H.—22.

(2) Use of the Library. Again the number of readers has shown a decided increase. It is now found best to discriminate amongst readers, so that only where they are drawing upon rare or manuscript material are readers' privilege tickets insisted upon, and the surveillance of such material has been made more strict. Thus readers' tickets issued have numbered only fifty-six, but the reading attendance has risen to over 3,000. The call for the copying of rare material here still continues, and about five hundred pages of photostat and three hundred pages of typescript have been supplied both in New Zealand and abroad. The supply of our unit cards was extended during the year on an exchange basis to the Library of Congress, Washington, United States of America, and the Commonwealth Library, Canberra, Australia. Both are advantageous exchanges. (3) Exhibitions. The periodical exhibitions in the library are becoming an attractive feature, especially for educational groups, and the wide range of topics treated has brought to the library people of diverse interests. The subjects to which exhibitions have been devoted are —British Royalty and Coronation (in May, 1937), Ancient Maps and Atlases, Algernon Charles Swinburne, Henry Irving, First Explorations in New Zealand, Early New Zealand Pictures, The Maori in Early Art, Review of Treasures (over Christmas holidays), Book Illustration of Eight Centuries. This method of using rarities is apparently effective, and acknowledgment is here accorded to the ready co-operation of the press, to which numbers of articles have been contributed. The benefit is mutual, but their courtesy is much appreciated. (4) Copying of Manuscript, &c. During the year the typing of the missionary letters has been completed. These volumes provide an exceptionally fine body of material, dealing in an intimate and personal manner with the formation of new stations and settlements in the bush, and the evolution of New Zealand from its early state. The missionaries had splendid opportunities for studying customs and rituals which were soon afterwards to be abandoned, and for meeting the most famous men of the century, both Native and pakeha. The journals are particularly valuable for the conversations they record, in which the Maori point of view is shown, particularly with regard to land. Most of the missionaries were still alive during the period of the Maori wars, and their observations upon the causes and the progress of the struggle are given with considerable insight. It, is also interesting to see the extent of their influence not only in religious, but in political, questions. Few countries owe so much to early ecclesiastical influences as New Zealand ; and these journals and letters provide an invaluable source of original material for research. Those already done have been mentioned in earlier reports ; this year saw the completion of the journals of Spencer, missionary at Rotorua ; Samuel Williams, member of the famous family of New Zealand clergymen ; Ronaldson ; and Baker, of Gisborne. In addition, each volume of letters has been completely indexed, and is now available for reference. Copying has also proceeded on the letters of the famous Judge Maning, probably the best authority on Maori lore ever to set down his experiences. It will be remembered that in his youth Maning was admitted as a member of a Maori tribe, that he married a Maori woman, and that throughout his life, though he often criticized the race with considerable freedom, he was yet one of its firmest friends. His letters reveal a man of intellect and humour, and cast a searching light upon political and Native Land Court intrigues of the seventies. Two volumes of standard reference in New Zealand history have been greatly increased in usefulness by indexes being compiled from them during the year. These are Jerningham Wakefield's " Adventure in New Zealand " and the Journal of the Wellington Early Settlers and Historical Association ; and the indexes are available for use by students at the Library. (5) Donations. The library is fortunate in having not only a large number of people interested enough to make donations, but in having many who make a habit of it. To Mr. P. J. Marks, of Sydney, we are under a continual debt of gratitude for historical pamphlets, &c., while Brother George, of the Catholic Mission Press of Guadalcanal, in the Solomon Islands, sees that the Pacific languages section expands. The Methodist Mission Press of Fiji interests itself in the same field to the library's advantage. Dr. F. A. Bett, of Nelson, Mr. J. A. Ferguson, of Sydney, and Mr. T. W. Brown, of Wellington, all work for the development of the collections, and full appreciation is extended to them. The collection of works by Katherine Mansfield is growing steadily, thanks to the interest of Sir Harold Beauchamp, through whose generosity the library is securing copies of her works in first editions sumptuously bound or cased by Zaehnsdorf, of London. The latest evidence of this interest was the presentation of an exquisite miniature of his daughter, done in Canada. In the realm of pictures an especially pleasing gift was that of Mrs. Worsley, of England, of a water-colour scene of Wellington, done by the well-known artist, C. N. Worsley. From David Low, the famous New- Zealand-born cartoonist, was received a full set of his publications, all autographed by the artist. These came as a result of Mr. Andersen's (formerly Librarian) meeting with Low in London. Mr. A. J. Heighway presented a book of early adventure fiction called " The Hermit, or the Adventures of Philip Quarll in the South Seas," 1805. This first appeared in 1727, in imitation of " Robinson Crusoe," issued eight years earlier, and is one of the most famous of fictitious travel books.

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