220 TJu Library. will be represented. Respecting the shortcomings of Colonial Governments in the dissemination of Colonial literature, I must express my concurrence with the remarks of Mr. Campbell. I cannot but think that if these governments were to recognise the importance of the people of the Mother Country being well informed on their affairs, they would take more pains to make the productions of their press accessible at home. I presume that Colonial publications are registered by some public authority, and if so, I can see no insuperable difficulty in making them known by an official publication, if only an occasional page of the Government Gazette. It is remarkable that the disposition to carry out the Imperial Copyright Act seems to be, generally speaking, in inverse proportion to the importance of the Colony and the liberality of its institutions. Many Crown Colonies have passed ordinances entitling the Museum to receive their publications, and thus preventing the Copyright Act from remaining a dead letter. The Indian Government, unsolicited, has included the Museum in their own Copyright Act, but no self- governing Colony of the first rank has adopted either of these courses except the Cape of Good Hope. I hope that the influence of the Royal Colonial Institute may be judiciously exerted to procure an amendment in this respect ; and I desire to express once more my appreciation of what has been done already, and the interest with which Mr. Boose's paper has inspired me. The CHAIRMAN : It is a source of great gratification to me that this vote of thanks has been seconded by one so distinguished as Dr. Garnett, who has afforded us an opportunity of hearing from him so many interesting details and valuable remarks regarding the British Museum, with which he is so prominently connected. Dr. Garnett has referred to the fact that the Royal Colonial Institute is in the habit of presenting to the Museum a large number of Colonial news- papers, and he has expressed a hope that those contributions may be continued. I can only say on behalf of the Council that they will in future have great pleasure in forwarding similar files, which, I am glad to hear, are considered of such value, and are so much appreciated. Mr. JAMES R. BOOSE : I am very much obliged to you for the kind way in which you have received my paper. It is especially gratifying to me that both the Chairman and Dr. Garnett, as well as other speakers, have referred to my services in such appreciative terms. The speakers having been so unanimous in their praise little remains for me to say. I would, however, emphasise the reply of the Chairman to Mr. Mason, by stating that the Library is open to all appli- cants regarding any subject relating to the Colonies, and that almost daily numerous enquiries for information are received both personally as well as by letter from all parts of the United Kingdom, which are promptly answered by means of the very complete collection of works of reference contained in the Library. Mr. Campbell has referred to Mr. R. C. Walker's Bibliography of Australasia as being a somewhat incomplete work, but I would point out to him that Mr. Walker has not put it forward as a complete bibliography, but as a catalogue of such works upon the Australasian Colonies as are contained in the Sydney Public Library only. With respect to the suggestion, with which I entirely agree, that the Colonial Governments should embody the titles of all works published in their respective Colonies in the Government Gazettes, as regards Australia, such a list is published annually in Greville's Year Book, an example which might be followed with advantage in other instances. In reply to Mr. MacAlister, who has suggested that I should supply periodically for the use of public librarians, lists of works regarding the various Colonies, I can only say that I shall be most happy to do anything in my power to assist the numerous public libraries of the United Kingdom in selecting such works upon the Colonies as may be required for the dissemination of information regarding all parts of the British Empire. The vote was carried by acclamation. Mr. S. W. SILVER : Speaking as a very old Fellow of the " R.C.I." as well as a Member of the Library Association, I feel our thanks are due to the Chairman for the particulars entered into by him bearing on the progress of the Colonial Institute, of which the library, the object of our meeting, might be taken
