rsion 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 L25,000.
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 L7,000 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.

Mr MacGregor resigned in July 1885 and spent his later years as a
teacher. He was succeeded by Mr James Collier, another Scot and a
graduate of St. Andrews and Edinburgh. He came to New Zealand in 1882
and had previously been an assistant to Herbert Spencer