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fiction class. As showing how the privilege system interferes with the work the staff ought to do, but under present circumstances cannot adequately cope with, I might say that the services of two members of the staff are taken up every morning during the recess in writing up the ledgers, marking-off, and in other work rendered necessary by the privilege system. If this system continues on its present basis, it will be absolutely necessary in the interests of the Library—as a parliamentary Library—to ask for the appointment of some moderately well educated young man who could devote his time in the mornings to writing-up the ledgers and issuing of cards, and in the afternoons assisting generally in Library work. Bringing my remarks under this head to a conclusion, I would point out that, as far as I am aware, in no other Legislative Library ir. the world are books of any kind lent out to non-members. In certain Parliament Libraries, and under very restrictive conditions, books may lie consulted by the public, but that is all. 1 have no serious complaint to make he condition in which the books borrowed by the recess-privilege holders are returned, but i deem it only right to point out that the wear-and-tear on the volumes circulated is necessarily very great, and that every year a larger number of volumes call urgently for rebinding than would otherwise be the case were the Library a purely reference Library, and the circulation privilege less extensive in its application. Usefulness of the Library. Members have been supplied promptly with all special works asked for, and the usual number of volumes for ordinary reading have been despatched to the houses of members desiring them. Many applications have been received from the public for advice or information on various subjects. The possession of a recess permit is not insisted upon in the case of persons desirous of consulting the books and newspapers in the Library at short notice. The volumes of bound news papers continue to prove a most valuable source of information for students of local history, and every possible facility has been readily and cheerfully granted to persons wishing to prosecute inquiries. Audition's to the Library. I am gratified to be able to slate that the total number of catalogued accessions to the Library during the year was 3,340, the largest number vet received for a similar period The total number of volumes in the Library is now about 80,000. An Accession List has been prepared as usual, and copies of the same should be in the possession of members by the time the present report is circulated. Included in the additions to the Library are many exceptionally interesting works. A set of the Cambridge University Press edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica, in twenty-live volumes, has been added to the reference section. Another important accession is the new and complete Library Edition of Etuskin's works, in thirty-seven volumes, a set of which, in new condition, 1 was able to secure at a considerable reduction on the published price. Members will find that special attention has been paid to technology, the additions in this section being of exceptional interest and importance. Such subjects ;is electric-power generation and distribution; irrigation; disposal of sewage; town-planning; ferro-concrete construction; gas-engineering; bridge-construction; motor transit; inspection of meat and milk; and many others are all well represented. To the New Zealand and Polynesian section some notable accessions have to be 'recorded. Amongst others I may mention copies of the first books printed in New Zealand — translations into Maori of the Epistles to the Philippians and to the Ephesians, the Gospel of St. Luke (1835), and the Book of Job (1838). Other additions are the Complete Maori New Testament of 1837; the edition of the same work published in 1844; the Book of Jonah and the first six chapters of Daniel (1840). In the same class i may also mention the Book of Common Prayer, in Maori, of 1851; Maunsell's Sermons in Maori (1846); WTiakaa Turanga, He I te Tikanga a Ihu Karaiti (1847); and a rare pamphlet by tin- Rev. \Y. Colenso, Ko te I'uarua . . . (Errors of the Church of Home), issued in 1840. In the New Zealand section may be noted the following works, some of which are extremely scarce: Canterbury Papers; Heaphy's Narrative of a Residence in Parts of New Zealand (1842); Despard's Narrative of an Expedition into the Interior of New Zealand (1845); New Zealand Affairs a Collection of Rare Pamphlets (1866); The New Zealand Rebellion . . . Letter (!<S64); Taylor's Te Ika a Maui (1855): and the Rev. J. Whiteley's He Rongomau Ka pai (1847). Under tin- heading "Voyages and Travels" will also lie found several interesting titles, such as Claret de Fleurien's Decouvertes dcs Francois dans la Pacihque en 1768—69 (1790); The Emigrant's Manual; Australia, New Zealand (1851); De Freville's Histoid- dcs Nbuvelles Decouvertes dans la Mer dv Sud. 1767-70 (1774); Journal of a Voyage round the World. 1768 71 (1771); Narratives d'Omai (1790); Morgan's Life and Adventures of William Buckley (1852); Pigaretta's First Voyage round the World, 1519-22 (1801); J. Rochfort's Adventures of a Surveyor in New Zealand, &c. (1853); Shoberl's World in Miniature (Australia and New Zealand) (1827); Sparrmann's Voyage to the Cape of Good Hope (1780); Particulars of the Second Voyage of the Missionary Ship "The Duff" (1809); Rochon's Nouveaux Voyages au.x Tndes Orientales, &c. (1807); Montremont's Voyages autour dv Monde . Cook, Ac. (1853); and others. Under the heading of "Sociology will be found practically every new work of any serious value bearing upon social and political questions of the day. Ir " History " a specially valuable addition is a set of the Naval Chronicle (1799-1818), in forty volumes. This is a work which covers one of the most interesting and important periods in British naval history, and has always been recognized as one of the most valuable sources open to those engaged in historical research, especially on naval matters. I need not attempt even the briefest analysis of the remaining classes, in all of which many exceptionally valuable works will be found. The total number of accessions cat a logued during the Library year was over 3.340, a larger number than I have had the pleasure of reporting for some years past. When it is remembered that for many of the books as many as from five to ten separate catalogue cards have to be written, it will be recognized that the amount of mere technical work involved by so large an influx; of new publications makes a serious demand upon the time of the staff

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