THE TUBNBULL LIBRARY

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 12, 9 October 1919, Page 4

THE TUBNBULL LIBRARY

HOW BEnWiCF.N(;B IS RECOGNISED. , . The fact that the Stamp Department is proceeding to collect taxation on tie estatb of the late Mr. Alex. Turnbull. who gave to the country the priceless trophies of a lifetime work as a collector of New Zealand historical records and rare editions of notable works, was mentioned in the House of Rem/cseutativeg yesterday by Dr. Kcwmaii. He said that very few people realised how valuable the library was. Mr. lurnbu.ll hail been a collector also of Maori curios, ami he had given his collection to tlio Rational Museum. No man, whatever his wealth, could'ever get such another col- , lection. He wished to draw the Minister's vattention to the fact that while Mr. Turnbull had presented tills wonder till library to the country, Mr. lurnbiilla estate wtis being taxed. There was a cow before the Supremo Court'on the sub- - iect He ■wished to ask the Minister . whether he would bring the question before Cabinet with the object of having a » clause inserted in some Bill Bus session to provide that if a man made bequests to the nation of gifts worth many thousands of pounds, the residue of the estate should not 'be taxed. Much was said often about the duty t» rich people to • give'to the nation, but this seemed to bo well calculated to discourage gifts. Hβ thought tho anomaly ought to be remedied this session. , The, Minister (Major Hine) said that the request was a very reasonable one. Ho would place it before Cabinet, and he believed that Cabinet ought to comply with it at. once. It seemed to him unreasonable that the country should tax tlio residue of an estate in finch cases. _ Tli« Minuter also answered a series of questions that hod ken .mode regardir? the future control of the library, lie said that it was proposed to vest control in some board. He.was not sure whether it would be the Board of Science and Art. He would make further inquiries into the matter.