Page:The library a magazine of bibliography and library literature, Volume 6.djvu/411

 Constitution of Colonial Public Libraries. 399 Public Library is also an institution worthy of the name, possessing a handsome and imposing building, and being in every way well suited for the purpose for which it was built. Its constitution is similar to that of the Toronto Public Library, and it has 17,000 volumes, including a valuable collection of technological works, in fact it has been officially stated that in that particular branch it possesses a better selection than many libraries in cities much larger than Hamilton. Cape Colony. There are many libraries of considerable im- portance in the South African Colonies, chief amongst them being the South African Public Library at Capetown, which was established by a Government proclamation in 1818, and for the purpose of its maintenance it was enacted that every cask of wine passing through the Capetown market should be subject to a certain charge. This wine tax was repealed in 1828, when the Government withdrew its contribution towards the institution, it being almost exclusively supported by private subscriptions up to the year 1862, from which time it has received an annual Parliamentary Grant of 600, together with a special annual Grant ranging from ^"500 to ^"1,000. It contains about 52,000 volumes embracing every branch of science and literature. It also possesses three special collections, viz., the Dessinian, the Grey and the Porter collections. The first consists mainly of books with a few MSS. and paintings bequeathed to the Colony in 1761 by Mr. Joachim Van Dessin, the number of volumes being about 4,000, in the Latin, French, German and Dutch languages ; the second, viz., the Grey collection, has attained a world-wide notoriety and forms the most valuable part of the South African Public Library. It consists of about 5,000 volumes together with many valuable MSS., mostly on vellum or parchment, some of them being of the tenth century. This special collection was presented to the library by the venerable statesman Sir George Grey, who is now visiting the old country after an absence of many years. The third special collection, that known as the Porter, consists of standard works purchased out of the funds raised for the purpose of perpetuating the memory of the Hon. William Porter, a prominent Cape politician. The library is open every day from 9 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. during the winter months, and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. during the summer months, and every evening from 7 till 10 o'clock. Subscribers only are allowed to take out books. By an Act which has recently been passed the management of the Institution is vested in a Board of Trustees