H.—32

1915. NEW ZEALAND.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY LIBRARY. REPORT OF THE CHIEF LIBRARIAN FOR THE YEAR 1914-15.

Laid on the Table by Leave of the House.

The Chief Librarian to the Chairman of the Joint Library Committee. Sir, — I have the honour to submit the following report for the year 1914-15 : — Recess Library Committee. The Recess Library Committee, under the chairmanship of Sir William Hall-Jones, K.C.M.G., M.L.C., held three meetings during the recess. Lists of books suggested for order were brought before the Committee by the Chief Librarian and duly considered. Recess Privileges. The number of privilege permits issued to non-members during the recess was 415, as against 439 in 1913-14; the number of volumes lent to ordinary recess-privilege holders being 3,945, as against 3,642 issued during the recess 1913-14. This number does not include the volumes lent to persons whose names are on the full-privilege lists, such as the members of the Governor's staff, the Judges, and the officers of the House. As usual, no fiction was issued save to persons on the full-privilege list. The following is a list of the occupations of those to whom ordinaryprivilege permits were issued : Actuaries, 4 ; agents, 4 ; architects, 2 ; artists, 2; art dealer, 1 ; bank officials, 6 ; bookseller, 1 : butcher, 1 ; bootmakers, 2 ; City Council employee, 1; chemists, 2 ; Civil servants, 100; civil engineers, 4; clergymen, 13; clerks, 21; domestic duties, 37; doctor, 1; drapers, 2; electrician, 1; gardener, 1 ; Government employees (other than Civil servants), 26 ; hairdressers, 2 ; Inspector of Schools, 1; journalists, 7 ; lawyers, 15 ; machinists, 3 ; masseur, 1; managers, secretaries, &c, 12; merchants, 4; military officers, 2; musicians, 4; Native Land Court Judge, 1 ; painter, 1 ; photographers, 3 ; private means, 4; settlers and settlers' wives, 66; shorthand reporters and typists, 8; school-teachers, 23; students, 19; tailoress, 1; visitors to Wellington, 2 ; warehousemen, 2. Classes of Works favoured by Permit-holders. The classes of works mainly favoured by privilege-holders were biography, science, history, voyages and travels, poetry, and essays, in the above order. I have nothing to complain of in the way the books have been treated by borrowers. Additions to the Library. The Accessions List for the year 1914-15, copies of which have been issued to members of both Houses, includes all books and publications added to the Library and catalogued during the period 7th June, 1914, to 3rd May, 1915, the number being 3,521, as against 2,652 in an almost equal period 1913-14, and 2,647 for the period 1912-13. Between the 3rd May and the date of the opening of Parliament (24th June) 879 more publications have been catalogued, making a grand total of 4,400 books from the 7th June, 1914, to the 24th June, 1915. Although, by reason of the war, the publication of many important works has been postponed, it will be found that the accessions for the year include a large number of exceptionally interesting and valuable books. Special attention has been paid to literature dealing with the war, duplicate copies having been provided in many instances where the works were of such a character as to render it probable they would be in special demand. A large number of works, new and old, dealing with the history of the countries affected, and more particularly with their political and military history, will also be found among the accessions. Amongst the important works of reference added during the year will be found a full set (sixty-three volumes) of the " Proceedings of the Scottish Historical Society." Another notable addition to the Library is a set of the'English '-Law Times Reports" from 1904 to the present year. We are now receiving these reports regularly, and they will be bound as the various volumes are completed.