FREE LIBRARY PROPOSAL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25514, 19 April 1944, Page 7

FREE LIBRARY PROPOSAL

USE OF ATHEN/EUM BUILDING NO OPPOSITION FROM MOTORISTS During a discussion on the question of the establishment of a free municipal library in Oamaru, the executive of the Ncrih Otago Automobile Association on Monday night made it quite clear that, if the proposal for motorists’ headquarters in the Athenaeum building interfered with the library proposal, the executive would not proceed further in the matter. Mr I. Dalmer (president) said that a deputation had waited on the Oamaru Borough Council urging that a free municipal library be established in Oamaru, and that the council had asked delegates of the Automobile Association to attend a meeting in the Council Chambers on Thursday night. The decision arrived at by that meeting might have an important bearing on t.he leasing by the association of portion of the Athenaeum building. Plans and specifications for the proposed alternations tc- the building had been prepared by the architect (Mr Steenson), and an application, supported by the Athenaeum Committee, had been made to the Building Controller. The controller bad replied that, as only a small quantity of building material was required, he was prepared to give permission for the v'ork. In view' of the meeting with the council, it was a question whether they should hold the proposal over or decide to go ahead on certain lines. Mr D. H. Thomson suggested they should go ahead with the proposal in the meantime, and stated that he was not opposed in anv wav to the library proposal. Mr J. H. Main said that if it was stated at the conference that a free library was to be an accomplished fact, and the association’s proposal for headquarters would interfere with that plan, then the association should not proceed further in the matter. He moved a motion accordingly. Mr G. A. Cartwright, who seconded the motion, said it would be ‘ a retrograde step to oppose the establishment of an up-to-date free library in Oamaru. Messrs D. L. Patterson and H. M. Barclay expressed the opinion that t.m Athenaeum building was not suitable tor a modern library, and that a new building would be required. It was pointed out that Mr L. J. K. Familton’s idea was Cor a library to be attached to the Centennial building. Mr Thomson moved as an amendment that, the delegates to the meeting be given a free hand. Mr Patterson seconded the amendment. The amendment, was lost on the deliberative vote of the chairman, and the motion w'as carried. Messrs Dalmer, Thomson, and Genic were appointed delegates to the meeting, and it was decided to hold a special meeting of the executive on Monday to consider the delegates’ report.