BOOK STEALING.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1505, 30 July 1912, Page 10

BOOK STEALING.

LOSSES FROM AUCKLAND PUBLIC' LIBRARY. , (By Teleffraph.—Special Correspondent.) Auckland, July 28. The reference department of the Public Library in Auckland Buttered depletion to the oxtent of 41 volumes during tho past year, while 21 books wero lost from the lending department between 1910 and 1911. The latter branch lost no fewer than 51 books in 1900, while in 1!)08, and again in li) 09 tho removals totalled only 15 for each year. During 1908 a total of 33 were taken. Sometimes stolen books are returned as long after removal as a year or so; the qualms of conscience are slow in working. The pettiness of the thefts is illustrated by tho paltry nature of sonio books which are stolen from the refereneo department. For instance, "The Book of Fate" appealed so strongly to someone that it accompanied him or her homo again. "The Lover's Dictionary" and "A Book on .Etiquette" (valuu Is. Gd.) were seized upon ai things worth having. The disappearance almost simultaneously of "Prize Essays on tho Volunteer System" and "Military Tonus, English and German" might bo regarded as significant by those who fear tho presence of spies from abroad. "The Debater and Art of Elocution" was spirited away, na wero also several valuable refereneo works on mechanical engineering, architecture, photography, anatomy, etc. The person who look Beardsley's standard work -"Design, Etc., of Hydro-electric Plants" was by no means modest, as the book was valued at 21s. Likewiso the individual who commandeered the large quarto-sized > book by Horo on "Tho Monumental Remains of Royal and Eminent Persons from Churches and Cathedrals of Great Britain." Librarians are, as a rule, exceedingly human in their fondness- for the books placed under their care, nud the cruellest cut of all occurs when a set of volumes is broken into. As an instance, there was in the Auckland lleference Library a full set of Victor Hugo's works (28 volumes), until some unprincipled person removed Voluino 2 of "Les Miserables." Again, Volumes G and 8 of Bret TLirto's works wero pounced upon, a of two volumes of Fleming's Induction of Electric Currents" (valued at 22».; was spoilt by the removal of ono of tho books. The disappearance of Volume 1 of "Bees and - at tho same time, as Langstroth's "Hivo and Honey Bets"doubtless synclironised with the visit of a person with a weakness for the apiary and all its works.