Ryall Tony: Rotorua Library Trust Fund Variation Bill — First Reading 
Ryall Tony: Rotorua Library Trust Fund Variation Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:632;Page:4017] 
Hon TONY RYALL (National—Bay of Plenty) 
: 
 The National Party in Opposition will be supporting the Rotorua Library Trust Fund Variation Bill. As was noted by the list MP for Hamilton and previous member for Hamilton East who has just spoken in the debate this is in respect of an endowment and the philanthropy of Elizabeth Ann Seddon-Johnson of Rotorua. Subsequently over the years this bill is to provide for the capital to be used for the extension and development of the Rotorua Public Library. 
I am probably one of a handful of members in this House who have visited the Rotorua Public Library. Probably those other members would be Mr Te Ururoa Flavell Mrs Chadwick and maybe one or two others. The thing that struck me the most when reading the bill when it was introduced was the generosity of the benefactor Elizabeth Ann Seddon-Johnson and I have been reflecting on the fact that in many of our communities today we do not see the level of private philanthropy in public amenities that we have seen previously. The library in Gisborne for example was donated by H B Williams. The Williams family from Gisborne of course have donated a large number of public amenities to the people of Gisborne and the East Coast area. If we go to other communities we can sometimes find significant public buildings and parks that have been donated by individuals. These days however we do not see that level of philanthropic investment. 
I suppose the closest we have seen in recent times to that level of philanthropy in public amenities is from the member for Tauranga Mr Bob Clarkson who built a stadium in Tauranga privately and is now offering it back to the people of Tauranga City at quite a substantial discount. I know that the people of that city and of the wider western bay—and indeed of the North Island—would appreciate that very very generous act. Mr Clarkson’s generosity is I think one of the very few projects of private philanthropy we have seen in this country for quite some time. 
So I reflect on the fact that the endowment of Elizabeth Ann Seddon-Johnson was made at a time when people did donate and build public amenities and Rotorua Public Library is certainly a case in point. These days people look towards trusts and ratepayers to build public amenities and I think we have to salute those individuals in the past who were so generous as to contribute those sorts of assets. 
Last week Mr Clarkson and I attended the opening of the Papamoa Public Library in my electorate of Papamoa where there has been a very significant investment of $6 million by the community. The rates bill was increased by 1 percent to pay for the library so the investment by ratepayers is very very significant. But what was clear both at that opening of the library in Papamoa and during my visit previously to the Rotorua Public Library was the very strong depth of feeling and commitment local communities have to their public libraries. Public libraries—in terms of availability of information access to information and the ability to work with others of a like mind—have changed so much since the time of that investment by Elizabeth Ann Seddon-Johnson all those years ago. Indeed when visiting the Papamoa Public Library I saw that it now has a widescreen television in a room where people can come in and watch Sky news from Australia about happenings around the world. It also has a number of community meeting rooms that enable people to use the library in a similar way. 
The vision the Rotorua District Council has for its public library is similar: it is to expand it and make it an asset for the future. That is why the library is seeking the ability to access the capital of the endowment which is about $300000. The National Party made some checks to make sure that this would not be controversial. There appeared to be very little controversy if any about it in Rotorua. There is a very keen commitment to get on and develop the library to improve the assets for that city for the 21st century.