KAIAPOI LIBRARY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXII, Issue 15810, 28 December 1911, Page 3

KAIAPOI LIBRARY.

FOUNDATION STONE LAID BY

HON D. BUDDO

A CORONATION MEMORIAL.

It was decided by the people of Kaiapoi some time ago that the Coronation memorial of the town should take the form of a municipal public library. The Kaiapoi Mechanics’ Institute, which was established in the late sixties, has for many years conducted the only public library in the borough, and £he trustees of this institution agreed recently to hand over their property, including tho land and building and a library of books, to the Kaiapoi Borough Council, in view of the decision to erect a municipal library. The books will be utilised as the nucleus of the new library, and the other' property is expected to yield a sum which will go some way towards defraying the cost of the new venture. Yesterday the ceremony of laying the foundation stone was performed, in the presence of a large gathering of residents, by the Hon D. Buddo, Minister of Internal Affairs and member for Kaiapoi. Mr It. Wylie (Mayor of Kaiapoi), in' opening the proceedings, said that the erection of the library was a step forward. Four years ago Kaiapoi had awakened out of a condition of municipal. apathy, and raised loans for korbing and channelling the streets and for providing an acetylene gas supply. The new' library would prove a means of mental recreation to both young and old. . Tho thanks of the town were duo to the trustees of the Mechanics’. Institute foj handing over to the Borough Council its property, and the gift had made it practicable to proceed with the present work, and with the Government pound for pound subsidy up to £250, allowed on Coronation memorials, tho cost to the town would be very small. He urged the residents to take an interest in their town, and to be proud of its progress, instead of calling it “ Sleepy Hollow' ” and decrying it to those in other towns. If the residents and ratepayers desired their town to progress they could best assure it by doing their best to help every progressive movement.

Councillor Revell (chairman of tho Works Committee of the Kaiapoi Borough Council) stated that the dead wall space available in the circulating library room measured 38ft, and bookcases 12ft high would give sufficient accommodation for books for some years to come. There was also sufficient space in the centre of the room to allow of the erection of some more shelves when necessary. The Hon D. Buddo, before laying the stone, referred to the early struggles of the Kaiapoi Mechanics’ Institute, and said that, while he was not sure whether or not the Institute was subsidised bv tho Government, he knew that the Rangiora Institute, formed a few years later, was subsidised, and it was therefore reasonable to suppose that the Kaiapoi Institute had a subsidy. There was no more useful work from an educational point of view than the subsidisation of libraries. Although the youth of the country were given a good primary education in the State schools of the dominion, a good library would, always be not only of value in improving general knowledge, but a means of making acquaintance with the treasures of English literature. The present building was right in the centre of the town, and occupied a site which it was only fit they should apply to municipal purposes. He was also pleased with the design adopted, and believed the library would be not only a useful, but an ornamental adjunct to the town. The venture of tho Borough Council must receive the support of tho citizens, and it. could not but prosper. The history of Kaiapoi had yet to be written, but the erection of Hie library might lead some of the older members of the. community to make contributions of great historical value, not alone of Kaiapoi, but, say, of “Old Mandeville,’’ the district which formerly embraced both Kaiapoi and Rangiora. There were many historical records in the homes of old residents at present which might not be so carefully cherished when the older generation passed away. If these records could be collected and stored in the library, the result would bo of great future interest and value to the district. He would like to see tho older folk taking interest in the work of the Selection Committee of the new library. The Selection Committee would have a very onerous task at times, and it would need assistance and encouragement.

Tho Mayor presented Mr Buddo with a silver trowel, suitably inscribed, as a memento of tho occasion, and asked him to lay the foundation stone. Mr Buddo, having returned thanks for the pcift-, proceeded to lay the stone, first placing beneath it copies of the Christchurch “Press,”" “Lyttelton Times’.’ and “Kaiapoi Record,” together with a George Y. sovereign. He then declared the stone well and truly laid. Cheers for the library, for the trustees of the Mechanics’ Institute and for the Hon D. Buddo concluded tho pro j ceedings. The architect of the new building is Mr F. J. Garnett, and the builder Mr A. Pearce.