PARLIAMENTARY LIBRARY

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27, 2 February 1915, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY LIBRARY

TO TnR EDITOR. Sir,— -"Constant Reader" suggests "that for one evening a week, say from eight to nine, the above library should be kept open for the changing of books." This individual informs us that he is "cabined and confined to the abominable hours of office work, which curtail one's liberty from 9 a.m to 6 p.m." How dreadful! Surely he is allowed an hour "off" for lunch, in which tjme he could make the necessary change of books ; a penny tramfare each way would facilitate matters ; or, perhaps, he suggests that suitable reading-matter should be posted to his residence. That should meet his case. Does "Constant Reader" know that during the session tho members of the Parliamentary Library staff often work sixteen hours out of the twenty-four, and that during the recess their time is fully taken up in accessioning books, tracing loßt reading matter, culling damaged books, etc. As oae who worked, and worked hard, in this library, I can assure your correspondent that he had better leave well alone. He is enjoying a privilege, and why should he expect the members of this Btaff to lose their own time, which he himself by his own showing, objects to doing.-— I am, etc., E. M. DES LANDEB. Wellington, Ist February