PUBLIC MEETING AT KABORI.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume XII, Issue 1288, 5 December 1857, Page 3

PUBLIC MEETING AT KABORI.

A numerously attended public meeting was held. in the School House, Karori, on Monday evening, the 16th November, for the purpose of establishing a Library in that district. Mr. J. B. Reading having been called to flic chair, briefly explained the object for which they had met, and read the following letter :—

Gentlemen, —The sum of having been awarded as payment to me, for my services in the last Provincial Council, as your Representative, and feeling that I have no right to the personal appropriation of that sum, but claiming the right of applying it for the benefit of some public Institution connected with the District ; and having observed the attention given to the expression of opinion by the candidates at the last elections, and the evident desire to acquire information by the young men of Karori, I have thought it right on my part, now that the contest is ended, to place the above sum in your hands, fur the purchase of works on Political economy, and other kindred subjects, containing informat on and amusement, to be placed in your School Library, and to be open to the young men of your district, under such regulations as vou inav establish. ' J The free Constitution under which we live, can onlv be upheld in its integrity, by the education of the voters in the principles contained in it, and to the right application of them to the wants of the country; and as freedom cannot exist in the mind that is enslaved, either by ignorance or prejudice, the removal of those obstacles must be beneficial, and therefore a proper subject to be advanced. As the sum before alluded to is but small, in comparison to the importance of the object to be acquired I am induced to add to it a further sum of .£lO, as my contribution to the means to be applied for so desirable a purpose. Gentlemen, your acceptance of the above proposal will be gratifying to me, and with the hope that it maybe the means of good to the District, by adding to the neucleus of a public Library. I remain, Gentlemen, Your obedient servant, (Signed) C.W. Schultze. Messrs. Spires and Reading, and the other Trustees of the Karori School. Mr. Schultze’s letter having been read, a resolution was unanimously adopted, gratefully acknowledging the receipt of the very liberal donation of £2O, and also expressive of the warmest appreciation of that gentleman’s very praiseworthy desire to promote tho intellectual acquirements of the young men of tho district. A letter from John Johnston, Esq., was then put in by Mr. E. Standen, containing a further donation of £lO, and the Chairman informed the meeting that another gentleman in town had also promised a donation of £lO, but who desired that his name should not be made known. A resolution was then passed, conveying the unfeigned thanks of the meeting for those additional very handsome donations. Some of tho settlers briefly addressed the meeting, urging the desirability of uniting heart and hand for the furtherance of an object so well calculated to promote the interests of the settlers generally, as it would not only afford facilities for tho acquisition of intellectual attainments for the “young mon of tho district," but must through them, if duly appreciated, become a medium of useful and entertaining amusement to every member of their respective connections, whether parent, sister, sweetheart, or wife ; one great advantage of a Public Library being, that some portion of its contents will be sure to insinuate its way to the remotest corner of its vicinity, and consequently must become a source of useful and entertaining recreation for every domestic circle throughout tho district. A committee for carrying out the object was then appointed, and an intimation being given that other gentlemen had promised to donate for the furtherance of the good work, a subscription list was opened, when the meeting adjourned till Wednesday, the 25th, to report progress, all present promising to exert themselves to promote the interests of the “Karori and Makara District Library.”