DOMINION MUSEUM

NEW CONSTITUTION ADVISORY BOARD SETUP ITS POWERS AND DUTIES. All important body which lias just been sot up by tho Governor under tho provisions of the Science and Art Act; passed lt.st session, is the Board of Science and Art, which is invested with wide- advisory powers in connection with tho. management and control of tho projected Dominion Museum Art Gallery and Library. The board is to consist of tho Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. H. D. Bell), tho Director of tho Dominion Museum, the president of tho'JNew Zealand. Institute, and fivo other members, appointed by the Governor-in-Council, each of whom is to hold oilico for three years from tho date of his appointment. Tho five- membors appointed by tho Govornor-in-Council arc: Mr. G. M. Thomson, M.P (of Dunodin), Dr. A. Thomas (of Auckland), Mr. H. F. Von Haast (ot Wellington); Mr. P. G. Morgan (Government Geologist), .and i\lr. (J. A. Ewon (manager of the Commercial Union Insurance. Company at Wellington). Tho ex-officio members of the board, other than tho Minister of Internal Allaire, aro Mr. J. A. Thomson (Director of tho Dominion Museum) and Dr. , (J. Chilton (President of tho Now Zealand Institute). Tho New Institutions. Tho Science and Art Act provides that there shall bo a Dominion Museum in tho City of Wellington on a site to bo hereafter determined. A Dominion Art Gallery nnd a Dominion Scientific, Art, and Historical. Library' are also to be established within the buildings of the Dominion' Museum or ' in adjoining buildings. Until tho site of tho new museum has boon, determined, and buildings erected tho land and buildings in Museum Street- Wellington, are to bo the Dominion Museum. , Financial provision is to bo mado by Parliament for the establishment and maintenance of the institutions constituted under the Tho Board of Science and Art is to sit in Wellington at such times nnd places as shall be appointed from timo to time, bv the Minister of Internal Affairs. Three membors aro to form a quorum. Tho Minister, if present, is to bo the chairman of tho board, and in his absence somo member of. tho board appointed by liinvin writing is to be chairman. Tho chairman has a deliberative vote. and. also a casting vote. Jhe president of the New Zealand Institute is empowored to appoint a< Governor or that institution as his deputy,, and tho deputy, while attending, is to be deemed a member of the ] board.

putisa oftho Board. The of tho board, as. set 'out in the Act, are:— , - ' (a) As to the Dominion Museum, Dominion Art Gallery, and Dominion Library—(i) To manage'and direct the samo and the staff employed; (ii) to acquire (out.of-tho'funds to bo appropriated by Parliament to' tho purpose, or through donations) a/iicles, bookß, and documents of scientific,' artistic, or historical interest, and works of art; (in) to make duo provision for access for tho public at reasonable times of tho diiy'to'sucli parts thercor as tlio . 'hoard from timo to tnno determines. ' ■ ■ , (f) As to all papers and.reports of a sciontific naturo issued or published by or under tho authority, or .any Department of tho Government of Now Zealand—(i),to consider in each year all such papers and re-, ports • (ii) to direct tho printing or re-printing of such of the said papors and reports as the hoard determines to bo of such scienti- -' lie value, or of such general public interest as to deserve permanent record; (iii) , to cause such papers and reports to he printed <)C re-printed by tho Government Printer in a volume or volumes uniform in form for each year. It shall also ho tho duty of the board to adviso the Government as to any expenditure which may bo reasonably incurred with benefit,to the Dominion jn scientific and historical research, and tho development of science and art. Tho board has' power to direct that pictures or other works of art paid for out of tho public funds may be teniporavi\v transferred for exhibition to ..public art galleries other than tho Dominion Art Gallery. The governingbodies of public art galleries arc authorised to mako application under this section, but they may be required '■ to furnish to the Dominion Art Gallery a sufficient'number of works to fill tho places of those transferred. Tho cost of th.e transfer is to bo paid out of tho Consolidated Fund. ' . The committee for the new Dominion Museum has not yet been selected, Imt the national reserve upon which the Mount Cook Barracks stand has been proposed as an alternative t&' the present site in Museum Street.