Public Libraries.

Feilding Star, Volume IV, Issue 1144, 29 March 1910, Page 2

Public Libraries.

The other day a correspondenit wrote to the Star complaining of the lack of means in Feilding of occupying the spare time of the youth-"of the town. If we had a gymnasium (he wrote) there would not he so much loafing on the street corners. We have before pointed out that Feilding should have a gym., which would come in very useful for keeping our footballers in good condition, as well as providing a means for other young men to work off their surplus energy. Feilding is not peculiar in the absence of such a modern equipment. There are many other towns similarly lacking in this good tiling. And the intellectual, as well as- ittbe physical side of colonial spare time is also being neglected. We have our .public libraries, but they are not run as

popularly as they should be, not to mention how far short they come in (providing for the youth or those of older growth, of both sexes, who desire to pursue serious studies. Just now there is a conference of librarians being held in Dunedin —the first of its kind held in New Zealand, if not in Australasia —and this subject of the public need was brought up by the Chairman (Mr It. Gilkison), who said he would like to see the State take a more active interest in puolic libraries, and he hoped, uefore the I conference closed, that a resolution would be adopted urging Parliament to recognise its responsibilities in the direction of looking after the general provision of these most necessary means of education. Professor Laby, who was recently appointed to the staff' of Victoria. College, has also been expressing the views of the intellectuals. Professor Laby declares that the importance of the library as an adjunct of the university is altogether undor-estimatcd both by the governing authorities and by tho individual citizen who is occasionally moved to further the cause of education in some particular direction. His remarks, of course, apply only to the cities where the student is attending the University College; but whenever the Government or Parliament sits down to seriously consider the matter of public libraries, the country town must benefit from the result of then- deliberations. The sooner some progressive result is ■reached the better for tho future educational well-being of the New Zealandcr.