a most obliging member of the
staff.

RECESS PRIVILEGES.

The number of persons to whom recess privileges were granted during the
recess, 1924-25, was 670, as against 740 in the previous year; the
latter number being exceptionally large owing to the greater length of
the recess in the earlier period.

The number of books lent to recess-privilege holders for the year
1924-25 was 6,135, as against 6,587 in the previous recess period. As a
rule, the class of books taken out by recess-privilege holders (and
here it may be noted that the New Zealand General Assembly Library is
the only legislative library in the world from which volumes may be
taken out during the recess) is of such a character as proves that the
privilege is greatly valued by the best class of readers.

No fiction, it should again be recorded, is lent out save to members of
Parliament, and those on the full-privilege list--a relatively small
number.

A detailed list showing the professions, trades, occupations, &c., of
those to whom the recess privileges are granted is at the disposal of
members.

During the recess, I regret to say, it has been found that a few plates
were purloined from art and other magazines, and cuttings made in the
newspaper files. Whenever a case of this kind is detected, an
attempt--unfortunately up to now abortive--has been made to detect the
offender, and the art magazines are now filed in the staff-room, and
not issued to those who use the Library during the recess, save members
of Parliament. On the whole, however, the cases of vandalism are
exceedingly few, and it gives me pleasure to testify to the care and
good usage which is almost uniformly displayed by those who are
honoured by being granted the recess privileges.

STOCK-TAKING.

As usual, stock-taking was proceeded with during the recess, the
classes dealt with being Class 910-919 (Voyages and Travels) and Class
920-929 (Biography, Memoirs, &c.). Mr. W. F. Johnson, who conducted
this particular work with great care, furnishes the following report:--

"I have the honour to report that, with Mr. Dighton, I have completed
the stock-taking of the two classes mentioned above, with results as
follows:--

"Class 910-919 (Voyages and Travels): This class--one of the largest in
the Library--was last taken stock of in the year 1918, when twenty-two
volumes were reported missing. Since that date 419 volumes have b