OPENING OF THE FREE LIBRARY.

Evening Post, Volume XLV, Issue 94, 22 April 1893, Page 4

OPENING OF THE FREE LIBRARY.

Tho ceremony ol 1. . mally opening th Froo Public Library >"^tordaj afternoon waß of a very intori&tiiiy character, 'ill principal portion of tli" proceedings tool. plaoe in tho large hull in the Board or Education offices, ovon standing i-oom boint, unobtainable shortly attor tho ceiciuony began. Tho Mayor of Wellington (Mr. U. D. Boll) entered tho hall at 3.30 o'clock, and conducted Mr. Justice Richmond to tho dais, at tho back of which was displayed a fla^ boaring the City Corporation coat of arms Amongst those on tho dais woro tho Town Clark (Mr. J. E. Page), Councillors Frasor Harris, Barber, Petliorick, Penty, P.irboii'Anderson, Whito, Vogel, Harcourt, and H\rris, and memborsof the conimitteo which selected tho hooks for tho Library. Tho Mayor opened tho proceedings by B vying that it was his privilege to ask hin Honour to perform tho ceremony of opening tho Public Library. Mr. F. Grady had presented tho Council with a silver key, and atter it had been nsed to open tho door, his Honour would be asked to accept it as a memento of his and his family's association with the ovent. (The key was then handed to hia Honour.) His Worship referred to tho fact that his Honour had moved tho first resolution at tho public meeting that was hold in 1889, and had also occupied the Chairmanship of tho Selection Committoo, and the Council felt that, next to Mr. W. H. Levin, no one could bo moro appropriately asked to undertake the principal pirt of tho ceremony that afternoon. (Applause.) Mr. Lovm, to whoso generosity the city was indebted for tho inauguration of tho movement, had declined tho honour, rep sating what he had previously fcaid, that his free and unsolicited gift should not seem to entitle him to special distinction or consideration. (Applause.) The Mayor th^n gave a sketch of the history of tho institution up to the present. The building had cost .£6OOO, tho whole of whioh was to be pi ovided for out of the rates, us tho donation of JJIO 0 by Mr. Levin and tho donations of the public had been expended in tho purchase of books. About 8000 volumes, schednled at .£2300, wore selected by tho committee— Misses Greouwood and Hamilton, Mr. Justioe Richmond, General Schaw, Messrs. W. M. Maskell, J. R. Blair, E. Trogcar, James E. Samuel, and Councillor Fras>er, Mr. Paradise acting as hen. secrotary — and the books would probably bo on tho sholves in six months' time. His Worship aoknow lodged the indebtedness of tho Council to the committee) of selection, referred to Mr. W. Booth's presentation of a painting l>y Mrs. Matr, and read a letter trom the Hon. W. B. Mantoll, stating his intention to presont a numbor of valuable works. Mr. 801 l concluded as follows : - Your Honour and Ladies and Gentlemen. — The moneys of tho ratepayers have pro\ ided this library for all alike — for rich and poor — for citizen or visitor— it is to bo the common property of all. Such regulation* a3 may be made for its use will, I trust, bo recognised as for the common benefit. Wo open it to the public in the hope that each one will use it and treat it as his own, and will help the authorities in the maintenance of order for the common comfort. (Applause.) Wo have felt the reproach th it heretofore knowledge had no home wherein to unfold hor ample pages ; wo can saj- now that we have now provided that knowledge may here grow from more to more. It may he that to no mortal is it now eiven to attempt the effort which ono great Englishman declared had been his -"'to take all knowledge for his province." for in this ago, when scientific application of new methods follows so closely on scientific disoovery, when new laws of natuio even new worlds, are yearly brought within the range of human ktn, when of tho manufacture of books there is no end. no single mind can be learned, as learning is now understood, in all departments of letters nnd of science. But on the shelves of tho library will be stored the wisdom of tho past and of the presont, so that each may stndy that which ho chooses for his special province, and may have for roferenuo and use the best works on snbjeots with which ho is not, and does not seek to make himself, familiar. Your Honour has seen the dark and the middle ages of tho little history of this colony. We are to-day leaving our " low vaulted past" behind us, and you will, wp trust, be glad to be associated with your fellow citizens in this testimony of their determination to establish a strong place of learning in their midst. (Applause.) Mr. Justice Richmond said— Mr. Mayor, Ladies, and Gentlemen— l trust you will