GENERAL ASSEMBLY LIBRARY. (REPORT OF THE ASSISTANT LIBRARIAN.)

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1893 Session I, H-30

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1893. NEW ZEALAND.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY LIBRARY. (REPORT OF THE ASSISTANT LIBRARIAN.)

Laid upon the Table of the House of Representatives 7th September, 1893, and ordered to be printed.

The Assistant Libeaeian to the Hon. the Chaieman of the Joint Libeary Committee. Sic, — House of Eepresentatives, Wellington, 7th September, 1893. I have the honour to submit my report on the working of the General Assembly Library during the past year. During the year, 17th May, 1892, to the 31st May, 1893, the Library acquired by purchase 860 works in 1,064 volumes, of which 796 works in 975 volumes were from the Home agents. In addition to these, some works were presented to the Library (a list of which appears in Appendix 4), and a large number of volumes was obtained by exchange from the British Government, the British Museum, the United States Government, and the Governments of the various British colonies. The Italian Government, too, is now sending its legal publications in exchange for the statutes of this colony. In August, 1892, an arrangement was established with the Colonial Secretary's office at Wellington, and with the Smithsonian Institute at Washington, United States, for an exchange of certain New Zealand publications for the publications of the following States of the Union —namely, California, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. The State Librarians of these States having been communicated with, favourable replies were received from those of Connecticut, Massachusetts, Ohio, and Pennsylvania; and from the last-mentioned State a box of exchanges has been received. As the result of a request addressed by me, through the Agent-General, to the Clarendon Press authorities at Oxford, the delegates of the Press have most generously presented to the Library the 108 works (many of them of great value) which are listed in Appendix 4. The Eecess Committee held four meetings during the recess, the Hon. Mr. Pharazyn being, as in previous years, Chairman. The business done was considerable in amount and important in character. The number of admissions to the library which were granted was much greater than in any previous year (see Appendix 2). On this head the Committee passed two general resolutions— namely, that a copy of the annual supplement might be given to each person admitted, and that all ministers of religion, including the officer commanding the Wellington station of the Salvation Army, should be admitted ex officio to the full privileges of the library. The numbers given in Appendix 2 do not include all these ministers. A load of parcels of accumulated back numbers of various periodicals was, by order of the Committee, distributed between the Wellington Hospital and the two local Old Men's Homes. A considerable mass of old newspapers was sold (in pursuance of resolution of June 13, 1892), and realised £9 19s. 6d. The Committee has had under consideration the question of the periodicals taken by the library. The Assistant Librarian having, by request, supplied a full list of these, the Committee cancelled thirty of them and the extra copies of ten others, and added to the list eight fresh ones. The saving effected is something over £30 per annum. A trial was made by the Committee of a change in the hours at which the library is open during the recess. During the months December, 1892, to March, 1893, inclusive, the library hours were from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., instead of from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. It was supposed that this would make the library more useful to Government officers, but the plan was finally abandoned. Eesults are given in Appendix 3. The Eecess Committee has given much attention to the question of library accommodation The following resolution was, on 30th January last, forwarded to the Hon. the Minister for Public Works: "That the Committee would respectfully urge upon the Government the necessity of I—H. 30.

