Books for Bushmen.

Taranaki Herald, Volume L, Issue 12280, 12 June 1903, Page 7

Books for Bushmen.

To ihe f Editor. ' Sir, — In making our .annual summary or report, we have to ask for the indulgence which is so often claimed and granted for an unavoidable repetition. It is merely a' record in the form of a. letter' giving the history of the sucess of a beneficent institution which has growriup' amongst us— a .statement frhieh we make' chiefly' s for Hfte *inf (frnia^tton* of^readers, v new" arrivals and others, -who haye not yet made the acquaintance of "Books for Bushmen," and. also in a measure . to express thanks to* those who have contributed to the success. The" cpnsiant leader who knows all . about it, will therefore, if ,he is wise, skip and pas's on. It was & fcaranaki lady's idea to start a gift library of old books, magazines, &c.j for bushmen and bush settlers on the lines of the work of one branch of the Royal National Mission to Deep Sea Irishmen^ the Secre.tary of which receives from the pub*lic, r^ in response to his appeal, old books, magazines, &c, seT often so mucii lumber, in many houses, ties them in suitable. , sized bundles, and sends on board the fishing boats with ■only; one condition that 'when read the books are to be passed on to other t boats. The idea was nursed by a few ladies who were in sympathy with the proposal, a few letters appeared itt the Herald and you, Sir,, generously consented to allow your office (pending permanent establishment of a central depot) to be made use of as a receiving! centre. The public handsomely responded; old school prize books, &c, some of which would not have been parted with, for any less worthy object, were contributed by the hundred, local secretaries offered their services, a gummed label was attached to the books, "Please read and pass on,'! country, stores, p^ck horses, coaches, and coastal^ steamers contributed by distributing 1 the books free , or charge, and the thing was done. ' The uninterrupted progress and success has been far and away beyond . the highest dreams of the originators; oVer 12,000 books irrespective" of magazines and pafijphletfc. have;' been disr tributed in a iHtle oyef'f ftty years, in the bush districts oNTatfenaki and be- , yond the boundary of the old provide--ial district. Books have been receiv-ed-chiefly from; local sources, but odd lots have come from friends -in ' London, Dublin, and other parts of the Old Country, and some have been given by tourist*. In c. retrospect of, What h«s been/achieved, it is worthy, Oi!»©&VtoM oft 4 Hfipo, ol the origin* 6tws» In diatriNtUig good ami us**

ful literature, was to give a nasty knock to the "penny .dreadful," so much in' evidence everywhere. Has this been/ done? .Perhaps < it v would.be too bold to say, yes, out-; right, but we can say, that a 'kind of census has been taken pi what books and sjdris, - are mostly enquired forj the Review of Reviews stands .at the head of the list, next * is the Windsor Magazine, w and the usual English standard magazines. E However much the promoter " could have wished it, it seemed too much td t look forward to" a .time when the; scheme, should develop into a library^ where books -should be returnable af^ ter being a' certain time out, and so this point was left to local secretaries and it is due to ''Mr Peach, of .Ingle-, wood, to have scored in that direction. 'He always ■ expects, when possibljkconvenient; that books be return^ ed to hW when done with. His sue-} Cess is most satisfactory considering' that he does not make, it a hard and' fast rule:. * > In patting our«elves on the back- (a thing the ordinary Britisher is fond of dojng)} we doVnot 'forget thjat ift-. is owing to you, Sir, "and 'the work ofthe Herald Office, that "Books for Bushmen" is the unqualified success it stands to-day. The use of your of-: fice which was only granted ,pro tern, has run from a few. days to nearlyhalf a dozen years, your -time, and indeed the work of the office has beeni given most ungrudgingly, and in addition to all this you, have defrayed j incidental expenses to such, an extent that we have .never had to, ask the public for c anything but old books. The original .promoters have simplyhad to look on,' and rub their hands while an institution' has grown and' flourisihe'd, the influence, of | which cannot be estimated. Thete is also due the hest thanks we can express, to the lpc-al. secretaries, who have worked asa labour of love~ Miss Boothroyde, of Waitara, Mr, v Peach; of - Inglewood, MrsMcCfuggage, of Pohokura, Mrs H. J.; Day, Hawera, and Mr Hemingway. Stratford, and also to a number , of friends who have helped ta forward 1 oooks as a free gift ; and also our . thanks to the public who supplied the* books, and last, but decidedly, not the. 1 least item, we have to thank you for 1 the happy v name "Books for Bushmen."—l am, &c^ % ' . AN OLD BUSHMAN. ;