THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 23 January 1901, Page 4

THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.

(To tho Editor), Sin,—The remarks of the “ Australian ” regarding the “ dog in the manger ” policy of the Victorian postal authorities refusing to deliver New Zealand letters with only a penny stamp on them as published in last evening’s Stab, is a fair admission by that newspaper that New Zealand has been unfairly treated and rightly so, considering that the Australasian and other Victorian papers have been admitted and delivered by the

postal authorities in New Zealand without any demur with only a half-penny stamp on them [for a number of years, while New Zealand papers must have a penny stamp adhered to them on being posted to Victoria. \\ bother this is the fault of the New Zealand Government or Victoria I am not aware, but it is just about as unreasonable as the statement ..made by the Secretary of the Grey library Committee in reply to your very mild criticism on the management of that institution, viz: “ That the public have to be thankful to the subscribers (the 70) for many benefits.” He did not explain • what those benefits arc. Perhaps he means those unsightly boards—reminding us of the sandwich men—where poor old rheumatic West Coasters must stand on their legs if they wish to glance over the most interesting papers in the Public Beading Boom. Perusing those papers is out of the question for the old Coaster, it is hard enough for the young ones who have been on, their feet all day. The man who introduced those boards here must have graduated in the Midland Counties, where Hodge and Podge forty years' ago would accept any little favours from the “Lord of the Soil” at that time. Or does the Secretary mean as one of the benefits that the “ 70 push ” monopolise the Government and Borough subsidies, free Hansards, &e. The public of Greymouth are in a similar position on entering their library to a steerage passenger on board a ship. They must not go beyond a certain distance. They must not rub skirts with the mighty 70. Talking about rubbing skirts you seldom see a female in the public reading room. Is it any wonder ? No! They will not humble themselves to take up such a position, and they deserve credit for not doing so. If the few men who now patronise the reading room were to withdraw 'from it and have the matter

represented In the proper quarters there would soon be an end to the present monoply by the mighty 70 who the secretary states are so very dilatory in paying their subscriptions that the committee have to allow the librarian 5% to collect from them. I hope Mr. Editor

that you. will again take up this public grievance and have justice done to us before the cold weather sets in again, so that we can have the same privilege of spending a pleasant evening reading in our public reading room that exists in other places. The Secretary in his letter published in your paper mentioned Westport as one of those places where ho says there are double the number of subscribers with only half the population of Greymouth, and the cause of such being the case was made clear to your readers if not to the committee and their secretary by showing how the library was managed there so as to make it a public library for the benefit of the public, not for any particular class. Tradesman. 22nd January, 1901,