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taking immediate steps to have the new library put in progress of construction, as the Committee are of opinion that the necessity of making suitable provision for the valuable collection of works is imperative." But nothing has as yet, as far as I know, been done in this urgent matter. Upon this subject I reported fully last year, and need say no more here. The ventilation and lighting of the present building have also received the Committee's attention. In reply to representations forwarded by the Committee upon these subjects, the Government have stated that no additional electric lights can be supplied to the library, and have forwarded a report from the Engineer-in-Chief recommending that the library should be ventilated by hot air introduced through the floor— as in the British Museum Library—and by two large ventilators for exhausting purposes, the estimated cost of the scheme being £250. This report was laid before the Committee, but no action was taken. In response to an application to that effect made by the Hon. Mr. Taiaroa, I have had prepared at the Government Printing Office a volume containing all the Acts now obtainable relating to the Maori race ; and I have been at some pains to print and circulate amongst members lists of books added from time to time. I have also prepared an index of articles in various periodicals which deal with subjects likely to interest members from the point of view of their legislative duties. To this work I have given much unofficial time, and I trust the result may be useful. If so, the " Political subject-index to periodicals " will be continued, and possibly improved, in future years. The regulations of the library have, with such exceptions as have been already mentioned, been the same this recess as last recess, the regulation forbidding the circulation of English novels to the persons admitted for the recess included. The new general catalogue has advanced considerably. There remain now to be catalogued only the books in the reference room and in the gallery of the entrance room, together with some of those in the central room. Almost the whole of the MS. so far has been cut up and sorted out to the third letter into portfolios. The MS. ought to be ready by next session, but the printing, if executed, will be a considerable undertaking. Binding arrangements with the Government Printing Office now work better than hitherto, and the work done is executed more promptly and with greater care. This improvement is now of many months' standing, and is the result of repeated communications with the Printer. The circulation of boxes of books to members not resident in Wellington has gone on steadily during the recess ; and, though only ninety boxes were sent out as against ninety-six in 1891-92, the number of volumes sent was greater by fifty-one than the number sent out then. Ten members who took boxes of books in 1891-92 took none during the past year, but thirteen who took no boxes in 1891-92 were among those served during the past recess. For details see Appendix 5. The Eecess Committee granted to Major Campbell, late Clerk of the House (subject to the approval of the Joint Committee), the privilege of taking out books under this system, In my report last year I referred at length to the numerous and serious drawbacks under which the library labours. It is needless to dilate further upon them now : suffice it to say that a thorough reform is necessary to the proper efficiency of the library; and the first and chief step of such reform is the erection of a new and suitable building. The low state of the library funds, as shown in Appendix 1, goes to show that £600 per annum is not sufficient to maintain the library properly. One-sixth of this is absorbed by the very high premiums paid for insurance on the building (at £2 10s. per £100) ; and, with this and other charges, including the heavy one for periodicals, deducted, scarcely £380 remains for books, and the greater part of this is devoted to current literature. It would be well if another £100 could be annually voted for this purpose. I have, &c, H. L. James, General Assembly Library, sth September, 1893. Assistant Librarian.

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APPENDIX 1. Balance-sheet fob the Yeae 1892-93. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. To Balance from 1891-92 .. .. .. 120 0 5 By Books by purchase .. .. .. 377 11 5 Annual appropriation .. .. .. 600 0 0 Binding and stamping by Home agents .. 86 7 7 Pees from private Bills .. .. 50 0 0 Periodicals and annuals .. .. 128 211 Sales of waste paper .. .. .. 919 6 Postage (chierly on periodicals sent by mail) 915 1 Pines, &c. .. .. .. ■ • 010 0 Freight and shipping charges .. .. 14 6 6 Marine insurance .. .. .. 2 19 4 Small stores .. .. .. .. 4 11 0 Insurance of library .. .. .. 100 0 0 Balance .. .. .. 56 16 1 £780 9 H £780 9 11

APPENDIX 2. A. —Admissions dueing Eecess, 1892-93. . . With full privileges ... ■•■ ••• ••• ••• ••• 86 Students only ... •■■ ••• ••• .. ••• ••• •■• 1° Eeaders only ... ... ••• ••• ••• • • ••■ 1 Total 105

JB. Total Numbee of Books taken out dubing Eecess, 1892-93, by Non-members. By 23 persons on the sessional list ... ... •■• ••• 993 By 105 persons on the recess list ... ... ... ■• • ... 2,094 Total 3.085

APPENDIX 3. Use of the Library between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m., 1st December, 1892, to 30th March, 1893. A.

