THE HOCKEN LIBRARY.

Evening Star, Issue 15188, 20 May 1913, Page 3

THE HOCKEN LIBRARY.

MEETING OF SUBSCRIBERS. TRUSTEES’ FINAL REPORT. The final meeting of subscribers to the fund whereby the Hocken Wing was added to the Museum was held yesterday afternoon, and was attended by Messrs G. Fenwick (chairman), W. Burnett, Wm. Scott, W. Downie Stewart, H. Williams, J. E. White, M. Cohen, and Dr Benham. The Chairman explained that the meeting had been called for the purpose of receiving the final report of the trustees, and for the express purpose of receiving the balance-sheet from the beginning until the present day, showing how the subscriptions had been dealt with. The bal-ance-sheet was very voluminous, but after payment of everything there was a balance in the bank of £142 Bs, which, of course, they had decided to hand over to the Hocken Memorial Committee, in order that it might be incorporated with a somewhat larger fund. They (the Memorial Committee) had £1,330 in hand, and there would therefore be a total of £1,475, which, of course, had been placed in the hands of trustees, and the income would be devoted to maintenance and the librarian’s salarv.

The Chairman read the following final report of the trustees : The Hocken Library trustees have called you together in order that you may hear from them a brief account of the final stage of the work you entrusted them with and pass the accounts they now lay before you; and thereafter, in terms of the deed under which the library passed into the custody of the University Council, elect a visitor, whose duty it will be to periodically inspect the library in order that he may be satisfied, on behalf of the subscribers, that the University Council are carrying out their trust. It will be remembered that on the occasion of the formal handing over of the library to the University Council on March 31, 1910, His Excellency the Governor (Lord Plunket) and the Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward) were present, and both spoke in terms of high appreciation of the munificent gift of the late Dr Hocken to the people of Otago and the Dominion generally. Opportunity was taken by me, as chairman of the trustees, at the function in question, to give a short history of the circumstances under which Dr Hocken promised to hand over to the public his valuable collection, and of the initiation and carrying out of the movement for erecting a building in which it should be worthily housed. It is unnecessary, therefore, for me to recapitulate. All I need do is to very briefly explain what has been done since the University Council assumed control of the library under the deed which was executed between Dr Hocken, the trustees, and the University Council. There remained at that time a good deal of money to be expended in the making of cases and bookshelves for the books, maps, etc., for furnishings of various kinds, in binding many of the loose pamphlets and manuscripts, in the payment of a librarian’s salary, and in printing a'catalogue of the books and documents. The trustees were fortunate in being able to secure the services of .Mr W. 11. Trimble as librarian, and he at once set to work on the preparation of the catalogue with untiring patience and skill. The task occupied his time for over two years, and the volume of 516 pages which resulted is a tribute to his resouceful patience and thoroughness. Copies of the catalogue have been sent to a large number of the most important public libraries throughout the world, and they should prove of great value to students of the history of this far-distant part of the Empire. The work and responsibilities of the trustees have not been by any means light, and not least among their anxieties was the question of the future care of the lib: y and its maintenance at a high standard of usefulness by periodical additions of books and documents of a kind that should certainly find a place on the library shelves. The appointment of a permanent librarian by the University Council was a question over the settlement of which there was a good deal of delay, Mr Trimble’s engagement having concl"-’ ’ with the completion of the catalog- übts on theso matters led to the ■ i of a proposition that the library be amalgamated with the Free Pi library under the control of the City Council, in connection with which a department devoted to books and literature directly relating to the history of New Zealand had been established. Negotiations with the University Council, however, finally resulted in provision being made for the appointment of a librarian. A capital fund, the income from which would assist the council with an annual contribution towards

the librarian’s salary and for additions to the library, was got together through the instrumentality of the Hocken Memorial Committee, and to this was added the small balance at the credit of the Hocken trustees at the final closing of their accounts. These suras, with, it is hoped, some assistanco_ from the City Council, will enable, the University Council to provide the librarian’s salary and to purchase books as the funds permit. The trustees, in rendering this short account of their stewardship and presenting their audited accounts for the information of the subscribers to the fund, wish to avail themselves of the last opportunity they will have of recording their high sense of appreciation of the public-spirited and generous action of the late Dr _ Hocken, and their deep regret that ho did not live to see his valuable records in active use by the people of the City which for a lifetime was his home. Mr Scott moved the adoption of the report and balance-sheet. He remarked that the citizens of Dunedin were fortunate in having the services of such gentlemen, who had given so much of their valuable time to carry out a good work. Mr Williams seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously. The next business was the election of a visitor to inspect the library, etc., under the deed of gift. Mr Cohen moved that Mr Fenwick be appointed to fill the. position, and referred in eulogistic strains to that gentleman’s valuable services. Mr Burnett seconded the motion, which was carried. Votes of thanks were accorded Mr W. H. Crawford (hon. auditor) and Messrs John Roberts and W. Burnett (hon. treasurers). Mr Cohen also referred in complimentary terms to the efforts of; the secretary (Dr Benham), whose work had been a labor of love.