NOTES AND COMMENTARY

Turnbull Library Record, Volume 4, Issue 2, 1 October 1971, Page 122

NOTES AND COMMENTARY

Recent Exhibitions The Library’s collections of 12th to 16th century manuscripts (about a score) and of incunabula (about 70) have long been regarded as being chiefly useful as examples in our coverage of the history of the book. However, Mr Christopher de Hamel of Knox College, Dunedin, while employed here as a vacation-worker made an especial study of our holdings in those fields and found much of considerable interest and value. He arranged an outstanding exhibition and it is hoped that he may be able to expand his captions for publication as one of the library’s Bibliographical Lists. The 72 Piranesi etchings, part of the 1953 bequest of Percy Watts Rule of Timaru, were exhibited by the Auckland City Art Gallery in 1963 and in this Library on their return. They have again been shown here to accompany the exhibition of mediaeval manuscripts and early printed books. Mr A. D. Mclntosh, cmg, Chairman of Trustees, on Wednesday, 1 September, opened an exhibition of New Zealand land sub-divisional maps and deeds. The exhibition, largely prepared by Mr B. W. Marshall, Map Librarian, assisted by Miss K. S. Williams and the Chief Librarian, was arranged in conjunction with the Lands and Deeds Division of the Justice Department, who kindly supplied appropriate documents. The display, which was the first occasion on which the Library had prepared a selection from its map holdings, was mounted to mark in part the centenary - actually in September 1970 - of the introduction of the Land Transfer or Torrens System into New Zealand by the passing of the Land Transfer Act in 1870.

Library Functions Following the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting on 9 June, Mr R. F. Grover spoke on ‘New Zealand historical resources held in Australia’. A revision of his paper is in this issue. On 4 August Professor D. F. McKenzie addressed members on the Indecent Publications Tribunal, an intimate view by a former member. It is a matter for regret that this fascinating survey illustrated by appropriate examples of all categories of publications, which had been considered by the Tribunal, was not recorded. However, informality of the occasion no doubt gave Professor McKenzie an opportunity to range freely over problems and issues which had exercised him considerably while acting in this most difficult and increasingly onerous role.

Recent Acquisitions The Library’s recent purchases and donations of paintings and sketches are included in the formal list of acquisitions in this issue prepared by Mrs Janet Paul. Recent highlights, however, were the purchase at Sotheby’s of thirty-four New Zealand paintings of the 1860 s by Lieutenant-Colonel Gold and a wide range of Swainson sketches similarly purchased at a Wanganui auction earlier this year. Mrs Paul’s investigations, still in progress, have provisionally identified in the Swainson group a most interesting small collection of Canadian sketches done by Sir John Franklin and/or Dr John Richardson during Canadian arctic exploring expeditions in 1820 and 1826. The Library has acquired from Messrs T. J. and H. H. Harper a collection of papers relating to the Reverend Richard Taylor and the Harper family which formed part of the residue of the estate of the late Miss Laura Harper. In addition to some interesting earlier correspondence and journals of the Reverend Richard Taylor himself, the most significant item is his sketch book, one of several which he apparently made up from his field books for members of the family. This however is clearly the most important so far seen, containing as it does the original drawings for the head pieces in Te ika a Maui. Mrs Rosamund Wilson has most generously donated the Rolleston papers in her possession with many others elsewhere in the family, which she brought together as the research foundation for her book, William and Mary Rolleston (1970).

Forthcoming publications The Alexander Turnbull Library Endowment Trust last year decided that it should itself undertake the publication of appropriate monographs based on material in the Library. Following advice of the bequest of the late H. B. Fleck, the Trust also decided that such works should be published with the assistance of funds from this bequest, all such works to carry the note on the back of the title-page ‘H. B. Fleck Memorial Fund’. The first book to be published in this series, Dr Andrew Sharp’s Duperrey’s Visit to New Zealand in 1824, should be available in November. The New Zealand price has been provisionally fixed at $4.75. The Trust, in conjunction with the Victoria University of Wellington, is also publishing the London Journal of Edward Jerningham Wakefield, edited by Professor Joan Stevens, which should be on the market in the latter part of 1972. It is hoped also that 1972 will see the first steps in the publication of Dr McCormick’s biography of A. H. Turnbull now approaching completion.