HISTORICAL ARCHIVES

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3025, 12 March 1917, Page 7

HISTORICAL ARCHIVES

•■ — - —^ —_ MOVEMENT FOR A NATIONAL COLLECTION ) . APPEAL TO THE COUNTRY • ' Tho Government is endeavouring to Obtain historical materials, which, are jo havo a homo eventually in tho projected Dominion Library. In this movement New Zealand has not been in advance of 6ome other countries of tho Empire, hut it is hoped that, by the goodwill of numbers of pcoplo who are ablo to help, tho Dominion will not lag behind other States. lit .Ulo confidence that tho appeal would .•not bo in vain tho Minister of Internal ; Affairs (the Hon. G, W. lliisscll) has stated in a circular letter:— "It is tho intention of tho Government of New Zealand to found a-col-,'leetion relating to tlio history of tho Dominion from its commencement, aud consisting of State archives and such ■ 'Bnvato material as may bo available :As you may have in, your possession :i>apors, portraits, or other documents of considerable interest iu this direction, I vonturo to hope that you will ..present them to our national collection, 'thus ensuring their permanent preservation. Any papers so presented will Mi due course bo accessible to the people of tho country, while, if you wish to impose a condition of secrecy for a stated period, the Govemmont will ,-Sivo .you an assurance upon that point, i seal tho papers as arranged. I need ! hardly point out that, from the point j •of new of historical research, any ma-1 *onals which you may possess will bo i of much greater value and service when placed in a national collection than .when held privately. I hope, therefore, ! that yon will, kindly respond to this! appeal, and thus assist in making tt ] collection of archives worthy of the Dominion."

. Tho rational collection, states tho appeal, must always take tho premier' cl av^ u ". historical collections «t t the Dominion, for it already contains the archives or State papers of the earlier Provincial Governments and •ot: .the Central Government, papers' which must always be the chief sourco ■ot information for tho political history •of the Dominion. In addition, the resource of tho /State are behind it for .tho acgnisition of historical material ■which 1S offered for salo. Its growth by this latter mothod proceeds apaco. interesting items which have been thus •obtained in recent years include an autograph letter of Captain Cook, a, collection 'of fift,y- s i x water-colour skotches illustrating incidents of tho '«Tlr W, E b J Ma i Ol -Ge"oral Kobley; and the Gordon collection of several ■hundred photographs of.officers and men who served, in the Maori War. Donations of considerable interest includ«W^f Um A\ r °/ sketches of the Lower Hutt valley as it was m the 'forties, from the pencil of. the late Mr. W Swainson, F.R.S. inese few examples servo to show that the nucleus of a collection already ox!sts on which a. national collection wthy of the Dominion' may be built. ■the board needs the aid of all people who can help m the achievement of tins ideal.

National Sentiment and History. '• The history of New Zealand starts tar hack in. tho Homeland, and it is important that in emphasizing our local history as a branch of the British ?f^ eS c I ? L N6w Zealand we d ° not lose "ipt. of the great and glorious history of our ancestors. The-great war has Wlit home-to-the people of Great ■Britain the rapidly-growing sense of nationally, in the Dominions. On the ttrfl? f a TO' ?> w invalided- from GalhpoH to En E land, thelinseums Association of Great Brioffering to organise and present ■to the chief museums of, the overseas Dominions collections illustrative of the Wy of the British race from the earliest times. The samo growing sense of nationality makes the time ripe for a great revival of interest in our local •nistory. Among the heroes of GalliPoll, the little band who fell in Meso- ■ potamia, and those who died, as well as those who fight to-day in Prance, are many bearing names that stand modestly m the lists of our early pion. ears. The national spirit is created in mutual privation, mutual self-sacrifice mutual courage, mutual rejoicing. It Js onryoy making ourselves conversant . with the courage, tho patience, and the . energy of our pioneer settlers that we can realise the part they played, and ■ lionour their achievements, as tho founders of our. nation. The national spirit with regard to our soldiers has ■ developed with the natural rapidity of abnormal circumstances and conditions and a national spirit with regard to those who gave-them birth" should no longer lack stimulation. Gifts Specially Desired, _ (1) State papers (either British, foreitrn, or colonial) of any description relating to New Zealand. /2) Personal papers, such as diaries, letter-books, letters from prominent men and women, telegrams, manuscripts of speechos, memoranda, account books, wills (or copies of samo), and any other documents of interest. (3) Busts, portraits, or photographs (-1) Views of Now Zealand, town or country, including photographs, oil and water colours, sketches, etc. (5) Early' maps and plans, including those of interest in connection with a war, and with early settlement of towns, suburbs, etc. (6) Minute books of s,«rfeties or corporations, prior to 1870. _ (7) Logs of vessels, and records relative to shipping trade, industry, farming, imports and exports. (8) Early nowspapors, printed leaflets, pamphlets, almanacs, directories, programmes of meetings and entertainments, menu cards, etc., prior to 1870. (9) Maori manuscripts, accounts, receipts, napers, newspapers, etc. . (10) Whilst suggesting the above, it is hoped that any other document or article you think will assist the colv lection will be forwarded by you. (11) It is particularly requested that letters written from the front during tho present great. European war should bo sent in.