and throw'ng the fi tor scruples to the wind. On Satr Jay e\ .'""i<r I went to the read'ig room as u_il to see the latest papers, and was considerably surprised to so the place fr'l of strangers, wV'cmany of the subscribers were standing waif ng the plcasi■re of those outsiders before they were afforded au opporir *"ty of glancing at the papo-s. If the general public are to have ohc'.n read'ng why not make a sma"er charge for* the u'.e of the reading room or V, aud con "me to charge £1 per aim n :"o • the use c ! both I'braiy aud rcad*'ng room, and not sacrifice the f-oir'o* j u-id privileges of the pre3e.lt subscriber? to a2Con _odate in* .-lepers ? Is it far t? the present menib- *s t'nit they shou _ have to pay for the convcr ience of outsiders'*' I say no, and I am sire the majority of my fe'low subscribers to the Athena, ii w"l echo the sentiments I have above enunciated.—l am, <_~ Subsc.*' e 1 - *_. Napier, April 10, 1883.