Read Ebook: Report of the Chief Librarian for the Year Ended 31 March 1958: Special Centennial Issue by New Zealand General Assembly Library Wilson J O Burns A D Editor

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work under the cooperative system. The lowest tender for ordinary construction was ?42,000 and for fireproof ?45,300; the others were considerably higher.

On 13 April 1898 the foundation stone was laid by the Premier, Mr Seddon, and when the session began the walls were almost complete. Because of the noise it was decided that the work would have to cease. All may have been quiet there, but it was very much otherwise in the House. On the second day the Leader of the Opposition gave notice of a motion that the House regretted that His Excellency's advisers without the necessary authority had greatly exceeded the specific appropriation of ?7,000, such action being a dangerous subversion of the House's control over public expenditure. There was an acrid debate but the Government survived.

As a result of the attack, however, the Premier decided to abandon the idea of a three-storeyed building and to limit expenditure to ?25,000. The Library Committee initiated another debate in which members tried to get the Government to reconsider its decision. It was unsuccessful but during the debate some of those who had condemned the spending of more than ?7,000 advised the Government to keep to the original plans.

The architect was upset at the change and stated that the alterations had destroyed the symmetry of the building so that it was no longer a monument to his ability. As a result his name was removed from the foundation stone, and today the building, which was said to be the finest example of Victorian Gothic in the country, does not bear the name of its designer.

The Library was completed in 1899, but took some time to dry out and it was not until early 1901 that it was occupied. It is a fine building, but has many defects from a library point of view. The main reading room is probably one of the most beautiful rooms in the country, but the high windows reduce considerably the book capacity as well as allowing too much bright light on to the stock, and on to the readers.

THE EARLY LIBRARIANS

Ewen McColl, the first Librarian, died in 1881. It is hard at this time to evaluate his work, indeed the Committee was very much in control and he was its instrument. It is probable, for example, that the fine collection of newspapers of the time was due as much to the initiative of the Committee as to the Librarian.

He was succeeded by Angus MacGregor, a Scot, who had been associated, it seems, with the Dunedin Athenaeum and appears to have been a man with somewhat wider interests than his predecessor. During his time the Library bound its large collection of pamphlets, many of which are now of great value, and in addition absorbed the more worthwhile books from the Wellington Provincial Library. He also began the accessioning and shelf marking of the books. The Library was beginning to become an organised collection.

He early realised that there was little likelihood of a new library building, but his reports show that he grasped the essential aims of a library, and particularly a legislative library. His reports deplored the lack of copyright deposit in New Zealand, while he did much to make the resources of the Library available to students.

One of his main tasks was to build up the collection relating to New Zealand in the Library. This has always been essential material and in his day the Library began to fill the gaps, a task which is not yet completed. Collier's interest was great and he compiled the first New Zealand bibliography, published by the Government Printer in 1889.

The Committee then appointed Mr H. L. James, B.A., Acting Librarian. Mr James had joined the staff in 1889 and continued as a member until 1923. He was a born librarian, hampered by devotion to detail and the desire to do the almost impossible. Generally whatever he did was sound and has stood the test of time. For 10 years until January 1901 he was in charge. Though two attempts were made to appoint him Librarian, and one to appoint the Serjeant-at-Arms, Colonel De Quincey, Librarian, it was not until 1900, when the new building was almost completed, that the necessity for further staff made some additional appointments necessary and a Chief Librarian was appointed.

However useful they were from the members' point of view, they were not the best examples of the cataloguer's art. In 1890 the Committee authorised a new edition and the supervision was entrusted to Mr James, the work of compilation being done by Mr B. E. Stocker, M.A. The manuscript was completed in May 1894, but the cost of printing was so great that the length of the entries had to be cut again and again. The first volume was issued in 1895 and the second in 1897.

Unfortunately the catalogue does not give the Dewey Class number for the books. This system was adopted in April 1898 and has provided a more systematic arrangement of the books.

As Mr Wilson did not take up his new duties until February 1901, the task of making arrangements for moving into the new building fell to Mr James. Though the building was completed in 1899, it was at first too damp to hold books, and later the shelving was not ready for the stock. Mr James, however, went steadily ahead with classification while a barrage of correspondence aimed at hastening the day for entry into the new home was maintained.

THE TWENTIETH CENTURY

When the Library entered its new quarters it possessed 52,000 volumes. Ten years later it had grown to 80,000 and by 1921 to 102,000. This growth of between two and three thousand volumes a year was reduced somewhat in the twenties and in 1931 the stock was 123,000. Accessions increased during the depression years and after, so that in 1941 they totalled 159,000. Another increase occurred during the forties and an average of 5,000 volumes was added annually, bringing the number of volumes in the Library in 1951 to 200,000. It took over 60 years for the first 100,000 volumes to be added, but only 31 for the second, and early in the present financial year the quarter-million mark was passed, so that the third hundred thousand should only take 15 years.

