HAMILTON LIBRARY.

Waikato Times, Volume 105, Issue 17713, 17 May 1929, Page 9

HAMILTON LIBRARY.

SUBSCRIBERS’ MEETING. NEED FOR MUSEUM STRESSED. PROVIDING FOR THE FUTURE. The annual meeting of the Hamilton Library Committee was held last evening, the Alavor (Air J. R. Fow) presiding. The report for the year (published in the Waikato Times recently) was adopted. The financial statement showed that the balance at April I, 1928, was £93 19s 7d. Subscriptions amounted to £670 14s Gd, extra books £126 16s 9d, and subsidy £GOO, making a total of £1491 10s lod. On the expenditure side £474 18s 7d xvas spent on books and £lO9 on papers and magazines. There was a credit balance of £272 5s 2d at Alarcli 31, 1929. Air Boneham explained that more books would be purchased with the credit balance.

Mr E. G. Johnson said the committee did not wish to spend 100 much, owing to the impending alterations to the interior of the building.

Messrs E. Boneham, 11. Alcrcer and Sinclair were reappointed people’s representatives on the committee.

In moving that Mr Johnson be ap‘ll ' pointed chairman the Mayor (Mr J. R. Few) said Mr Johnson had taken over ul , the reins after Mr E. C. Day left for i England. Although it had been agreed 10 that, only a council representative be rc chairman it was felt that Mr Johnson r- would be more suitable owing to his hi j enthusiasm. re j Mr Johnson was described as the ol | backbone of the institution by Mr B. ;h ; C. Lowry. is j The motion appointing Mr Johnson ts ' chairman was carried unanimously. I= Increasing Stock of Books. In reply Air Johnson said he xvas y' proud of the position to which he had 1 j been appointed. He hoped to have | time ami opportunity lo continue his ; work in connection with the selection ;of hooks. It had been his ambition lo j make the library, if not one of the best, ; one of tlic best balanced libraries in I tiie Dominion. Regarding the future, _ : Mr Johnson said it was recognised ( j-: that arrangements wouid have to be i made l'or the increasing stock of books i—a matter which had been giving the , j committee some concern. A good 1 j scheme had been evolved, but it would ! 1 \ not serve for very long, as Ihe town | | was growing. The time would come j 0 | when another building would he im- i " ! perative. If a new town hall were j built lie hoped consideration would he c ! given to the need for a new library o j and possibly a museum. - j “The library is a standing advertiseo ! menl to the town,” added Mr Johnson. - j “Many visitors judge a town and its i j people by the state of the library, ;uid f! I feel our institution has been greatly j j appreciated.” (Applause.) , | Historic Relies Available. Mr H. Mercer said when the building I was enlarged lie suggested the proi vision of a separate room as a museum, j There must be many historic and vaiu- | able articles that could he housed. He also expressed the hope that a j museum would be provided in any building scheme. There must be many j relics in private homes, some from the , j Maori war, where residents would he ’ ! glad to present them. Art must also i he considered, as Hamilton was an im- | portant centre. Just as-the Beautifying Society was aiding nature in I making Hamilton one of the most beautiful towns in New Zealand, so the J authorities should make Hamilton a j nucleus of art. In the past the aesthetic side had been somewhat neglected. i The .Mayor stated that he had been offered a collection worth £2OO, but j there bad been nowhere to display it. fi These articles were now probably lost I lo Hamilton. Nobody begrudged relics f going to tile Auckland Museum when t Hamilton had no museum. However, | during the past few years the com- | munity had been under a cloud, and | their ideas, however advanced they ft might have been, had to be modified. | He looked forward to the time when | these other schemes would he as far £ advanced as the library. Comments of Visitors. “1 have beard nothing but praise concerning our library,” he continued. “The reading-room, especially, has been favourably commented upon. II is so light, roomy, and airy. Hamilton people are fortunate in having so many enthusiasts whose one aim has been to , enlarge and increase the importance and scope of (lie library.” j lie would publicly thank the com- j mittee and all helpers who had recognised that the library, like the school and the pulpit, was a great education and asset to the town. The names of Messrs Aitkcn, Rawson and Worsley would, never be forgotten, and there were many others whose devotion had brought the library to wiiat it now was." '

The Mayor paid a warm tribute to Miss Manning, the librarian, and to the staff, whose courtesy and attention in ! meeting the public when they wanted j guidance had been greatly appreciated, i Mr J. Reid asked if it were not posj sible for some of Hamilton’s relics to { be retained temporarily in Auckland. • Mr Fow replied that arrangements ! for this could probably be made. | Mr .Johnson instanced one collector j in Hamilton who had some line Chinese j antiques, and he knew the museum j authorities in Auckland had been [ making overtures for them. The I sooner there was a museum the more antiques and curios would be retained in Hamilton. The meeting closed with the usual votes of thanks. I