H—22

24

C. Exhibitions These have become a regular routine of the library, and a certain range of items have been placed more or less permanently on display, since they were asked for so frequently as to endanger their structure. The occasion of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the opening of the library (20th June, 1920) was observed by a special function, when representatives of cultural interests, the Government, and friends of the library assembled for a short ceremony. An exhibition of personal material relating to Alexander Turnbull was made at the same time. D. Donations The volume of high-quality gifts continues and is a source of strength that bulks very high in the aggregate. The past year is particularly notable, and many items deserve mention in even fuller detail than follows. Several small groups of homogeneous nature were received. From the estate of Mr. James Laurenson, once a regular student at the library, came about a hundred volumes of shipping interest, flag studies, and Shetland Islands history. The estate of Mrs. Ella Elgar brought 150 volumes of high-quality literature and biography of 20-odd years ago. The daughters of the late W. H. Atack donated from his library a group on drama, literature, and history. Miss Wheeler's gift was of similar character and extent. The Menzies family donated a selection from their father's books on English and Scottish literature. The son and daughter of Rev. W. J. Comrie presented all their father's MSS., note-books, &c., used in his historical studies on Presbyterianism in New Zealand. Of original material, the log of the " Buffalo," which brought Captain Hobson to New Zealand, is the most important. This was kept by T. F. Cheesman, the grandfather of Captain Templar Powell, the donor of the MSS. Mr. G. H. Mair presented MSS. of Captain Gilbert Mair and some Maori portraits. The Army Department deposited theoriginal citations of all receivers of the New Zealand Cross in a handsome volume epitomizing highlights of the Maori Wars. From Miss Ashton came oil portraits of the eminent Maoris, Te Heuheu and Hiwikau, and from Mrs. Lightfoot a number of original sketches of early New Zealand. Dr. W. Young gave a selection from his library which brought in some valuable literary and history volumes. Although last year a gift from Mr. Harold Large of Napier was recorded, he repeated this year with a further donation of Shakespeare-Bacon •material and general literature. Mr. Cheviot Bell similarly gave a selection which yielded good New Zealand works, more Shakespeare-Bacon books, de luxe editions, and English literature. Mr. Johannes Andersen, late Librarian, continues a kindly interest with regular gifts in the sections of Australian and Pacific literature. Two goodly groups from institutions were given by the Australian Council for Educational Research and the Smithsonian Institution of Washington. Mrs. A. L. Blair presented a rather rare and unusual volume in Jason Mayno's treatise on legal cases, printed at Lyons in 1539. Bound in a contemporary stamped vellum, it has characteristics of its age and may yield information from further research. Mayno was an Italian jurisconsult of high standing in the fifteenth century. This edition is not in the British Museum or the Bibliotheque Nationale, according to advice from the former library. The above is a selection from a large catalogue of generous donors, to whom the library records its gratitude. Approximate Cost of Paper.—Preparation, not given ; printing (533 copies), £55

By Authority: E. V. Paul, Government Printer, Wellington. —1946. Price 9d.]