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The comfort of the staff generally has been greatly improved by the provision of a more adequate rest-room on the ground floor. Each member has been provided with a locker, and a convenient kitchenette has been installed. These amenities are much appreciated. Messrs. R. McEwan and B. Mattingley of the bindery staff very helpfully renovated tables and chairs for the room. The alterations necessitated moving a large part of the official publications and the reconstruction of the sorting-room. Book Stock Despite staff changes the cataloguing department has accessioned and catalogued 4,837 books as compared with 4,911 for the previous year. Following on a recommendation from the Joint Library Committee an additional grant of £250 was made this year ; and this has enabled us to order several important reference works and to strengthen the law section which gradually is being brought up to date. The balance at the Bank of New Zealand shows a credit of £3Bl 6s. Bd. as compared with £6B 4s. Id. last year, but the books on order at 31st March would absorb this amount. The new accessions were classified as follows, the figures for last year being given in parentheses : Bibliography, 235 (227); newspapers, 124 (159); philosophy, 45 (26); religion, 145 (129) ; sociology, 1,265 (1,293) ; parliamentary, 333 (251) ; philology, 20 (42); natural science, 168 (233) ; useful arts, 579 (552) ; fine arts, 280 (346) ; literature, 338 (325) : travel and history, 611 (672) ; biography, 318 (283) ; fiction, 376 (373). Owing to staff shortages at various periods it has not been possible to proceed with reclassification schemes but stock was taken of the history section. Donations 1 wish to acknowledge, with thanks, donations to the Library from the following : Belgian Legation (Wellington), Book Society (London), British Council, Trustees of the British Museum (London), Canadian Geographical Society (Canada), Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (U.S.A.), Professor D. V. Cowen (Capetown), Commonwealth Bank of Australia (Sydney), Francis Bacon Society (London), High Commissioner for Australia in New Zealand, High Commissioner for Canada in New Zealand, Mr. Samuel Jacobv (U.S.A.), Captain R. Lloyd Jones (U.S.A.), G. and J. Kitcat, Ltd. (London), Messrs. Kraks Legat (Denmark), Mr. Marcus Marks (Eastbourne), Northern Ireland Government Office (London), Parliament Library, Stockholm, Prisma Editions (Paris), Public Library of South Australia, Lord Rowallan (London), Royal Netherlands Legation (Wellington), Society of Automotive Engineers (U.S.A.), Lieutenant-Colonel A. H. Stafford (Fiji), State Information Office (Pretoria, S.A.), Mr. Michael Standish (Wellington), Mr. T. F. Thornton (Kelburn), United Commerical Travellers Association, Ltd. (Melbourne), University of Western Australia. Circulation Despite the fact that the Library was not open to recess privilege holders the circulation figures dropped only to 20,755 volumes as compared with 23,452 volumes last year. Ninetv-four baskets and 71 parcels were posted to Members of Parliament and 286 parcels to other libraries. Under the library inter-loan system 635 books were sent to 40 libraries as compared with 907 to 34 libraries last year. The National Library Service borrowed 259 (368) and the Library School 90 (260). Our borrowings from other libraries were 24 (38). Reference Department The reference staff has given, good service not only to Members of Parliament and Government Departments, but to the public generally. No serious request for information is turned down, and inquiries from various parts of the world have been answered.

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