ASSEMBLY LIBRARY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1221, 1 September 1911, Page 4

ASSEMBLY LIBRARY.

RECESS PRIVILEGES. ISSUE OF FICTION TO CEASE. "I feel it my duty," fays tho Parliamentary Librarian (Jlr. C. Wilson) in his annual report, "to point out that tho abnormal proportions to which tho recess-privilege list has now attained aro such as to seriously interfere with and militate against the conduct of tilio library as a Parliamentary Library. Tho existing system, miles.-; amended, threatens to' seriously affect tho value of tho institution to tlwso for whose use it is primarily Intended—namely, Parliament telf. A. careful analysis of the classes of bcoks issued shows that 15 to 21) per cent, of tho volumes are fiction. No current fiction, is issued, 110 new novels, but only such classi'i liction as the works of Scott, Thackeray, Dickens, l)umas, Balzac, Lever, Trolkipc, George Eliot, Marryat, tho Brontes, and a few other writers. It is, I think, an open question, whether any fiction at all should bo issued to recess-privilege holders. 'Hie works of all tho authors named can bo obtained from other libraries 111 Wellington and wcro fiction of any kind tabooed to tho recessprivilege holders tho result would bs a sensible diminution of tho clerical work involved in tho registering, lcdgering, 'carding,' and other work connected w:.t!i its circulation. Quite a number of porsons to whom t lie recess privilege has been granted have never taken out a. single book in any other than the fictiou class." The librarian adds that if tho' system continues unchanged additional assistance would be necessary. So far. as ho is aware, in 110 other Legislative library in tho world are Itooks of taiy kind lent out to nou-mcmbers. In cortaiu Parliament libraries, and under very restrictive conditions, bcoks may bo consulted by'tlw public, but that is all. Jlo has no serious complaint to make as to tho condition in which the books borrowed by tho rcccss-privil'tge holders are returned, but tho wear and tear is lucessarily great. He stales that in no previous".Library year" has the number of rc-cess-privilvge holders been so gr-eai. Tho total liumber for the year was 799, and tho number of books issued to ncnmembers was 110 fewer than 10,429. The chairman of the Joint Library Committee (Mr. W. Eraser), in presenting tks report to tho lloums yesterday, said tho committee had resolved that no fictiou should bo issued to recess-privilege holders. 110 did not himself favour this proposal, but, as chairman, submitted it to tho House. Mr. G, M, Thomson (Dunedin North), supporting tho committee's resolution, submitted a calculation to show that tho entering of the issues of fiction to tho recess-privilege holders meant 15 days' work tor one assistant, at ono minuto pca> entry, Mr. J. P. Luke (Wellington Suburbs) opposed the motion. . 110 never read fiction himself, but lie believed many people lind it a valuable mental rest. Mr. G. l W. Kusscll: Don't you think that as you don't read fiction yourself nobody else ought to be allowed to? Mr. Luke: No. I'm not au out-and-out prohibitionist in literature. "Tho other day," began Mr. J. Hanan (Invercargill), "1 rouember reading an excellent article in The Dominion." Ministerialists cried "What! What!" and Mr. Fisher clapped. Mr. Hanan said tho article was 011 "Tho Blight of Parochialism." Ho proceeded to ascribe parochialism to Mr. Luke, and to speak in support of the committee's action as being in the interest of economy and in the interest of members. It was wrong to extend library privileges to outsiders in Wellingtou ana withhold them fro 11 ex-members of Parliament.

Mr. G. W. Russell 'Avon) complained of Wellington people being too mean to pay the ss. subscription to the Municipal Library and got fiction there. Tho Han. G. I'owlds (Minister for Education) conlendcd that it was not a function of Parliament to provido fiction for tlio people of Wellington and compcto "with the Public Library. So long as this was dono there would be no time for tho assistants to catalogue tlio laigo accumulation of pamphlets. Tho library should be developed into a great national library, containing all books and pamphlets published in, or relating to, New Zealand. Mr. F. M. B. Fi«ncr (Wellington Central) said he had been a member of tho committeo for several years and had moved against tho issuo of fiction to recess privilege holders, when nobody would support him. It was unfair to the Municipal Library and the local booksellers. The difficulties of the committee would )x» minimised if the'members of the llouso would take that care of library propoity which they expected other people to take. There had bcon instauces of members bringing visitors to tho library, letting them take books, and telling them to leave them in tho train and the railway officers would send them back. Members had cut newspaper files and mado indeliblo marks in books, Mr. Brown: They ought to )» reported, Mr. Fraser: It has been reported repeatedly. Mr. Brown: Something ought to bo dono to them.

Mt. D. M'Larcn (Wellington East) spoke agai'ist the restriction cf tho privileges, aud advocated tlio further assistance by the Stato to libraries for children.

After other members had spoken tlio House agreed to recommend the Govern-' ment to givo effect to tho resolution of the committee.