LIBRARIAN RETIRES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19291, 1 April 1926, Page 12

LIBRARIAN RETIRES.

THE HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT

MR. CHARLES WILSON'S CAREER. JOURNALIST AND POLITICIAN. [BY TELEGRAPH. OWN COKIIKSPONDEST.] WELLINGTON. Wednesday. Mr. Charles Wilson, who to-day relinquished the position of chief librarian o the Parliamentary Library after a service of over 25 years, has spent litUe short of a half-century in the Dominion. A Yorkshiroman by birth, he was engaged in commercial pursuits in Bradford, in raris and in Lille. He lived in France for four years. Coming to New Zealand, be landed at Tort Chalmers on Christmas Day, 1879, and after a year came to Wellington. A week after his arrival ha joined the teaching Staff of the Upper Willis Street School, long under the headmaster-ship of Mr. Clement Watson, and in 1883 went to the Wanganui Collegiate School as English and French master. He remained there for three years and then adopted the profession of journalism. After subediting the Wanganui Chronicle he edited newspapers at Gisborne, Napier and Marton and finally, in 1892, returned to Wellington to edit tho New Zealand Mail, where he remained in charge for nine years. In 1897 Mr. Wilson contested the Wellington City seat in the Liberal interests. He polled a heavy vote for a comparatively unknown candidate, but failed to secure the scat. Early in the succeeding year Mr. 'J'. M. Wilford was unseated for Wellington Suburbs on petition and Mr. Wilson contested the vacancy against Mr. A. 11. Atkinson and was successful. At the dissolution of Parliament at the end of 1839 Mr. Wilson did not stand again. He was appointed chief librarian of tho General Assembly library in 1901. The number of catalogued publications was then some 38,000. To-day tho number has risen to over 112,000. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson propose to leave Sydney by tho P. and O. steamer Mooltan early next month and will spend some time in England and on the Continent, returning homo by way cf the United States. Mr. Wilson was met to-day by members of his staff and friends in Parliament House and presented with a handsome coffee service. Mi. A. F. Lowe, clerk of Parliament, presided. The Prime Minister, Mr. Coates, referred to Mr. Wilson as a distinguished civil servant, and expressed the hope that their trip abroad would be pleasant, and that they would return in the best of health.