HOCKEN COLLECTION.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 859, 4 July 1910, Page 9

HOCKEN COLLECTION.

GOVERNMENT ASKED FOR A GRANT. A deputation of members of Parliament waited on the Prime Minister on .Saturday to urge tile advisability of the Government giving a grant of money to maintain ttu> JioiSoii collection of books and records relatin;; to the early history of the Dominion. Mr. Arnold stated that if .CGOOI) were raised its interest would suffice to nay the salary of a librarian anil ailil any new discoveries .hut might bo niinlo from time to time. It was therefore decided to ask the- Government for a £ for .£ subsidy on public subscriptions up to JI'MMfP. The deputation emphasised the fact that Mr. Ifockou'd yift was lo the Dominion, and not merely to Duni'din, and surtfosl'ecl if Ih'j collection had been located in Wellington tlio Government would probably luno borne the whole cost of its housing and iatiinlenouee. Sir Josapli AVard (in reply) said li<> would be very glad to have tlio l-eoue*!; considered at an early meeting of Cabmet, lie fullv recognised tlio good work that ]><. Jioci.-c-n hail ilnfii. iiiui -11..0 1.1.t great liberality he liad displayed in making such a valuable gift, lie was only too glad to know that the people of Duncilln wore prepared to recognise such a good work. ITe did not know whether it wai in the will that the gift was to continue in the charg'o of the university. Personally he thought it; would bo better if it were in the public library. (Hear, hear.) It was a most, valuable collection, and if it were to be iimited to a section of the community it would make if more, difficult for the Government to respond t« th; wishes of the depulalioi., Uiougli !ie did not think that would stand in '.he way altogether. It might, however, r !tise Hie question whether other universities from time to iime might not ask for contributions towards the maintenance r.f their staffs; because, when it was inmmed up, that was what it meant, '(.'he Government, had already given ,C281!I towards the building in which the collection was housed, so they had acted in a reasonable way so far. (Hoar, hear.) The gift would be more valuable in a public library. The Hon. Mr. Sinclair: It is quite open,, sir. Sir .Joseph' Ward: It would be easier to justify a grant from a Government point of view if the collection were in ft public library that was ''already equipped with a'staff, as. in this case the amount of money required would not be so great. My own sympathies are with the movement. When n man does such a public act as Dr. Hocken has done it is worthy of the most kindly consideration of the Government of the day to nreservn from loss the valuable works and records that ho has left'.