AUSTRALASIA.

Hokitika Guardian, 25 February 1922, Page 4

AUSTRALASIA.

OUR HISTORICAL ARCHIVES.

OVERSEAS SCHOLAR ON NEED FOR NATIONAL LIBRARY.

“.THE BEBPIiB’S UNIVERSITY.”

The importance of collecting in asuitable repository the archives and j historical records of New Zealand can. I never be considered vntjiout giving se- j .rious thought to the part the Turn- < bill Library will play in that task. It is a sister to the "Mitchell Library in Sydney, and in a sense it is a friendly rival. Both are engaged in the work of collecting and cataloguing historical, detail from Australasia.

There is one material difference between the two libraries. Although, both have been bequeathed to. the Commonwealth and the Dominion by pubtfe-sftirited citizens-n&e zlftte .D .S. Mitchell, of Sydney, and the late Alexander Turnbull, of Wellington—the Sydney Library is the only one that receives an endowment. The private bequest of Mr Mitchell provided for an annual income of £4,500 a year, which is annually expended in the purchase of Australasian hooks and manuscript. The endowment is stated by

the Mitchell Library authorities to be quite adequate for the scope of Australasian a. The costs of upkeep, salaries, etc., are defrayed by the Government of New South Wales. The Mitchell Library is really part of the State. Library; the trustees of tbe Public Library of New South Wales are its t nSt THE TURNBULL LIBRARY. Interesting reflections on the value of the Turnbull Library to the Dominion wore made yesterday to a representative of the “Times” by Mr

W. H. Ifould, principal librarian of Now South Wales, who has been spending the last were looking through it. “For all students, and people with intellectual interests, whether New Zealanders or visitors from overseas, Wellington, must for all time,” he said, “have one great centre of interest in the Turnbull Library bequeathed to the people of the Dominion by the late Alexander Turnbull. I gather, fiom the visitors’ book and conversation with the librarian, Mr Andersen, that New Zealanders have not themselves vet recognised the richness of this fine collection. I have come specially. from Sydney to see it. You would he surprised at the number of inquiries I have received from all over the world, in regard to the- Turnbull Library. Some day, before very long, I hope New Zealanders will realise the pricelessness of this possession, and that the Press will awaken and maintain their interest in it. NECESSITY FOR ENDOWMENT. “The Turnbull Library badly needs an endowment. It should be made tlie national library. The more endowment you will get, the more will you rival the Mitchell 1 library. The Turnbull Library should he the Department of the Archives, and become an active bureau of information. Wealthy private citizens and the State should vie with each other in making it fulfil its destiny. A great State library is no longer a luxury. Tbe library is the people’s university. Its position in tbe ■cducaticnnl system of the modiern State and its direct utility to all classes of people are unassailable. Books are increasingly expensive, and in the number needed, are beyond the purchasing power of all but wealthy individuals. Alexandm Turnbull, like David Mitchell, built up a wonderful private library, containing unique Austrnlasiann, the most beautiful editions of English classics, and the finest examples of moder book production, such as, for instance, a complete collectin of the famous Kelmsscott Press rarities that would make the richest of American bibliophiles envious. I do not know of any library in the world, except it he the British Museum that has the Kelmscott. The treasures are bound hv the htst binders—Riviere, Zalinsdorf, Sangorski, and fillers, and are superior to anything we have in Australia. The Milton collection in the Turnbull Library is the best I have ever seen, and includes amongst other rarities the first form of “Comus,” which Milton issued as a mosque. I have been trying to, find a copy of the Masque. I am sure it is the only one south of the line. It alone would cost £BSO. The set of De Dry’s Peregrinations is also the best 1 have seen. AUSTRALASIAN DISCOVERIES. “You have among the manuscripts the original diary of ftamuel Mars den's second visit to New Zealand in 1810 and Captain Cook’s leg of 11.M.5. Engle, written in ]755-0. Cook’s log fills in a hiatus in his biography. It was dicovercd in a Melbourne pawnshop by Professor Morris, of the Melbourne University, and came into the ‘possession of .Alexander Turnbull. There is also an anonymous log of the Endeavour, 1708-70, which is very interesting. T must try and discover wlro really wrote it. It is not written by the clerk who accompanied Captain I Cook—l know bis writing very well—and it is certainly not in Captain Cook’s writing. There is a, contemporary copy of Sir Joseph Banks’s record of his expedition,. J think this is an exact copy of the original Banks journal, which we have in Sydney. T am getting some of the pages photographed, in order to compare them.” EARLY NEW ZEALAND ARCHIVES. Asked as to his future movements, Mr Ifould said he intended visiting Dunedin, to see the Hoeken collection —-Dr Hoeken, a former coroner, was a keen clleotor of New Zealand material. Tlrei Dunedin Library contained, lie said, some very valuable manuscripts and Maori material. There is also tiherje the collection op Mr McNnib the editor of the official records. Mr Ifould intends inspecting the beautiful mediaeval eliminated manuscripts in the Auokand Library. “Wo do not possess these at all in Australia,” he ( said. ! “LARGEST BOOK-BUYING COUN- ! TRY.” ! “New Zeajaprl is an isolated country,” said the visitor, in conclusion, “and needs working libraries more than any other country. We know your people are wonderful bopk-b.uyeps, j’roip the statistics. T do not think" there is any country in the world that buys a greater quantity of books. But you do not appear yet to ha-ye realised the importapee of a stgte library. Yes, I a m aware pf the decentralised n,sv<of your population. We are differently situated, certainly; but do you know

twe send reference library books on : agriculture and otlief matters pertain- ! ing to primary production to farmers ■ away in the .backblocka? Wc have to keep as many as thirty copies of a j standard work on farming. We make I no inquiries. A farmer writes for a j book, and it is sent to Jiim, free of all charge. In time, New Zealand will : have to do that. Farmers cannot pos=. ] sihly introduce the most modem metlij ofjs of agriculture with the assistance . j that they get from .Departmental re- j j ports and the Press alone. They must

| have before them the experience of j j other countries.” . j : » i