View report page

Appendix VI. to Annual Report.
Address by the £adp £langatlock
on the occasion of the Opening of the Passmore Edwards
North Cumberwell Public Library on May 18th, 190-3.
Ms. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen, —
When you paid me the compliment of inviting me to
take part in the proceedings of this day, I felt at once that
I should like to be here this evening, because I regarded your
invitation as one from friends to a friend, for we are
certainly not unknown to each other, for I have not forgotten
that you did me the honour of giving me the opportunity of
taking part in the interesting ceremony, two years ago, when I
had the privilege of laying the foundation stone of this building
together with that great and generous benefactor to mankind,
Mr. Passmore Edwards, by whose generosity this beautiful
Free Library has been erected.
Some of you may, perhaps, remember the storm of
thunder, lightning and rain we had during that ceremony, and
my quoting the old Scotch proverb (being Scotch myself) that
" What begins in rain, ends in sunshine." Now I feel this
proverb has proved true and that this building will bring
sunshine to the lives of the people who are shortly going to
make use of it.
I scarcely need to say how pleased I am to be here, and
I most heartily congratulate the inhabitants of this district on
the completion of this great and good work and of the
possession of a building that contains a Free Library, Baths
and Wash-houses, where rest and refreshment of the mind and
of the body, after toiling during the day, can be obtained, and
where their leisure time can be passed in comfort. I feel we
have to-day reached the crowning act of our aspiration and
ambition in the erection of these buildings, and I am very
pleased and thankful to know that so much has been