HAWERA PUBLIC LIBRARY

Hawera Star, Volume LI, 2 October 1930, Page 8

HAWERA PUBLIC LIBRARY

INTER ESTING FEATURES

During the 52 years of the existence of the Hawera Public Library, many curious and interesting volumes have found a home on its shelves. Not the least interesting is a slim volume written by Florence Nightingale. in the ’fifties, under the title of “Notes on Nursing.” One novel, “Holmby House” (Melville), still bears tbe imprint of the “Armed Constabulary Library,” while the “Queen’s Regulations for tbe Army, 1868,” and “Artillery Exercises, 1873,” are also relics of interest.

Some of the oldest volumes in the library are to be found in the section devoted to fishing. “Salmonia, or Days of Fly Fishing,” a series of conversations composed by the author, one Davy, during a long and serious illness, was printed as long ago as 1829, while “Tbe British Angler’s Manual,” by F. C. Holland, is dated 1839. Other hooks under this classification are “Springtide, or the Angler and His Friends,” by John Yonge Akerman (1852). three by Cholmon-deley-Pennell, “The Angler Naturalist” '1863). “The Book of tbe Pike” (1865). and “The Modern Practical Angler” ,1870>, Prime’s “f go n-fish-ing” (1873), Capel’s “Trout Culture” (1877). and, of course, a cony of “Tbe Complete Angler” by Isaac Walton. More recent books on fishing are represented by “Tales of Fishes” and “Tales of an Angler’s FI Dorado,” both by Zone Grey. 1 There is a, copy of “Tobacco. its Historv and Associations,” by F. W. Fairholt (1859). and one of “Cats, and all about" Them,” by Harrison Weir. The .sections devoted to biography and historv and travel contain many books of great interest. A collection of essay" by various authors deserves move than Massing attention. The'New Zealand section is growing quietly but steadily, and the volumes are very much more consulted (ban they were, owing to an increasing demand for information relating (o"the history of our own country, and for details of the life and customs of the Maori. Tn regard to tbe latter, Flsdon Best’s two volumes. “Tbe Maori.” are invaluable, and have the advantage of being copiously indexed. Where a novel is much sought after, the demand is met to some extent hy seen ring several copies of the book, and where the demand warrants it, mnv sets of tile works of the popular writer are obtained. The works of J. M. Barrie (22 volumes). Bwlvard Kipling (26 volumes), and William Maeleorl Raino ClB volumes'), all recently obtained, have proved particularly popular. _____________