E.-l

XXXII

Public Libraries. By a vote of last session a sum of £3,000 was again granted for subsidies to public libraries. Notice thereof was inserted in the Gazette of the 23rd November, 1905, and forms of application were sent to all libraries known to the Department. The method of distribution of the vote was the same as that adopted in previous years—viz., a nominal addition of £25 was made to the amount of the income of each library derived from subscriptions, donations, and rates, provided that the receipts for the year were not less than £2, and the vote was divided according to the amount thus augmented ; but no library received credit for a larger income than £75—that is, in no case did the augmented amount on which distribution was based exceed £100. In accordance with thef (jfazette notice, appointed for the distribution of the subsidy was the 6th February, 1906, and the amount of the vote was divided among the 430 libraries from which applications, each accompanied by a statutory declaration on the proper form, had been received at that date. The vote, as thus dealt with, afforded a subsidy of 3s. 4-46 d. in the pound of the nominal income, and the subsidies ranged from £16 17s. 3d. to £4 lls. On account of irregularities in the returns sent in, the subsidy in two cases was withheld, and the net payment out of the vote was therefore £2,989 Is. 6d. The number of libraries participating in the vote shows an increase of seventeen as compared with the number aided in the previous year. In order that the purpose intended to be served by the vote may be attained, it is made a condition for participation that the whole of the subsidy granted to each library in the previous year shall have been expended in the purchase of books. The following table shows the distribution according to education districts :—

Summary of Distribution of Public Libraries Subsidy.

Education Districts. Number of Libraries. Income. Amount on which .„-„«, ft ,o,,i,n;Hr Subsidy is calculated. Amount of Subsidy. Vuekland fararraki iVanganui JVellington rlawke's Bay .. Marlborough .. kelson 3rey .. rVestland Sorth Canterbury South Canterbury Dtago Southland Chatham Islands 106 16 34 22 28 4 27 5 5 69 22 60 31 1 £ s. d. 2,748 3 10 377 17 8 1,508 16 6 4,179 19 11 939 12 0 134 17 1 824 16 1 138 8 6 72 14 10 1,784 14 5 717 3 0 902 17 3 287 15 1 9 2 6 £ s. d. 4,123 6 6 726 7 6 1,672 9 11 1,129 10 9 1,274 19 3 215 1 9 1,238 8 3 263 8 6 197 14 10 2,635 0 5 979 7 0 2,240 13 6 1,062 15 1 34 2 6 £ s. d. 695 3 9 122 9 4 281 19 10 190 10 0 214 19 9 36 5 5 208 16 1 44 8 4 33 6 8 439 12 8 165 2 3 371 8 8 179 3 7 5 15 2 Totals 430 14,626 18 8 17,793 5 9 2,989 1 6