VALUABLE GIFT

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 198, 19 May 1936, Page 6

VALUABLE GIFT

Old New Zealand and British Official Papers Dominion Special Service. Auckland, May 18. A large aud valuable collection of old New Zealand aud British official pa.pers bearing on tlie early history of tlie Dominion has been donated to the library of the Auckland University College by the General Trust Board of the diocese of Auckland. Tn a letter received by the College Council, Professor Rutherford, professor of history at the college, said they included, inter alia, a number of British Parliamentary papers on New Zealand affairs between 1845 and 1865, some very i rly New Zealand papers of the ’forties, and a large collection of journals, votes, and proceedings and appendices to the journals and Parliamentary debates of the New Zealand general and provincial Parliaments. There were also copies of early New Zealand Government gazettes and Auckland provincial Government gazettes. “Complete sets of these are not at present available either In the college or in the city library,” wrote Professor Rutherford, “and as the material is quite indispensable to historical research work on New Zealand the acquisition is of very great importance, the more so as it is unlikely that we ourselves could contemplate the purchase of such material in tho near future.” Mr. G. G. Grant said the gift was an inspiration. It might eventually be possible to have a lectureship in New Zealand history.