A Case Of Battered Culture

It would be interesting to know whether the sad dilapidation of the library of the well-found Union Company’s Islands liner Tofua is the result of the tropical climate, or of rough handling by passengers who do not like the books.

The books occupy a couple of large cases in the lounge of the liner— but their appearance and titles suggest that they have been recently removed from some second-hand shop in Surry Hills, Sydney. The bindings—which were not impressive in the first place—are mostly in a state of collapse, and an examination of the titles suggests that they

were more or less popular in grand father’s day.

However, all the indications are that travellers of the present time do not care much for books, any way—so presumably the Tofua’s library is arranged simply so that the directors of the Union (SS) Co. may not be charged with complete lack of culture, The same applies to all Islands ships, of course. A small cupboard of battered books constitutes the library on BP ships. We remember when libraries were bigger, and when BP ships carried real, live musicians, for passengers’ entertainment.