CRIBBING AT THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9091, 27 June 1888, Page 6

CRIBBING AT THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.

TO THE EDITOR.

Sir, The funny yarn about the librarian of the Free Library and myself in your issue of this morning is all wrong. The only interview that I have had with that gentleman took place so long ago that I cannot now fix the date. On that occasion, I regret to say, it was lie, not I, that had a complaint to make, and that complaint had nothing to do with "cribs." I did, however, take the opportunity of his having called on mo to ask him whether there was any truth in a statement that I had seen in, I think, your paper about boys going to the Library for cribs but his answer certainly did not make my eyes " almost start out of my head," and I do not for a moment believe that " the Librarian says" anything of the sort. Nor did I make any complaint, since I knew well that it was no part of Mr. Shillington's duty to look after my boys. I did, however, express wonder— wonder which I still feel—that the by-laws do not empower him to withhold from young persons works that are far more likely to be harmful to them than any number of "cribs" to the books read in schools. I will not trouble you with my views about "cribs suffice it to say that your funny man is all abroad about them. I do not quarrel with him for being funny—it is a disease which I fancy not even Canadian perfume and powder can thoroughly expel from the system of the unfortunate whom it has once attacked. But in composing his little fables he should try to avoid taking liberties with the names of living persons. The Balbus and Caius of our exorcise books are at his disposal.—l am, &c., June "20, 1888. C. F. Bourne. [We think Mr. Bourne has gone to unnecessary trouble in writing about such a trivial matter. The "funnyyarn" which is " all wrong" is the gist of a long conversation with tho librarian. That it is substantially accurate Mr. Bourne's own letter shows, for he admits asking the librarian about boys going to the library for " cribs."—Ed.