The next expansion came in 1933 when the committee rooms adjacent to the main reading room were taken over and portion of the walls removed to give an open area. In 1938 the Library took over the remainder of the attic and portion of the first floor vacated by the Health Department. Though other alterations were made to increase shelving, no further space was taken over until 1950 when a further committee room was given to the Library. About the same time earthquake risk and alteration to the building caused the removal of books from a portion of the attic to the basement where further space had been made available. Other rooms have more recently been provided to store the books and periodicals in the Library and constant ingenuity is necessary to see that the most economical use is made of the area available.

The reasons for the expansion of the Library can be found in the increased interest in libraries generally, and in the increased vote which resulted. The fund received ?600 until 1920 when it was raised to ?800. It was reduced to ?700 in 1922 and remained at that figure until 1929 when it was raised to ?900, though it suffered the depression cuts.

These amounts were not sufficient to adequately finance the purchase of books needed for the service the Library was expected to give, and in 1938 the grant was once again raised, this time to ?1,250. Further increases were made in 1947 , 1949 , 1952 , and 1955 .

In addition there has been considerable expansion in the exchange arrangements, Government publishing having increased considerably in the United Kingdom and the United States. Arrangements for the exchange of official publications with Australia were made in 1952, while during 1957 the Canadian Government made the General Assembly Library a select depository for its publications.

Another source of material for the Library has been by gift either of individual books or of collections. They have been many and varied, and it is safe to say that the Library would not possess the wide variety of stock it does had it not been for the kindness and generosity of many donors.

COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT

The Copyright Act has also provided the Library with an increasing amount of material. Like so many other of the Library's activities, this was foreshadowed in the days when James Collier was Librarian. In his report for 1888, he suggested that the time was ripe for the enacting of a Colonial Copyright Act. Whatever was done about this there was one thing that ought to be done immediately and that was the passing of a law making provision for the deposit of one copy of every colonial publication in a central library, which library could only be the Parliamentary Library.

A letter was written from the chairman of the Library Committee to the Premier asking for instructions to be given to the Solicitor-General to prepare a Copyright Act, but nothing was done. The matter was raised again by the Acting Librarian in 1891 and 1894. In 1895 Mr W. Hutchison, M.H.R. for Dunedin, introduced the Literary Copyright Act requiring the deposit in the Library of two copies of works published in New Zealand. Nothing came of the Bill, which was discharged, though the Library Committee in welcoming it had, however, considered one copy sufficient.

There the matter rested until 1903 when two vigorous supporters of the Library, the Hon. R. McNab and the Hon. John Rigg, introduced the General Assembly Library Bill requiring publishers to present two copies of their books to the Library. The Bill passed without difficulty and became law on 30 October 1903. Though there was some argument whether the Act required the deposit of issues of periodicals, the Act was generally welcomed, and increased the amount of New Zealand material reaching the Library.

There has been little change in the provisions affecting deposit, though the previous Act is no longer in force, and has been replaced by section 52 of the Copyright Act 1913.

In the 55 years during which deposit has been required the Library has taken its responsibility for preservation seriously and now possesses thousands of volumes not only of books, but of newspapers, periodicals, and pamphlets. In addition, every attempt has been made to obtain material which for various reasons was not obtained at the time of publication. While not by any means perfect, the New Zealand collection of the Library is probably without equal.

THE LIBRARIANS

Mr Charles Wilson had a considerable interest in literature as such and contributed a literary column to a Wellington weekly for many years. Though he had an excellent knowledge of literature, library technique generally in New Zealand was not at its best, and not all the work done in the Library was of the highest standard.

He was responsible for further attempts to buy the more important New Zealand books still missing from the Library and for housing them in special cases where they were available for consultation but were not permitted to leave the Library. From this has grown the special New Zealand collection with its own rooms.

Mr Wilson introduced the present system of alternate weekly shifts for the staff working nights. Previously the staff worked broken shifts which meant that some often had "all nighters" without breaks and were called on to make their appearance fairly early the following day. If the House sits late, the present system relieves the night staff when the House rises or at 8 a.m. and they are not required till 5.30 p.m.

Stocktaking was a major task of the staff. The Library did not possess a shelf list and the system used was slow. It did, however, indicate that constant vigilance was necessary--and still is--to prevent books going astray.

Mr James continued as Assistant Librarian until 1923. His later years were marked with frequent periods of illness which told on the standard of his work.

Mr Wilson retired in March 1926 and his successor, Dr G. H. Scholefield, O.B.E., commenced duties in May. He was even then the author of two books on New Zealand and the Pacific and had been New Zealand Press Association representative in London. For the next 22 years the Library was under his care. Hampered by depression and war, the development of the Library was not as rapid as it could have been.