not think I am using the language of idle compliment when I say that I feel a great honour has been conferred upon me by yourself, Mr. Mayor, and the Corporation of this city, in asking me to address this audience on this occasion. I call it a great occasion, and I think it will seem such to anyone who judges of things not wholly by the scale they are upon, but by their inner significance. But I hasten to add that I heartily wish someone else were now standing in my place and assuming the greatness which has been thrust upon me. By someone else I don't mean anybody else. I mean a particular man, who must, by universal conTTent, bo allowed to have had the best right to take the first place at this ceremony. I mean the man to whom we really owe the institution which we now inaugurate. I mean, of course, Mr, William Lovia. It will be satisfactory to this assembly, as it is some consolation to mo, to know that the Corporation did, in tho first instance, invite Mr. Levin to take the placo to which he is undoubtedly ontitled. It was not until ho had declined the office that I was asked to undertake it. The occasion is remarkable as the first practical recognition by our municipality that they are something more than a paving, lighting, and drainage board. Heaven forbid I should disparage these, things. I am far from wishing to do so ; but when immediate physical necessities are provided for it is fit and right that our City Governments should extend their care to snch higher matters as the establishment of libraries, museums, pictnre galleries, and the like. Not to speak of Melbonrne and Sydney, Australian towns, by no means on a par in other rer-pects with Wellington, are, 1 am assured, before us in snch things ; and we know the same to be the ease with tho other cities of New Zealand. I need scarcely remind you that scarcely any great city ol the world is, or has been, without its great public library. To those who believe that it is well to hold on in the old ways unless and until (as Acts of Parliament say, and Mr. Gladstone) we clearly make out some better track, this alone is enough to determine our action in making a beginning for ourselves. It is a most interesting modern discovery that a public library existed at least 650 years before the Christian era. Most of us have read the romantic story of Layard's great find in the mounds of earth and sun-dried brick which mark the site of Nineveh how, after long labour in excavation, he found himself one day in the archive chamber of Asshur-ba-ni-pal : the ground strewn, two feet thick, with fragmonts of tablets of baked clay, inscribed with arrow-headed characters, which had fallen probably from an upper chamber. These are found to contain the literature of Assyria, and the still more ancient lore of Chaldtea. For perhaps the strongest and most iut- resting fact of all is that amongst these monuments of the fallen Empire of Assyria are found the records of a far older civilization, and of the earliest traditions of mankind. The Aocadian language, in which these are preserved, was already, in the time of Asshur-ba-ni-pal, a dead and sacred language, and from the fragments of this library can be pieced together grammars, dictionaries, and translations of the Accadian tongue, which was to the Assyrians much what Hebrew is to ourselves. This discovery is no mere matter of curiosity, but is destined to produce farreaching effects. I shall be told that Wellington ratepayers, as a class, are not likely to be much impressed by the example of Sardanapalus. That is probably true. To return therefore to modern precedents, wo see the great rising cities of England 'and America, and I may add Australasia are following suit to Nineveh and Alexandria Paris and London. Within the last six months Manchester has received from the widow of a wealthy citizen the munificent donation of tho Althorp Library — a unique collection, parted with by Lord Spencer at an enormous price. Compared with such examples our own efforts must seem insignificant. It is, however, something to have made a beginning, and we may bo satisfied when we can say that we have done what we can. The total amount of private sub. ecriptions received for the Wellington Fiee Library is. as bis Worship has already told ns, .£3006 16s 2d. To this, as you all know, Sir. W. Levin made 'the generous contribution of JEIOOO. There were other liberal gifts— notabiy that of the late Mayor, Mr. Duthie, of .£2OO, and that of Mr. and Mrs. Moorhon-e of tho same amount The Corporation has given n, site, and has expended the total sum of .£GOSI 0i on the building which we are about to open. The library being now established, gifts of books, and no doubt further gifts of money from its wellwishers, may be expected. The sum of .