THE NEW MUSEUM.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1899, 6 November 1913, Page 4

THE NEW MUSEUM.

MTt COOK SITE, >EIfJANCIAL OBSTACTTE. ' ' e ,•• ' The-/HonvH:'D<-BELL .-moved tho Second;reading-;of 'the. Science and Art Bill. - : 'Hd'' stated that -he- dissented entirely froiti : 'th<S' yi<nv'taken : .in another- . El.ace, t^^jtllg,.publication of the/scien- ' tifie papers incorporated , in the. print of .transactions of the, New Zea- " lahd'.lnstlt'ute'. should not' be 'entrusted | to the.Scientifio -Board of. Advice, to be set. up.umtler/ilie,-8i11..-' -He thought thtit' if the board-had the right of selec- : material'coming .from the'institute it would be a fair ; ..State,_ which ..bore and it '' would bo fofc,' the '.'.advancement of " ' science. He might yet possibly , try to v-'.'induce Tdfliameiit'-'to make file change sf.wfijch'rh'e,' '■Referring to the .ji'.^SßPsal'sEo : build'- a- now museum, ho «i«M"lt/iras'.:att3e«sli'opeii to doubt whe- ■ ther the'pfesent jito of the museum was His own, was.that it.was not suitable) and C■Mi 6: the ,tru9- site 'for a 'storehouse for. soientific' and/historical records .fras Mount : 'Cd6K/';.'. Upon Mount Cook there was iat-present a which in its • present:shape was unsuitable for almost .'ti'any I 'practical' purpose,, but a building which,' with'."the. removal ,of the upper story, would be made one of tho most V;convenient store-houses for Government - . and historical'records existing in any . pari of the world. It was also inten-'t . edT-that;the Art.-Gallery should bo . the museilm building,"and on : Mount Cook an art gallery could be . bqtter 'lighted th'ftij tOuld any building -. placcd in "the hole where the present building stood. If tho: new museum -, wero placcd on tho present site, it would v be ! ''so7> placed'in tho face of tho most strenuous opposition/ho could offer. Ho : beliove'd, on'the other hand,"that if the.. museum were put on Mount Cook there • =would .he .built there a block, of build- , in which not only "Wellington, but . 'the Dominion, could take prido. He j did not say when the Government Would .embark_.upon.tho enterprise of putting' up tho new museum. There was al-•<-'frays- present the difficulty of .'finance, ajid the Government now had especially ! heavy obligations.' However, the Gov- ' "crnment 'had no intention of erecting a makeshift building,' and they would go on with the erection of a suitable build- • 1 ing as soon as thoy could reasonably / face tho financial responsibility. He ;.;;d6tailed the efforts he bad made, unsuccessfully, ■„ to obtain the use of a suitable fireproof building in which to store thevajuablo trophies in the mtiseum. The Parliamentary Library, The Hon.'Oi SAMUEL suggested that the control .of. tho. Parliamentary Lib-vrafy'-might :with be transferred to some. such.-board as that to bo -set up. -by-;• the.' Bill!.' *At present. the !;*•' contrbrby,,ii committee'of members of . Parliament;. whose time was already ' fidly occupied with important work, was necessarily porfunctory. The Hon. J. E. JENKINSON counselled the Government to make haste with'.jthe erection of. the museum, and to commenco work-at o'neo. He strongly supported "the'-Mount"'Cook scheme.- ' .".The 'Hbn..;w.: D.' H. BAILLIE urged the "Government to take some action as soon as possible towards the erection of ; a -museum.- He believed tho prosent site of tho museum was unsuitable for such a building as would have to be built.rand he believed Mount Cook-would fo'tne-best site, V..' *..' '■*' -' . The Hon. G. JONES did not agree '.. that the Parliamentary Library ought to be handed over to an outside control. He thought the Government should not go on with tho,! building: until-t.finances would permit, and .that then a building of which ! "sNeV ? 'Z<ialand could 'lieproud might bo erected. The Hon. H.'D. BELL expressed his satisfaction that the proposals of the Government had heen'so well received ,Kv tho. Council;, He expressed his keenr 'est'-'regret'" and sdrrow 'at the'loss the Dominion had suffered by the death of '■"•Miv ; A/ Hamilton: -'-

•.u,»®io ;Bill''\vas -road- a' second time on Jhe .voices. . H "'• "" beer duty. h'cThe"'Hon:'"H:' D. BELL moved 'the second reading-.of the Beer Duty ,Bill.': He explained that the Bill, although it " had attracted a good'deal of attention .because .of. its .title;.,was, really of little . boipg. 5, mero Departmental measure to 'securo that no beer should escape taxation. ..The. Bill was read a, second time.on the "voices,'and was committed forthwith.- '<■ ■ u '•' " ' ' •The. - !, clauses of the Bill were considered, but,afjter. tho. Minister had moved a liew clause tho effect of which,ho admitted frankly lie did not fully understand,, he amoved that progress be reported, and. 'progress was reported. ACCOUNTANTS BILL.

. The New Zealand Society of Accountants' , Amendment Bill was committed.

~ Tlie ■ Hon. Ji-E. Jonkinson and the Hon. J. Barr objected to the clause giving tho society power to refuse to permit tho withdrawal from tho society of members under certain circumstances. In consequence of tho objection the Leader of tho Council moved to report progress in order that members might give-tho matter further consideration. Progress was reported accordingly.

rancitaiki drainace. The Rangitaiki Land Drainage Amendment Bill was committed, reported without amendments, and read * third time. . Tho Council rose at 4 p.m.