motes ant) CJuerfes. PRIVACY OF MEETINGS OF LIBRARY COMMISSIONERS. Question. Would you kindly inform me at your earliest convenience if (i) ratepayers or (2) reporters have any right of admission to ordinary or special meetings of Library Commissioners? Answer. In my opinion neither ratepayers nor reporters have any right of admission to any meeting of Library Commissioners. CLOSING OF LIBRARY PREMISES. Question. The cost of putting up the library here has exceeded the amount (on hand for the purpose) by ,1,500. The Committee are now considering the best way to raise ,1,500 so as to clear the library of debt. A bazaar is spoken of, to be held in the library, but some of the Committee think that, under the Public Libraries Act, a charge could not be made for admittance. I shall feel grateful if you will (any time at your convenience) let me know if you think a charge could be made for admittance, say for three days, while a bazaar was being held in the library. Answer. The only way in which I think you could close the library against the public would be in pursuance of bye-laws made under section 22 of the Public Library (Scotland) Act, 1887. If in such bye-laws you have the power to close the building, then I cannot see what objection there would be to the holding of a bazaar in it, or the making of a charge for admis- sion. I cannot find any provision in the Scotch Act corresponding with section 12 (4) of the Public Libraries Act, 1892, which authorises the Library Authority to let any part of any building which is not at the time of such letting required for the purposes of the Act. The proposal is one in which there ought not to be any legal quibbles, and I should say you have the power to hold the bazaar for this reason, that if you did charge for admission, any action brought against the Committee would be unsuccessful, and it is, I should think and hope, a most improbable con- tingency that any such action would be brought, especially with the prospect that it would not be successful. You would not be making any charge for the use of the library. QUALIFICATION OF COMMISSIONERS. Question. A proper 1 y-qualified person, elected in June last as a Commissioner for Public Libraries for the ensuing three years, has since been struck off the register of London County Council voters by reason of changing his address. He still remains a ratepayer in respect of his business premises situate in the same parish as the library for which he was elected a Commissioner. Is he entitled to act as a Commissioner throughout the period for which he was elected ? Answer. Yes. So long as the Commissioner was a voter at the time of his appointment, and whether the appointment was made under section 5 (i) or section 6 (3) of the Public Libraries Act, 1892 (see note d., page 12