£2250 has been allocated by tho City Council for tho purchase of books for a reference library. A Library Committee was appointed by tho Council from amongst persons of literary and scientific knowled"e I including some members of tho council itsel i Though I was Chairman of that committee, I may be permitted to express my belief that it did its work admirably well. I s.peak freely of it, for my part in it was practically nothing. Amongst our number were many well-read men and some experts in the businesses of librarian and bookseller. The services of our Secretary, Mr. Paradise, have been deservedly noticed in tho report which I had the hononr of presenting to tho counoil. The committee met no leas than 41 times, and the amount of work done will bo appreciated by anyone who will inspect the minute-book, and the list of books ordered comprising 8000 volumes. Two ladies were members of tho committee, and were amongst the most constant and zealous attendants at its sittings. These ladios are not I may say in passing-, responsible for the appearance of all tho books which will bo found on our shelves. I anticipate' a criticism which may be passed upon the nucleus of a library which wo havo provided. When the list of books ordered is inspected it may be objected that wo have been catering for the few rather than for the many A large numbor of the books will be opened only by scholars. This, however, is, necessarily involved in the instruction which we received to selcot books tor a reference library. Nor is it the fact that in providing for the few we havo forgotten the many. We hear far too much in the ft e days ot the distinction between the classes aiid the masses. No real benefit can be given t<> one class of a community mind, I -p.-ak of real benefit— which is not a benefit to nil. in the present case wo havo to provide teaching for our teachers. What they <ret trom books they will distribute and popularise. This is what we must look to. And in this connection I may observe as a fnrtunato omen, that tho new WV.rl ing Men's Club is next neighbour to the library. "Wo J*« OO J lmon ? ss T t us onr John Burnses, Ben lilletts, and Koir Hardies. All must desire that those who enjoy tho political confidence ot the wage-earning class should have the

i'iii,...( ti|>i)oi ti)tli<"4 ol lo'iuiiii!? what Inis •in lli >ii«rht ti-'l sm > 1 (luiio in tho long i'_ r e-i to wh'ch \\w\ ,u !• th" heirs. In m' exiu'viuii. es ol (!io past wo ni.ty ill 1 urn pnliln'il v mldiii, ami be ,i\ed trom the i ('petition of experiments .' li'fh havo l>rovoil ilhi^lrniis to mir toiv■•imners : nor ih tliciv aii\ licili-r -cbool ol i'itiioti"in and philanthropy ilnui is hruMied l\\ tho literatim* ul grmt civili-ed States, ancient and modem lleie we may learn that politics maj I ' bumuthing loss u.i-,0 than tho sordid btrug.;lo between tho haves nnd have-nots— a struggle in which victory on either -.ide demoralises. Even i slight acquaintance with philosophical history will convince us that important modern questions aro olton dobated and lObotveil upon assumptions long discarded by iliinking men, often oven by those leaders whom in their ignoranoo tho superficial suppose thoy aro following. A good library, if it loach us nothing olse, ought to toach all of us tho much needed losson of intellectual humility. Lot some conceited pragmatist open a volumo of any largo encyolopiudia at a do/.on difforent places. It ho does not feel convinced of ignorance I should bo disposed to toll him that ho is ovon a greater tool than I thought him. Aud whilst wo learn personal humility wo may bo at tho ,iimo timo tilled with admiration and grati;udo at tho prodigious resources ot tho human mind. Forty centuries, Napoleon told his soldiers, wore looking down upon them from tho Pyramids. So from tho shelves of a great library tho centuries look down upon tho reader. Consider tho foico storod in tho long ranges of sholving, force stored thore as surely as sun-power is condensed in tho coal which drives our steamslrip round tho Horn. Consider tho toil those represent. Wo hear much said at the presont day in exaltation of labour. It is well, qnito well, but lot it bo recollected that tho hardost and most productive labour, even in a material sense, is not that of tho lumper or tho navvy. Watt, Arkwright, Stophenson, Brnnol, and a long list moro, aro doing on our railways and steamships, in our factories, and in the construction of our public works of all kinds, the work of millions of men. Is it an adequate account of tho oxocution of a great engineering work like tho Forth Bridge to speak _of lhat wonderful structure as tho creation of the artizans and labourers employed upon it ? Doos not everyone rightly speak of it rather as the work of Sir John Fowler and Sir .Benjamin llakorP Those groat engineers, again^ are indobted to men who have spent a litotimo in tho investigation by tixpcriment of the strength of materials, and in the mathematical tormulation ot tho results obtained. Behind them again, and on an even higher luvol, aro the grout scientific investigators of the laws of nature. The record of all this brain-work is stored in our libraries for the perpotual uio of mankind, and exalts tho species whilst it humbles tho individual. To mo I confess it seems tho hoight of folly for any man to launch out into the field of speculation, more especially if ho is inviting his i'cllow-men to immediate practical action, without some acquaint'ince with what has already boon thought, and what has been a 1 ready tried, in tho direction in which ho is u.oving. To such the satiro of the groat poot w horn we have just lost well applies :—: — Pur cvor.v worm beneath the moon Draws dittoreut t brands, uuil late or soon Toils. >i))iiiuii>p out bis own cocoon. The present time is emphatically a time of co.oon-spinuing by grubs unable to sco beyond the integument they are weaving for themselves. I rather anticipate that I shall b* thought by some to have beon taking too high a tone, aud magnifying over-much a petty event. After attacking self-c onceit, I I'ope I shall not be thought too conceited if I tell my mpposed ciitu- lhat I don't at all agree with him. The tone, I grant, may bo too high for tho performer, lhat I readily yrant, and only lament that the hurry nud distraction occasioned by other engagements have prevented me from doing justice to my themo. But I repeat that tho first move of tho civic authorities of Wellington in this direction is, for us hero at least, a considerable event. In insisting upon its importance thero is no sentimentalism. We have been occupj ing ourselves as a community (I epeak of this citj ) too exclusively with things which minister directly to umt< rial wants — and with mere amusements. A glance at onr papers will show anyone how tho ease stands. Some people call this practical wisdom. Ido not. The true practical man is he who regards the whole lot and destiny of humanity ; not ho who limits his view to the w ants and desires of the lower nature 1 do not wish unduly to magnify mero intellectual cultivation. Tho trade mark of a well-known publisher shows the ' Tree of Life " and " Tree pf Knowledge " growing side by side. A label connects them, with the legend " Arbor scienliw arbor vitae." I will not go so far as to affirm the identity of the two : but they are closely related. Thore is a sense in which '" education," call it if you will " evolution,' is the business of the universe and the purpose of its Maker. The Minister for Education (Hon. W. P. Reeves), in moving a vote of thanks to Mr. Justice Richmond, complimented his Honour on tho able address which he had just delivered, congratulated the citizens on having at length \\ iped away tho reproach that they did not possess a public library. The hon. gentleman went, on to say he had understood hia Honour to remark that next door to the Library was to be a Working Men's Club, and that ho saw in this a happy omen. He (Mr. Reeves) also perceived in it the same happy augury, aud he saw in it also a union of education and Xl our—perhaps a happier fpfin of that combination lhan any seen elsowhere. The Mayor also had just told him that the building stood on reclaimed land, and they must pardon him for seeing something specially appropriate in that, for just as the fife of the building had been wrested from the sea, so a library, with its treasures of learning, represented a solid standing ground roclaimad from the ocean of doubt, darkness, and ignorance. (Apphxuße.) Councillor Fraser, Chairman of tho Library Committee, in seconding the resolution, said he hoped that the public would assist in maintaining order and having the regulations obeyed. He added that ho had it on excellent anthority that there was now in Wellington the nucleus of the best library south of the Line. The resolution was then carried by acclamation, and tho Mayor then handed the silver key to Mr. Justice Richmond, with a request that he would use it to open tho front door of the Library. His Honour accepted the key, and an adjournmejnt was made to the entrance of tho institution. The door was duly unlocked by his Honour, who declared the institution open to the public. Cheers were given tor his Honour, for Mr. Levin, and the Mayor, and the proceedings terminated.