B. —Classification of Persons Attending.

No. ot Persons using the Library. No. of Attendances. No. of Days open. Daily Average of Attendances. Highest No. of Attendances in any One Day. Lowest No. of Attendances in any One Day. 311 80 3-8875 9 (Feb. 24). 57 (Dec. 19, Feb. 3).

No. of Persons. No. of Attendances. Daily Average Members of Parliament Government officers .. Officers of the two Houses Other persons 7 4 3 43 44 19 16 232 6-286 4-750 5-333 5-395 Total 57 311

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APPENDIX 4. List of Donations since 31st May, 1891.

Date. lonor. loo: ori 1892. Tune 6 University of New Zealand November examination papers, 1883-1891. December examination papers, 1883, 1885, 18871891. Counsel: Maxims. Cantilenosaa nugse. Phillips: Gavelkind. Phillips : Book of Common Prayer. Manifold-press copies of Earotongan public documents, 1891-92, 1892-93. Supplement to the Library catalogue, 1892. Victoria: orders. France : Etat des travaux legislates de la Chambre des Deputes. France : Eeglement de la Chambre des Deputes. France : Eeglement du Senat. Norway: Forretningsorden vedtagen af 39te Storthing. Hislop : History of the Knox Church, Dunedin College Calendar, 1893. (Two copies.) Saunders : Food management of infants. Norris : Ancient Cornish drama. Summers : Handbook of the Chinese. Mayhew and Skeat: Dictionary of Middle English. Liddell and Scott : Intermediate Greek-English lexicon. Lewis : School Latin dictionary. Codrington : Melanesian languages. Cotton: Typographical gazetteer. Cotton : Typographical gazetteer. 2nd series. Ebert: Bibliographical dictionary. Mayhew : Synopsis of Old English phonology. Skeat: Twelve facsimiles of Old English MS. Plummer and Earle : Two of the Saxon Chronicles parallel. Skeat: Specimens of English literature. York plays. Pilgrimage to Parnassus. Shakespeare : Select Plays. (Clark and Wright.) Moulton : Shakespeare as a dramatic artist. Bacon : Essays. (G. H. Eeynolds.) Milton : Poems. (E. C. Browne.) Bunyan : Pilgrim's progress, &c. (E. Venables.) Bunyan : Holy war, &c. (M. Peacock.) Clarendon : Characters and episodes of the Eebellion. (G. Boyle.) Dryden : Select poems. (W. D. Christie.) Locke: Conduct of the understanding. (T. Fowler.) Addison: Selections. (T. Arnold.) Steele : Selections. (A. Dobson.) Swift: Selections, Vol. I. (H. Craik.) Johnson : Easselas. (G. B. Hill.) Palgrave : Treasury of sacred song. Scherer : History of German literature. Lange : German manual. Lange : Grammar of the German. King and Cookson: Principles of sound and inflexion in Greek and Latin. Legge : Eecord of Buddhistic kingdoms. Cotton : Five books of Maccabees. Cotton : List of editions of the Bible in English. Cotton : Ehemes and Doway. Margoliouth: Place of Ecclesiasticus in Semitic literature. Old Latin biblical texts, Nos. 1, 2, 3. Bingham : Antiquities of the Christian Church. Burnet: History of the Eeformation. (N. Pocock.) n June 29 July 16 July 29 Edward Counsel, Esq. ... David W. M. Burn, Esq.... Coleman Phillips, Esq. ... ;/ Oct. 15 F. J. Moss, Esq., British Eesident at Earotonga Auckland Free Library ... E. J. O'Conor, Esq., M.H.E. a a // • • • a „ ... ... a a a • ■ * John Hislop, Esq., LL.D. Auckland University College Dr. G. E. Saunders Clarendon Press, Oxford... ilar. 3 une -20It It It It It It it it It it it it it it It It it it it It It It V It It If It

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APPENDIX 4—continued. List of Donations since 31st May, 1891— continued.

