H,— 22

Endowment. The Alexander Turnbull Library Endowment Fund was established in 1934, and the income is intended to be applied towards the purchase of books, pamphlets, periodicals, and other documents for incorporation in the collection of the Alexander Turnbull Library. The amount at credit of the Fund at the 31st March, 1936, was £100, and the accrued interest to that date £4 7s. 3d. Since the inception of the Fund none of the income has been expended. In connection therewith Sir Harold Beauchamp this year notified his willingness to donate £200, part to go towards the acquisition of editions of his daughter's works, including firsts, to be suitably bound or cased as a memorial set; the balance to be an endowment to keep the set up to date and maintained in suitable fashion. Several of the volumes have been obtained in England and are now with Zaehnsdorf, of London, for casing or binding. Donations such as this are highly appreciated, as they will help in maintaining the high standard of the library so magnificently set by the late Mr. Turnbull. Readers and Students. —Sixty-one new readers' tickets were issued, and students have been working in the library throughout the year, both day and night. Over 1,800 readers have used the library during the year. Students' Theses Subjects. —These cover a wider range than usual, and include more economic and sociological questions, such as the Maori population of Taranaki, effects of immigration, history of land-tenure in New Zealand, and the development of hydro-electricity, and of fruitgrowing. There has also been a growing interest by the general readers in the work of New Zealand writers, and such classics as Katherine Mansfield and F. E. Maning have been frequently asked for. The English literature has not been used quite as extensively as in the past, but there has been a growing realization of the importance of the art treasures in the library, in both the Pacific and other sections. Especially noteworthy was the visit of Mr. Trevor Williams, of Oxford, who spent considerable time studying native administration. He gained much material from the unpublished manuscripts and rare books in the library, and commended the manner of its preservation and accessibility. A visit was also made by Mons. Andre Ropiteau, who was particularly interested in Tahiti, and who expressed his surprise at the richness of the library in Tahiti material. Correspondence was also exchanged with the Societe d'Etudes Oceaniennes and others on the same subject. Many school-children visit the Library, as the result of lectures given in the schools, and classes are also brought, lectures to them being given in the Library itself, illustrated with appertinent material. Talks were given at Rongotai College on the voyage treasures in the Library, and at the Girls' College on town-planning. Talks are also given in the Library itself to classes from secondary schools, great interest being shown by the classes which comprise the senior scholars. Classes have come from Rongotai College, Wellington Boys' College, the Hutt Schools, Wellesley College, and the Technical College, classes from this college coming every day during a week. In the evening, too, a class came from the Victoria University Students' Association. Talks have been given both by Mr. Taylor and myself, and we have also spoken at men's meetings, day and evening. This all helps to make the library known and brings its resources before the public. English Associations. —Attention should be drawn to the considerable development in this side of the library activities. Inquiries have been received, both from America and England, concerning manuscripts ; rare editions of various English writers, resulting in photostat copies being asked for of many of R. H. Home's letters; of information regarding Fitzgerald, of Omar Khayym, and request for photostats of pages of a rare association Bombay edition of the poem which is in the library ; of information regarding Keats and his friend Charles Brown by authors in England ; of photostat copies of part of the Jane Taylor material in the library from the Public Library of the Borough of Colchester, to which town Jane Taylor belonged. One chapter in a book on Geraldine Jewsbury, published during the year, was devoted to information obtained from letters of hers in the Mantell collection ; and the Lewes Archaelogical Society obtained a typescript of the journal of the late Gideon Mantell, and copies of coloured drawings of Roman tiles found by Mantell in his archseological investigations. Inquiries were also had from universities and private people in America regarding our Browning items. Correspondence also passed with Mr. Pollard, writer of certain nineteenth century pamphlets, regarding the alleged forgeries that are the subject of his book, copies of most of which are in the library. Journals, &c., for copying.—For the benefit of students and others, some indication seems desirable of the class of manuscripts copied this year. Work has continued on the group of missionary letters loaned from the Church Missionary Society, London, and the great task of copying the journals of the Rev. Richard Taylor has been concluded. This latter series makes available a record by a discerning observer of missionary and other activities of the period 1839-75, covering especially well the region about Wanganui and Wellington. The set has grown to fourteen large folio volumes, all of which have been completely indexed. Of the missionary letters, those of John Morgan are nearing completion. They treat in great detail of the establishing of mission stations in Tauranga, Rotorua, and Waikato. Captain Frederick G. Moore's letters are being copied, and are useful for information on early Wellington and Nelson. He was also in the party that planned the first site of Nelson. Work has also continued on the manuscripts of Charles Johnson Pharazyn, Octavius Hadfield, and Samuel Stephens. Hadfield was Bishop of Wellington, and his letters cover the period 1838-68. Already one thesis has been based upon them. The journals and letters of Samuel Stephens were offered to the library through the High Commissioner

15