The principal change in the Library during this time was probably in the staff. Members of the staff, mostly in senior positions, had held degrees, but generally they had not been recruited from university graduates and had picked up such library technique as they could at work. A university degree now became essential, and in addition, outside studies of library science were favoured as being of value both to the member of the staff and to the Library. Mr A. D. McIntosh, now head of the Department of External Affairs, for example, was given leave in 1932 after receiving a Carnegie grant to attend the Library School at the University of Michigan.

Dr Scholefield was also responsible for the introduction of women to the staff. Though a Mrs North had been employed as a clerk for six months in 1900, the hours of duty had made the Library a man's world. In 1926 Miss Q. B. Cowles, from the Turnbull Library, was the first of the many young ladies who since then have been members of the staff.

The other change was in the reference service. The Library came to be called on more and more for research and information. These calls came not only from members of Parliament, but also from Government Departments and from the public. The staff naturally had to be more highly trained to carry out these tasks and had to spend more time to answer the inquiries. After Mr McIntosh's return the reference staff was reorganised and a collection of quick reference books made. In addition, not only did the staff carry out research but it began to summarise and rewrite the results of its research ready for immediate use by honourable members.

Dr Scholefield, with his keen interest in biography, was instrumental in obtaining for the Library many collections of personal papers of New Zealand statesmen. Among these are the papers of Sir John Hall, William Rolleston, and Sir Julius Vogel, not to mention the wonderful papers written and collected by the Richmond and Atkinson families over nearly 50 years. These documents are already proving valuable to political and historical scholars.

On his retirement in October 1947 Dr Scholefield was succeeded by Mr W. S. Wauchop, M.A., who had joined the staff in 1924 as Assistant Chief Librarian. Freed from the restraints of war, and with a larger grant, the Library expanded rapidly. The Library Committee, which had for some years taken a less important r?le in the control of the Library, once again came to the fore. It was instrumental in obtaining much needed space and assisting generally in the progress which took place.

Mr Wauchop was also responsible for obtaining the microfilm camera which is today reducing the bulk of New Zealand newspapers received in the Library to manageable proportions for storage. Great steps forward were also taken in the indexing of New Zealand newspapers and for the first time in its history the Library had a complete index to all news in two of the more important newspapers in the Dominion. Mr Wauchop retired at the beginning of 1955.

FIRE AND FIRE INSURANCE

No history would be complete without some mention of the fire of the early morning of 11 December 1907 which destroyed most of Parliament Buildings. It began in the old portion formerly occupied by the Library at about 2 a.m. and rapidly spread to the Legislative Council on one side and the House of Representatives on the other. Both these portions were of wood and burned fiercely.

Though the Library was in the brick portion, fire danger had still been considered to be great so that earlier in the year the stackroom windows overlooking the courtyard had been bricked up. In addition, the entrance door was protected by a steel blind.

It appeared at first that the Library was in no danger and no attempt was made to remove books. Eventually, about 4 a.m. the roof of the new committee rooms and entrance was in danger of catching alight, and Mr Wilson decided to clear the building. With the help of some of the staff and the general public, some 15,000 volumes were taken either to the Government Buildings or to houses in Hill Street. Though the rear portion of brick with wooden floors and partitions caught fire about 5 a.m. and damage was done to the roof, the Library was seen to be in no further danger and the clearance was stopped.

Some slight damage was done to these books, but insurance covered this, and generally little damage was done to the Library itself. The removal of the wooden portion has reduced the risk of fire considerably, and although the rear portion still has wooden floors, little of value is stored here. If any future outbreak occurred it is probable that more damage would be done by water. To prevent this a large drain was recently made in the basement to allow water to escape readily.

After the fire there was some discussion on the possibility of using the reading room as the Chamber of the House of Representatives, but Government House was finally chosen. The brick building was repaired and a covered access way provided across Sydney Street from the Library to the Chamber.

At the time of the fire the Library was insured for ?4,000, a small portion of its true value. This insurance was continued until 1928 when the cover was raised to ?10,000, still much below the cost of replacement. In 1942, with the introduction of war damage insurance and the consequent increase of premiums, it was decided that the Library should, like other Government Departments, not be insured, the Government carrying the risk itself.

GENERAL

The first library rules that can be discovered today are those for 1869. Though it is certain that borrowing was permitted before this, members were permitted by these rules to borrow two books for a period of a fortnight. Even so, the privilege of borrowing was restricted to the session.

It is doubtful if the rules were strictly enforced for as early as 1873 Mr T. Kelly from New Plymouth moved that the Library Committee should be instructed to allow members outside Wellington the right to take out books and to keep them for two months. Though the motion was not approved it appears that members residing in Wellington did have books at their homes.

No great change was made in the wording of the rules, but it appears that at the end of the session members were taking books away, and in 1886 Mr James Macandrew from Dunedin admitted doing so. In the recess of 1885-86 Sir James G. Wilson had written to the Librarian asking for books to be sent to his home. The request was refused but following it the House passed a motion recommending the Joint Committee to prepare regulations for lending books during the recess to members living outside Wellington.

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