Page:The library a magazine of bibliography and library literature, Volume 6.djvu/407

 Constitution of Colonial Public Libraries. 395 Western Australia. In Western Australia there is an excellent Public Library, which was established at Perth in 1887, in commemoration of the Queen's Jubilee, and is now in a flourish- ing condition. It contains nearly 6,000 bound volumes, in addi- tion to a large number of unbound volumes, consisting chiefly of Government publications, pamphlets and periodicals. It was visited by some 30,000 persons during 1893-94, and received a parliamentary grant of i ,000. The Library is open on Sundays, and larger premises are already required in order to keep pace with the progress of the Colony and its growing requirements. There are also several Mechanics' Institutes which are allowed a small annual grant for their upkeep by the Government in all the principal towns of the Colony. These are well supplied with both books and newspapers. Members who wish to make use of the Circulating Libraries in connection with these Institutes pay a small annual subscription, but all visitors are allowed free use of the periodical literature. Tasmania. The Tasmanian Public Library was established in 1870, the idea of such an Institution having originated with Sir William Denison, who, when governor in 1849, placed a sum of ^"100 on the estimates for the purchase of books, which sum was augmented by private subscriptions. In 1854 the annual grant was increased to 200 by the Legislature, with 200 more on condition that an equal sum was raised by subscriptions and the Library thrown open to the public. During a period of depression in the Colony, however, in 1866, the Government grant ceased altogether, which neces- sitated closing the institution. Four years later arrangements were made for the City Corporation to take charge of the institution, and the books which had been stored since the failure of the previous institution were removed to a hand- some suite of rooms adjoining the Town Hall and now known as the Tasmanian Public Library. This library was opened free to the public in the year 1870, and contrary to the custom of the other Australian colonies, is partly supported, as in the United Kingdom, by rates, the corporation of Hobart setting apart funds representing a rate of one penny in the pound on the annual value of property within the city bound- aries for its maintenance, and receiving also a Government grant-in-aid of "200 a year. The annual expenditure by the City Council on the library is over ^400 a year, which, with the charge on the citizens of at least 200 a year for interest on the