GENERAL ASSEMBLY LIBRARY (REPORT OF THE CHIEF LIBRARIAN FOR THE YEAR 1919-20).

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1920 Session I, H-32

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1920. NEW ZEALAND.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY LIBRARY (REPORT OF THE CHIEF LIBRARIAN FOR THE YEAR 1919-20).

Laid on the Table of the House of Representatives by Leave.

The Chief Librarian to the Chairman of the Joint Library Committee. Sir, — I have the honour to submit the following report for the year 1919—20: — Recess Library Committee. The Recess Library Committee, under the chairmanship of the Hon. Sir William Hall-Jones, K.C.M.G., M.L.C., held three meetings during the recess. Lists of bonks suggested for order by the Chief Librarian were brought before the Committee and duly considered. Additions to the Library. The Accessions Register shows that during the period 20th June, 1919, to Ist August, 1920. the number of catalogued accessions was 2,772, which is slightly in excess of the number registered during the same period in L 918—19. 'flic Imperial Government has not yet fully resumed the supply of official publications, but the American official exchanges are now arriving with pre-war regularity, and next year's report should show a substantial increase in the number of accessions. The total number of catalogued items as shown by the Accessions Register on the Ist August, 192(1. was 99,675. As was to be expected, the importance of so many of the war problems is prominently reflected in the Sociology Section, in which will be found a large number of specially interesting and valuable works. The paper shortage and the greatly increased cost of production have had the effect of limiting the number of new works issued by Both the English and the American publishers. Mane important works are, it is understood, held over for a time. The Staff. There have been no changes in the staff arrangements during the year. Air. McColl was unfortunately compelled to go into the Treutham military hospital for some weeks owing to an old wound trouble, but has now returned to his duties. Annual Stock-taking. The stock-taking this year was confined to Class 300, the largest class in the Library, comprising as it does works on political science, law, and constitutional history, education, public health, and sociology generally. The last stock-taking in this class was in 1914, when fifty-six volumes were reported missing. The total number of books checked during the recent stock-taking was 11,244, and the total number of missing volumes is reported as being 10. This shows that a large proportion of the volumes reported missing in 1914 have been recovered; and when it is considered that since the previous stock-taking some 1,500 volumes have been added to the Library in this particular class, the result of this year's stock-taking must. I think, be deemed very satisfactory. Books for the Islands Trip. At the request of the Hon. Sir James Allen, X.C.8., M.P. (Minister of Defence), and with the approval of the Hon. Sir William Hall-Jones. K.C.M.G., M.L.C. (Chairman of the Recess Library Committee), a collection of books dealing with the history, ethnology, and sociology of the South Seas was placed on board the s.s. " Mokoia " for the use of members of the parliamentary party. Some five hundred volumes (including a supply of fiction) formed the " Mokoia's " library, which was placed under the superintendence of the Chief Librarian. The books proved of great use to members making the trip, the works dealing with the various islands visited being in special and frequent request. 1 am glad to be able to report that at the close of the trip only one volume, a novel of no great value, was found to have been lost.

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Shields, Portraits, Etc. During the year two of the older shields of members' portraits have been rephotographed, the original portraits having become so faint as to be unidentifiable. There lias also been placed in the Library- a hue enlarged photographic portrait of Sir Frederick Weld. The Library Annexe. further transferences to the Library Annexe (the rooms recently occupied by the Valuation Department) have been made of works not in frequent demand. By the permission of the Recess Library Committee a portion of the Annexe has been lent for occupation by some of the staff of the Health Department. The increasing demand for more writing-accommodation foi members, together with the necessity for making further transferences of books from the basement find elsewhere, will render it imperative for the room lent to be handed back to the Library as soon as possible. Miscei.i.axfofs. A new card-catalogue cabinet has been ordered, and is now being made by the Public Works Department. The cases constructed for housing the books taken on the islands trip have been utilized for the accommodation of New Zealand books. The existing New Zealand cases had long been overcrowded. There will now be no necessity, at least for some time to come, for another New Zealand case to be specially made. 1 again draw attention to the desirableness of the Library walls being repainted or subjected to some process of cleaning. Copies of the Library rules, with lists of persons on the full-privileges list, were circulated, according to the usual custom, at the commencement of the session. A large number of baskets of books were sent to members during the recess. The usual monthly lists of new accessions have been sent out. Much useful work in the way of repairing, &c., has been done by the Library binder. Mr. C. Johnston. So far the guillotine which I was authorized last session to purchase for the Library bindery has not been procured, but 1 hope to secure such a machine at a reasonable price in the near future. The Library orders for books and periodicals purchased in England have, as usual, been entrusted to Messrs. Sotheran and Co. and Street and Co. respectively, and have received due attention. I have to express my thanks to the Chairman of the Joint Library Committee (the Hon. G. J. Anderson, M.P.) and to the Chairman of the Recess Library Committee (the Hon. Sir William Hall-Jones, K.C.M.G., M.L.C.) for the attention paid by these gentlemen to Library matters during the year; also to the High Commissioner and his staff for the promptitude and care displayed by them in connection with Library business in London. Library Accounts. In an appendix will be found the Library balance-sheet for the year ended 31st March, 1920, with a copy of the auditor's certificate. I have, &c, Charles Wilson, Chief Librarian.

APPENDIX. GENERAL ASSEMBLY LIBRARY Balance-sheet for the Year ended 31st March, 1920. Receipts. € s. d. j Expenditure. £ s. d. Balance, Ist September, 1919 .. .. 600 18 8 | Purchase books, periodicals, &c. — Treasury—Annual grant .. .. 600 0 0 Great Britain.. .. .. .. 4-90 11 0 Treasury—Private Bill fees .. .. 50 0 0 New Zealand .. . . .. 427 2 i Rephotographing shields, frames, &c. •• 22 7 (> Fire insurance .. . . .. 18 0 0 Cheque-books .. .. .. 10 0 Sundry small accounts .. .. 7 10 11 Balance, 31st March, 1920, at Bank of New Zealand .. .. .. 284 0 11 tl.i>:,n IS s £1,250 18 8 Examined and found correct. —Robert J. Collins, Controller and Auditor-General.

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