A MATTER FOR DR. NEWMAN.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 544, 26 June 1909, Page 3

A MATTER FOR DR. NEWMAN.

■. Sir.-r-I,should like,, if I may be permitted to do-so, to call tho. attention of bis Worship the Mayor te; : tho, deplorable state of ; the 'Public Library as regards New' Zealand literature. ,:I .think there aro some halfdozen volumes; , in; ■: tho -Lending Library (mostly th«;worso for.wear), and 'about twice that number in the Reference-Library,-. some of .which, have been presented "bv publicspirrted, citizens., :..-•;,: ','■";.. , . Surely, this is not 'a ..fair; representation' 7 i- j, o ' e i°f tne . works;concerning Now Aealaad? Ao a certain bookseller's in Wellington thoroiis a special bookstall devoted ; to. Now Zealand; books ,only, • and' ,thoy mako a,.very brave, show, indeed. Now,, could-not some of these with advantage' be. now and again purchased for,tho library?; Most of thorn naturally. aio of a historical nature but there are,;many .celebrated New, Zealand authors, of -fiction,- arid are they/to bi forever unhbnoured? : : ■ .Let a halt bo called'forialittle'while in the continual purchase of il Apierica'ri : anof foreign fiction until we are represonted'ourselves. If some more space is not : deVbted to New Zealand books,-many, a budding M'Nab or Sir George Grey may > ''poriaps,Vbe'b'orn to blush unseen' from tho fact that-ho is disheartened by tho lackof availablDmaterial to commence om Nothing!,, has given, me greater plcasuro for many years than to hear that the council.are going to lay out a native section at, the , Botanical', Gardens,' and' in pursuance.of the- same policy '. so;splendidly inaugurated, I hopo they will hot forget to consider, the records of tho,stirring days of old New Zealand.—Lam, etc., '. . - > ''■■ or - . - HORACE' SKIMPOLE. • Jnne 26,- >.-. ■■■•■;-. v.'- ■<■■■,-.■