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Otago Daily Times, Volume 13696, Issue 13696, 12 September 1906, Page 4

THE HOCKEX COLLECTION'. Tub public in Otago will receive with great satisfaction the intimation, conveyed by tho Premier to the deputation which waited on him yesterday at Wellington, that the Cabinet has approved a suggestion that the folate should grant a subsidy of pound for poiind up to £3000 upon the BiimytuV scribed for the purpose of housing and preserving the literary -collection offered by Dr Hocken as a gift to the city of Duiieoin. Tho spirit in which Mr HallJoues two months ago met a request that the local subscriptions for this object should be augmented by ii vole of an equal amount from the Colonial Treasury may hardly have prepared some people for the manifestation of the genufne appreciation of Dr Hoeken's generosity and of the value of his collection that is involved in the liberal undertaking to which the Government is ntiw committed; but no one who realises the colonial importance of the collection will fail to recognise that there is a distinct appropriateness in the decision which, the Cabinet, has arrived at. The -provision of £3000 'from the State Exchequer will ensure that the accommodation for the collection shall be worthy of it arid of its public-spirited donor, and it may also, to somo extent,facilitate the choice of the sitp far the location of tiie library. The position in connection with the settlement of the question of site is not at the presont time free from a certain amount of confusion, but, a satisfactory assurance of Government assistance having been obtained, it may be hoped that an attempt will now be made without delay to reconcile the various interests that are concerned rind to adopt -a. conclusion on tho point that will reasonably coinnienii itself-to the minds of the local authorities, the subscriber.--, and Dr Hocken himself.