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16, >onor. !e o: orj rune 20 Clarendon Press, Oxford... Cardwell: Documentary annals of the Eeformed Church. Councils and ecclesiastical documents relating to Great Britain and Ireland. Formularies of faith, Henry VIII. Hussey : Eise of the Papal power. Inett: Origines Anglicanae. Pocock : Becords of the Eeformation. Shirley : The Church in the Apostolic age. Shuckford : Sacred and profane history. Stillingfleet: Origines Britannic®. Stubbs : Eegistrum sacrum Anglicanum. Cardwell: Two books of Common Prayer. Cardwell: Conferences on the Book of Common Prayer. Leofric missal. (P. E. Warren.) Maskell: Ancient liturgy of the Church of England. Maskell: Monumenta ritualia Ecclesice Anglican^. Warren : Liturgy and ritual of the Celtic Church. Biscoe : Boyle lectures. Bradley : Lectures on the book of Job. Bradley : Lectures on Ecclesiastes. Burnet: Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles. Butler: Works. Hooper : Works. Pearson : Exposition of the Creed. Wheatly : Book of Common Prayer. Shirley : Catalogue of Wyclif's works. Wyclif : Select works. (T. Arnold.) Baker: Chronicle. (E. M. Thompson.) Bentham : Fragment on government. Burnet: History of James II. Burnet : Life of Hale. Calendar of the Clarendon State papers. Calendar of charters and rolls, Bodleian. Carte : Life of the Duke of Ormond. Clarendon: History of the Eebellion. (Two editions.) Cramer : Description of Asia Minor. Cramer : Description of ancient Greece. Gascoyne : Liber Veritatum. Greswell: Geography of Canada. Strachey : Hastings and the Eohilla war. Hume : Letters to Strahan. Knight: Life of Dean Colet. Song of Lewes. (C. L. Kingsford.) Luttrell: Diary, 1678-1714. Magna Carta, a reprint. (W. Stubbs.) University of Oxford : Historical register. University of Oxford : Catalogue of graduates. Madan : MS. materials relating to the history of Oxford. a // ft • • • Eamsay : Lancaster and York. Eicardo : Letter to Malthus. Sogers : Protests of the Lords. Sprigg: England's recovery. Stephens : Speeches of the French revolution. Whitelock : Memorials of English affairs. Holland : European concert. Pollock and Wright: Possession in the common law. Ealeigh : Law of property. Sohm : Institutes of Eoman law. Aldis : Text-book of algebra. Burdon-Sanderson : Physiology of nerve, &c. Dixey : Epidemic influenza.

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APPENDIX 4— continued. List of Donations since 31st May, 1891 — continued.

APPENDIX 5. Distribution of Books to Members during the Recess. A.—Tabular Statement.

B. —Number of Volumes taken out by Each Member. [Note. —Each member is denoted by the same number as in last year's report.]

Approximate Cost of Paper.— Preparation, not given; printing (1,375 copies), £5 2s. 6<3.

By Authority : Samuisb Costall, Government Printer, Wellington, New Zealand.—lB93. Price, 6d.]

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Date. Donor. Title of Work. June 20 Clarendon Press, Oxford... Etheridge : Fossils of the British Islands, pt. 1. Nixon: Euclid revised. Nixon : Geometry in space. Phillips : Geology of Oxford and the Thames. Pritchard : Astronomical observations, nos. 1-4. Smyth : A cycle of celestial objects. Van't Hoff: Chemistry in space. Vernon-Harcourt: Harbours and docks. Walker : Theory of a physical balance. a a a a a a a a a it

No. of Members served. ' 37 No. of Boxes sent out. 90 No. of Volumes sent out. 489 No. of Volumes damaged. No. of Volumes lost. 489

Member's Number. Number of Volumes taken out. Member's Number. ■ I Number of Volumes taken out. I Member's Number. Number of Volumes taken out. 3 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 13 16 1.9 20 22 17 6 21 6 18 36 6 17 12 9 24 22 10 23 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 82 33 34 35 36 24 12 13 5 6 18 30 11 29 1.4 14 6 12 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 6 11 4 13 1 6 12 6 6 2 24 489