BOOKS FOR BACK BLOCKS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19924, 18 April 1928, Page 7

BOOKS FOR BACK BLOCKS.

WAR MEMORIAL LIBRARY.

There was a good attendance of members at the annual meeting of the Mayoress' War Memorial Library League, held in the Town Hall last evening." The Mayoress, Mrs. W. C. Campbell, presided.

The financial statement presented by the hon.' treasurer, Mrs. Arroll, disclosed receipts totalling £329 18s llcl, in which was included the gift of £l5O from the Patriotic League aud £5 from the CivicLeague. A jumble sale brought in £36 lis 8d and a "bring and buy sale" £l7 4s 7d. The expenditure totalled £156 16s 3d. During the year 927 parcels of literature had been despatched by post to various destinations, 190 by rail, 228 by local delivery, 271 by boats, as well as 17 cases, making a total of 1616 parcels and 17 cases despatched at a cost of £24 19s 4d. In moving the adoption of the report the Mayoress congratulated the league upon its work ana said how much the donations from the Patrot'.c League and from the Civic League were appreciated. It was very gratifying to find the work meeting with such support, and she hoped that such donations would bo annual events. With an increasing number of appeals for literature from the back blocks it became necessary for the league to increase its income and to make the work better known so that more outside help in books and in money might bo received.

Reports were received from the various committees of the league, these including St. John Ambulance, the Civic League, the Philanthropic Committee, the Missions to Seamen, the Grammar Old Girls' Association, the Query Club, tho Young Women's Christian Association, the Women's Christian Temperance Union and those of special workers. In this latter class are the back blocks, mostly native, schools. These are supplied with story books, old school readers and illustrated papers, with books and magazines for the adults. These parcels have been regularly acknowledged and the teachers have expressed much gratitude. The Islands also come under this heading, and during tho year parcels have been sent to Niue, Norfolk, the Rardtongan Group, Vavau and islands under the Samoan Administration. Calendars, books and magazines have been sent to the hospital*at Niue, a parcel each to the European teachers for distribution on behalf of the league, toys for tho white children, and at Christmas time fully 1000 old, but renovated, Christmas cards. Each of the committees had a similarly good record of work, showing how Far-reaching the activities of the league have become and how wide a field it covers, not only geographicaly, but wide in the institutions and organisations that it reaches.

Since the inception of the league there have been issued to date: —18.390 hardbound books; 32,918 magazines; 2690 children's books; 428 school books; 1521 scrap books; 2333 miniature scrap books; 1124 calendars; 3247 good cards; 9090 old cards.

Following the adoption of the report and balance-sheet a discussion was held as to ways and means of making money for the furtherance of the work. It was decided to hold a garden fete at the end of next September and stalls were allotted so that members might get to work as soon as possible.