THE FREE LIBRARY, THE ATHENZEUM, AND THE ART GALLERY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12541, 20 December 1902, Page 2

THE FREE LIBRARY, THE ATHENZEUM, AND THE ART GALLERY.

(CONTEIBCTRD,) I lit, '. I 'An per promise, I now supply >a few figures in order to complete the case for my "scheme." Trie -rateable value of Duncdin is (in round-figures) £270,000, and of the sevensuburban boroughs—North-East Valley, Maori Hill,' Roslyn, Mornuigton, Caversham, St. Kildn, and South Dunedin— £150,000. A. penny rate would. produce in Dunedin over £1100, and in the suburbs £625. The Athenteum is ran at an average • yearly; cost of £1100. The combined in r stitutions, upon the plan I have outlined, would involve an annual expense of: ' Present cost of Athenaum ~ .. £1100 '0 .0 Additional salariss 300 0 0 YenrW tdditions of books to Free : ' " " " ■ Library .. ~ 150 0 0 Contingencies—extra gas and so on 50 0 0- . Total .. ■.;,..., fIGOO O'O I think'l have provided for everything, and that this amount would be'ample. Now, how is it to be raised? ' j As shown above, a_ penny rate in clty .and suburbs woul'd furnish £1725: mote than enough. But there is no occasion fpr o penny rate; for a - halfpenny rate would do-'quite'well, and surely this compara-j tively trifling impost would be cheerfully borne. It wjll bo remembered that I propose to retain the lending 'library, with the proviso that a certain portion of the books at present in the Athenaeum be placed on the shelves of the free library. The extent of such portion could be left for arrangement. At present there are nearly a 'thousand-members of the Athensunvwho : pay, on an average, something over a pound each per year. It is reasonable to expect that, were the subscription to be reduced one-half, there would be a considerable increase in the number of members. In Christchureh, where there is a, lending branch attached to 'the Free Library, and where the subscription is 10s a year, there are 2000 members. One would think that Dunedin would be likely to furnish quite as many at that price. But let us put the number at. 1500, at 10s a year. Then the income would be Subscriptions .. £750 0 0 Half-penny rate (£BO2 10j, but 3ay) 850 0 0 £1000 0 0 'And this result is achieved after the expenses have been rather over-estimated and ,the income under-estimated, for it mav be noted that nothing has been calculated upon for rent of thß cellarage, which will be very extensive, and will, no doubt,' constitute an asset of increasing value. In the first rough draft of the scheme I. suggested that wealthy citizens might be induced to supplement the sum now lying at the credit of the Public Library Association iintil it reached £5000, part of which could be expended in furnishing the . public library with books, and part be invested as an endowment, /he editor of the times, seeming to think that such expectation- would never be realised, I undertook to show how such aid could be done without. I have so shown abovethat is to say, as far as the building and up-keep of the combined institutions are concerned. AVhat would still be needed, however, is a sum of money with- which to purchase a, number of books to add to those that could be spared from the existing library. Nov.-, through the surrender by the 'Athenieum subscribers of their property, ithere would be—to show for Mr Carnegie's £10,000: '".".. .Original buildings ..'-...,.. £4000 0 0 . Becont additions (not quite com- • .'■- pleted) .., ~ ... ... .. .. 2000 0 0 New front, etc.. M M „ », »,; 5000 0 0 411,000 00 Deduct from old front, to be removed 1000 0 0 '- £10,000 0 0 This does not take into account the value of the land, which is. of course,' also to be,handed over by the Athenteum subscribers, along with the buildings, books, . furniture, etc. '

Thus Mr Carnegie's stipulation for a £10,000 building and a site having been complied'with, there would be an available balance of £2000 for books, as thus: New front/etc £5000 0 0 Discharging mortgage ' 3000 0 0 Available balance ~ „ •«„ .. 2000 0 0

£10,000 0 0 —and ; the combined institution would" befully equipped. It must not be lost sight of that, after all, perhaps, the most popular feature in the proposed institution would be the reading room; of such noble proportions, stocked -with a wealth of periodical literature of all kinds. It would be far and away the best room of the, kind, in all respects. •in the colony. '

At the close of the first article I ventured to challenge the production of any "difficulties'" in the way of carrying out the scheme. I think I may say that such challenge was but weakly taken up, and I now state myself the only difficulties that I think could exist. They are:—

1. Mr Carnegie's possible objection.} 2. TkVpossible refusal of the subscribers of the Athenaeum to agree. 3. ,'l'he suggested inferiority of the nseum site to some.other.

Should there be any other " difficulties" I shall- be glad to know them. Meantime, I will conclude that the above are all that are worth consideration.

As to difficulty No. 2, I believe it will be,found that when subscribers thoroughly realise the advantages that would accrue to the public generally, and to themselves individually, there will be no serious opposition at-"all, but that they will cheerfully do what Mr E. Pavitt tells us the Christchurch Mechanics' Institute members did years agone.

Difficulty No.' 3 is the site question. Now. where is there a tetter site to he found in all the city? It may be. safely said that Dunedin will not tolerate the suggestion of cramming its public .library, behind the Town Hall. A site'af the cor-

ner of. Manse and High streets—the property of the city—has been spoken of, but it is out'of the way. and too small besides, and, baying proportionately a large amount of frontage, can he used to better money advantage by leasing. Now, I would ask. Where is there any site approaching in centrality and- general suitability the Athenaeum site? Lastly, I come back to difficulty No. 1— the only one of real moment. Should the matter, however, be put fairly and squarely before Mr Carnegie: let liim -be shown that it is proposed to erect a noble and beautiful front in the very best position in the whole city, and that the completed building will be perfectly minuted to its purpose, depend upon it he will not stand in the way. Did he not say in a. speech the other' day that he had had an application from a library from New Zealand, which he,, of coi/iss, at once granted? I admit at once that were Mr Carnegie to declare that there must be no paying lending branch it would put an end to the scheme; but is there any likelihood of this? I do not know that it is needM to add more, unless it be this: I have written anonymously, but life veil of anonymity is * hut thiu, and I could not object to' its becoming more diaphanous, or even to its removal altogether, should anyone . feel sufficient curiosity on the subject to desirethis. ' Ahab.