TARANAKI BACKBLOCKS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 44, 6 October 1911, Page 4

TARANAKI BACKBLOCKS.

LIBRARY AND RECREATION ROOAI. About a year ago the Home Missioner for the Taranaki district (Mr Cruikshank) made an appeal in Auckland for a library, and recreation room of some kind for the men on the railway works of the Stratford-Ongarue formations. Mr Cruickshank was then transferred to AVanganui. But his successor, taking up the suggestion, approached his men as to the need of such a room, and if it was required, the ways and means of obtaining it. It was agreed that the men should contribute themselves, and the Home Missioner promised to get support from outside. This was done so that the men /have now contributed twelve pounds, which is about one-third of tho amount collected for the object. As tho men are spread along the line, and continually moving on, it is thought better to have, say, three small reading rooms placed at intervals along the works rather than one largo room at any given centre. The first of these rooms w’as opened last Friday afternoon, on the Mangeoo Road, some two miles from Whangamomona. The room is ten feet by twenty, seven foot six stud, open to the rafters without ceiling, wooden ✓

walls, and corrugated iron roof; there is a front door and two windows on the front, and back-door opening into a porch. The room has a fireplace at one end, and bookshelves at the other, a Lift table, and two forms. The room was opened with -150 books, a good supply of illustrated papers, besides games of chess, draughts, and cards. Mr Robertson has kindly accepted the position * of. librarian; , He. willpbo $ great help to the usefulness of the scheme. The present room, with fittings, has cost, about twenty pounds, which does not leave sufficient in hand for the second room. If, therefore, anybody desires to assist, the scheme, the Home Missioner, Inglewood, would be glad to receive contributions in money, books, or papers .