NATIONAL LIBRARY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22344, 15 February 1936, Page 25

NATIONAL LIBRARY

AUSTRALIA'S HISTORY I i PLANS FOR EXTENSIONS FILMS AND SPEECH RECORDS [from our own correspondent] MELBOURNE, Feb. 4 In deciding to extend the scope o: the Commonwealth National Library aCanberra to include a section do voted to the preservation of historica films and speaking records, the Com monwealth is coming into line witl other countries. A nation? 1 film library is now beinj established in Britain, largely ns th< result of a movement by the Britisl Film Institute. The British view i: that the time will come when film pro ducors will bo required by law to de posit with the authorities a copy o each film they make, just as publisher; have long been obliged to furnish the British Museum with a copy of even book they issue. Nucleus Formed As the result of presentations th( National Library already has tin nucleus of a film and speaking recorc collection. Included in this aro sucl films as the Duke of Gloucester's toui of Australia and a fine portrayal o the life of the Worora tribe of Northeri Australia, copies of which were pre sented to the National Library at Can berra and the British Museum by Mr EL R. Balfour, of Melbourne. The photographic branch of the De partment of Commerce also has a valu able collection, not only of official films but also a selection of commercial films descriptive and historical in character which it intends to deposit with th< National Film Library. Fireproof Accommodation As a result of recent research the filn can now be regarded as a permanen record. In bulk, ease of classificatioT and storage, it is quite comparable witl the book, provided that suitable fire proof and temperature-controlled ac commodation is available. Speaking records, too, are of grea' human and historical interest. Th< British Government has preserved ii the British Museum a series of record: of speeches by every Prime Ministe; since Gladstone. In Australia a film and speaking re cord has been made entitled "Som< Veterans of the First Coinmonwealtl Parliament. J ' These examples sugges' how much further the film and speakinf record may be used to preserve th< human side of the administrative his tory of a nation.