Commission set up
to superintend the construction, L5,000 being voted in the Estimates
for the job, which it was thought would take two years and cost
L14,000.

Nothing was done before the session of 1876 and the Committee set to
work again. Several resolutions concerning the Library, its location,
and the calling of competitive designs were passed, but though the
Government proposed to put L7,000 on the estimates towards a Library,
it was not done. The resolutions seem to have confused rather than
helped the situation.

The session of 1877 began with no further progress. To the Joint
Committee's requests for information the Minister of Public Works
replied that no designs had been settled on and in any case competitive
designs would involve reconstruction of the whole block. More debate
ensued and finally the sum of L2,500 was placed on the Estimates and a
second Royal Commission set up to superintend the erection of the
building. The money was not voted, however, and the Commission did not
meet.

The Library now occupied three rooms, with a further office for the
Librarian, but the growth was continuous. Two more rooms were taken
over from the Legislative Council in 1881 and temporarily the Library
could shelve all its books.

No success had rewarded the Committee's desire for new buildings in the
seventies, but in 1882 it seemed that luck was in its way. L20,000 was
placed on the Estimates for the partial reconstruction of the buildings
which were to include a new Bellamy's as well as a new Library. Only
L10,000 was voted, however, and this was spent on Bellamy's. The new
building had a bad effect on the Library, cutting off the sun and
making it damp, though the Committee had a consolation prize, receiving
the old Bellamy's for book storage.

So the matter dragged on. In 1886, on the initiative of the Premier,
L5,000 was voted for a new building, plans were prepared as quickly as
possible and tenders called, but none was accepted before the end of
the financial year so the vote lapsed.

By now the Committee seems to have been almost reconciled to the fact
that there was little immediate chance of a Library being erected.
Frequent requests were however made for something to be done and the
slightest possibility of a surplus in the Consolidated Fund always
raised hopes. Assurances were frequent that Cabinet was worried about
the housing of the Library, and whenever possible an extra room was
given.

In 188