1919.] Thomson.—Libraries of Science and Technology. 355 
which this central library may be built up. and the system of co-operation 
suggested. 
Historical Review. 
Prior to 1904 there was a public scientific library in the Colonial Museum, 
acquired jointly by the Colonial Museum, the Geological Survey, and the 
New Zealand Institute, including also books belonging to the defunct New 
Zealand Society and a few belonging to the Wellington Provincial Council. 
Very few of the books were acquired by purchase, and the majority were 
obtained in exchange for the publications of the New Zealand Institute, 
the Geological Survey, and the Colonial Museum and Laboratory. Those 
books obtained in exchange for the publications of the New Zealand 
Institute, or presented to it, were marked with the name of the Institute. 
By an Order in Council of the 29th April, 1904, in terms of the 
New Zealand Institute Act, 1903, there were vested in the Board of 
Governors of the Institute “ the books bequeathed to the New Zealand 
Institute by the late Charles Rooking Carter, of Carterton, as shown in the 
catalogue deposited in the Colonial Secretary’s Office, at Wellington, and 
also the two book-cases containing the said books . . . the books 
marked as belonging to the New Zealand Institute at present deposited in 
the library of the Colonial Museum, Wellington, numbering three thousand 
volumes or thereabouts.” 
No attempt has since been made to definitely determine the ownership 
of the individual books of the old Colonial Museum library, and the books 
of the New Zealand Institute still remain in the library-room of the 
Dominion Museum. The publications since received by the New Zealand 
Institute as donations or in exchange have been marked with the 
name of the Institute and added to the old library, but without being 
bound. In the same library are also housed the* books belonging to the 
Wellington Philosophical Society, obtained mainly by purchase, and 
regularly bound. 
Since 1904 the Dominion Museum has acquired a separate library by 
purchase and by exchange. These books are stored in the various working- 
rooms of the Museum. Latterly this library has been considerably 
augmented on the technological side by exchanges received for this Journal. 
Since 1904, also, the Geological Survey has commenced the formation 
of a library by exchange and purchase, and these books are housed in the 
temporary offices of the Survey. Many of the sets of journals in the latter 
library are continuations of those housed in the old Colonial Museum library. 
Unfortunately, some serials formerly purchased for the joint library, such 
as the publications of the Palaeontographical Society, have been allowed 
to lapse since 1904. 
The Science and Art Act, 1913, under which the Board of Science and 
Art is constituted, contains, inter alia , the following provisions :— 
Section 5. “ There shall be a Dominion Scientific, Art, and Historical 
Library (hereinafter referred to as the Dominion Library) in the City of 
Wellington, within or adjoining the Dominion Museum.” 
Section 7. “ The provision for the building and equipment of the 
Dominion Museum, the Dominion Art Gallery, and the Dominion Library, 
and for the acquisition of articles and documents of scientific, artistic, or 
historical value to be kept and exhibited therein respectively and for the 
maintenance and management thereof respectively, shall be by moneys to 
be appropriated by Parliament for the purposes.” 
