H.—3o

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.