The Turnbull Library.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16266, 17 July 1918, Page 6

The Turnbull Library.

The late Mr Alexander Turnbull's noble bequest to the nation is tho subject of a Ministerial statement which will cause general gratification, and, perhaps, some relief to those who feared that the Turnbull collection might jot receive the treatment suitable to its great interest and importance. Tho Hon. the Minister for Internal Affairs announces that the collection will be known as the Turnbull Library, and will be housed in the building which at present contains it, and which the Government have decided to purchase as it stands. Wo suggested in these columns that this purchase should be made, and we heartily congratulate the Government upon having so proniptlv come to th» right decision. Th 3

building was erected by Mr Turnbull expressly for the safe and proper housing of his collection, which will now remain exactly as bo arranged it. Apparently no special librarian is to be appointed for the new Library, which will be under the management of the Parliamentary Librarian, with th© general administration in the hands of the Board of Art and Science. That is a ■matter of detail, howover, for the main thing was the preservation of the collection in its present home, which happens to be exactly opposite the Parliament Buildings, and therefore in as good a place as could be devised. Now that they have obtained this magniiiccnt collection, wo hopo tho Government will do just what Mr Turnbull would have done had ho lived, and keep tho collection up to date. They should see to it that there shall be no omission to add to the collection any book or pamphlet or paper the inclusion of which would be attended to by Mr Turnbull himsoif, so that as time passes the Library will increase in size, extent, and value. Already it is a great national asset, and with care and zoal on the part of the Government it cannot help becoming in the course of years the most wonderful library of the kind in the world, and a fine memorial of its founder.