One cause of special regret in connection with Dr McNab's lamented death, the Minister said, was the prospect of the historical research work on which he was engaged being stayed. Dr McNab had collected a very large amount of material for further work in addition to that already published by him.
The Minister said he was given to understand that this material was of an exceptionally valuable character, and, if Dr McNab had been spared, he would, no doubt, have continued the work as far as his Ministerial duties would permit. It was understood that Dr McNab had left no will, and that no provision had been made for the continuation of his historical work, or for anyone to take possession of the material he had gathered. Mr Russell assumed that the estate would be administered by the Public Trustee, and he (the Minister) proposed to communicate with that official with a view of ascertaining whether it was possible to obtain possession of the historical material left by Dr McNab. If it was possible to obtain the material the Minister proposed to lay the matter before the Board of Science and Art, for its consideration and recommendations. He had no doubt that the board would approach the subject from an extremely sympathetic point of view, and that a scheme would be evolved by means of which the work undertaken by Dr McNab would be continued.
A request was made to the Acting Prime Minister (Sir James Allen) today by a deputation from the Methodist Conference for the early closing of hotels and the reduction of racing permits. Sir James Allen said it was difficult for the Cabinet to deal with the regulation of liquor in the absence of the Prime Minister and Sir Joseph Ward, especially in view of the fact that the matter had been before Parliament, and Parliament had decided against early closing.
With regard to the racing question, he said he was in a position to give a somewhat more favourable reply. The Government could not deal with this year's racing permits, but within the next month or two the matter would come before the cabinet in connection with next year's permits. He was under the impression that there would then be some limitation of totalisator permits. Personally, he would be very glad to see them limited. He did not think that any reasonable man wanted to limit the pleasures of the people, even in war time.- ODT, 28.2.1917.
