H.—22,

10

Incunabula. —Supplementary lists of an additional forty-eight fifteenth-century books were prepared and sent to the Commission preparing the world list, this bringing up the number of such books in New Zealand to 176. No doubt there are many more, and there are several collectors who are procuring more from England from time to time. Copies of Documents. —During the year a Mrs. Gaunt, of Leeds, visited the library. She has purchased the old home of Samuel Marsden, with the view of presenting it as a memorial to the people of England. She saw the Marsden Journal of 1819, and a copy of it was made for her, the work being superintended in the library. Etchings. —The late Mr. Turnbull had collected about two hundred examples of etchings by Australasian artists : mounts have been prepared for these, and the etchings have been arranged under the various artists. The large volumes of etchings by famous European artists, including Renibrant, have, through the. kindness of the Parliament Library Committee, been transferred to the library. This collection, presented to the New Zealand Government by the Danish Bishop Monrad in 1869, comprises about six hundred etchings, and it is proposed to place these in mounts also, partly for preservation and partly for greater ease of inspection ; and the whole of the etchings will form a nucleus that will probably form part of tin; Dominion Art Gallery when such is established. In the meantime it is hoped that representative New Zealand work may be added. This work has been done, not because it is considered part of tin; library work, but because it is felt that a start should be made in this direction, the work being carried on later by such body as may be constituted to control the Dominion Art Gallery. Readers and Students. — Fifty-six new permits have been issued during the year, and fairly regular use has been made by students of the library, especially in the evenings, for thesis works, dealing generally with phases of colonization, history, and economics. Visitors. —Over six hundred and fifty visitors were, shown over the library during the year, besides some three hundred midshipmen from the visiting Japanese warships in February, 1924, bringing the total number of visitors up to about one thousand. Included in these were classes from public, secondary, and private schools, to which classes short talks wen; given on literary and other subjects, besides showing them over the library. Work of the Staff.- Besides the usual work of tin; library, cataloguing, writing cards, making books ready for binding, arranging them in classified order on the shelves, &c., the staff has spent much time in showing visitors over the, library. The translation of Meryon's letters, written at Akaroa in 1842, was finished early in the year, and other translation is in hand, ft is hoped that books concerning New Zealand in other tongues may from time to time be made available by translation in tin; library. Many of these books contain ethnological and other matter of interest to local ethnologists. Census and Statistics Office. During the last twelve months all branches of work have been kept well up to date. Several new departures have been made, and there have been numerous extensions of existing activities. Census of 1921. —The tabulation of the census results has proceeded steadily, in spite of delays occasioned'by the utilization of the small mechanical plant lor other branches of statistics. So far nine of the sixteen parts containing the census results have been published, together with three volumes of appendices, and two of interim returns, and the remaining seven parts and the general report an; in course of preparation. Fire-insurance Statistics. —As mentioned in tin; report of the office for the previous year, a classification of fin; risks for statistical purposes was drawn up and agreed to, after the matter had been exhaustively discussed between representatives of the Fire Underwriters' Associations, the State Fin; Insurance Office, and this Office;. The collection of data from which to compile an experience for the various classes of risks was commenced in January, 1924, and the mechanical appliances of the Office are being utilized to handle the immense amount of detail work involved. Statistics of Incomes. During the year a system of annual statistics of incomes was inaugurated, the Powers tabulating plant being employed. For the purposes of these statistics a card is punched in the Inland Revenue Department for each income-tax return, only the statistical items being taken into account, and the name not being disclosed. The tabulation from the cards is done in this Office, which publishes the resultant statistical tables. Sports Census. —A somewhat unique branch of statistical inquiry is represented by the census of sports bodies recently taken by this Office. As the inquiry was necessarily confined to those branches of sport which have; a Dominion or provincial organization, and to those; clubs which are affiliated to the various associations or unions, the statistics will to a certain extent be incomplete. They are nevertheless of considerable value and interest. New Work. —Reference has already been made to certain principal items of new work recently undertaken. In addition to those specially mentioned, brief reference to other items may here be given. To enable the Government to know the amount of new money actually being raised by local authorities, and incidentally the amount represented by unexpended loan authorities, the quarterly collection of returns giving this information has been authorized, and will be put in hand shortly. Regulations have recently been gazetted under the Census and Statistics Act to authorize the collection, as at the 31st March and 31st July in each year, of statistics of stocks of egg-pulp, and the results will be published in the Monthly Abstract of Statistics for general information. The compilation and tabulation work in connection with the intelligence tests recently, undertaken by the Education Department is being done in this Office on the Powers plant. Maoris. —It has hitherto been customary, except in certain special cases, to omit Maoris from the peculation totals used whim computing rates, &c, per head of population. This system originated at a time when statistical knowledge of the numbers and location of the race was very imperfect, and