GENERAL ASSEMBLY LIBRARY. REPORT OF THE CHIEF LIBRARIAN FOR THE YEAR 1920-21.

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1921 Session I-II, H-32

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Session 11. 1921. NEW ZEALAND.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY LIBRARY. REPORT OF THE CHIEF LIBRARIAN FOR THE YEAR 1920-21.

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 1920-21 : — Recess Library Committee. The Recess Library Committee, under the chairmanship of the Hon. Sir William Hall-Jones, K.C.M.G., M.L.C., and later under the chairmanship of the Hon. Dr. Collins, M.L.C. (Deputy Chairman), held three meetings during the recess. Lists of books 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 Ist August, 1920, to 31st July, 1921, the number of catalogued accessions was 2,687. The total number of catalogued items, as shown by the Accessions Register, on the Ist November 1921, was 102,725. The Imperial Government has not as yet fully resumed the free pre-war supply of official publications, and, indeed, is now charging for certain publications formerly supplied gratis. American official publications are now arriving with their pre-war regularity. An interesting and important addition to the Library is a set of choicely bound volumes containing the texts of the various Peace Treaties, which have been presented by the Right Hon. the Prime Minister. These have been placed in a specially designed case in the upstairs lobby of the Library. Staff Changes. Mr. H. J. Millen, for some years an industrious and valued member of the staff, resigned his position, for personal reasons, in July last. In view of the need for economy I have not applied to the Minister in Charge of the Library for a successor to Mr. Millen. The Library messenger, P. Forrest, also resigned his position in July last. He has been succeeded by a younger man, C. Brown, at a smaller salary. The saving effected in connection with the two positions is a little over £330 per annum. Annual Stock-taking. The stock-taking this year dealt with three classes—Class 000, bibliography, bound newspapers and periodicals, &c. ; Class 100, philosophy, psychology, &c. ; and Class 700, art, architecture, &c. The result shown by the stock-taking is very satisfactory. Since stock was last taken in Class 000, 1,315 volumes have been added to this class. The result of this year's stock-taking shows that only two volumes are now missing. In each case the missing volume is a catalogue of no great importance. In Class 100 every book catalogued was found to be either on the shelves or entered on the issue cards. In Class 700, when stock was last taken, eleven volumes were found to be missing. Since then 409 volumes have been added in this class. Five books are now missing. The total number of volumes checked in the three classes was 6,101.

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Recess-privilege Holders. The number of persons to whom recess privileges or permits were issued was 757, the highest for some years. A large proportion of the permit-holders, however, have only visited the Library once or twice, and many of them have never taken books out. The total number of books of all classes taken out by permit-holders was 12,290. No fiction has been issued to ordinary-privilege holders, the issue of such literature being strictly confined to members of both Houses and those on the full-privilege list. Miscellaneous. A portrait shield of members of the last Parliament has been placed in the Library. An interesting memento of a very notable event in the history of the Empire and of the Dominion has been placed in the Main Reading-room of the Library. This is a pedestal and case holding the pen and stamp used by the Right Hon. the Prime Minister of New Zealand on the occasion of his signing the various Peace Treaties at Versailles. The usual monthly lists of new accessions have been issued to members during the recess. A large number of baskets of books have been sent out to members during the recess. The Library orders for books and periodicals purchased in England have, as usual, been entrusted to Messrs. Sotheran and Co. and Messrs. 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. M. Thomson, M.L.C.), and to the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Recess Library Committee (the Hon. Sir William Hall-Jones, K.C.M.G., M.L.C., and the Hon. Dr. Collins, 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, 1921, 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, 1921. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. Balance, Ist April, 1920 .. . . 284 611 Purchase of books, periodicals, Treasury—Private Bill fees .. .. 25 0 0 &c— £ s. d. Treasury—Annual grant .. .. 800 0 0 Great Britain .. 473 17 5 New Zealand .. 466 14 8 San Francisco .. 39 3 2 979 15 3 Fire insurance .. .. 18 0 0 Sundries .. .. .. 13 3 0 Balance, 31st March, 1921— Bank of New Zealand 170 7 11 Ijess unp resented cheques 71 19 3 98 8 8 £1,109 6 11 £1,109 6 11 Examined and found correct. —Robert J. Collins, Controller and Auditor-General.

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