NATIONAL ART GALLERY.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 16, 16 July 1910, Page 11

NATIONAL ART GALLERY.

j PROTESTS FROM CHKISTCHURCH. (By Telegrapn.—Own Correspondent.) CHRISTCHURCH, this day. The statement made by the Prime Minister in Wellington last week to the effect that the Government was prepared to assist in the establishment of a ; national art gallery, and to provide a , site in that city, are not favourably re- ■ eeived in Christchurch, and were waxnily \ criticised to-day at a meeting, of the Council of the "Canterbury Art Society. Interviewed after the meeting the presi- I dent, Mr. James Jamieson, said that the members of the council had agreed . that the proposal involved infliction of a j grave injustice upon ■ the art societies in ■ the three other cities. He \ras very pleased to learn that the people of Wei- i lington haH taken a step in this direction, ' for lip to the present very little interest \ had been taken in the capital city in art : or in the encouragement of art, but he , was quite convinced that the establish- ; ment of a national art gallery in Weilin°ton, to the detriment of the societies j in Auckland, Ihmedin and Christchurch, would be most unjust. The hardship ; would be felt most keenly in Christ- | church, where much had been done by | private effort, and also by the Board of Governors of Canterbury Cc ege, who haa established and maintained a school of art that at the present time was attracting pupils from other parts of the Dominion. The Government would be justified in granting a central site for a tallerv in Wellington, but beyond that he thought due regard should be paid to each of the other three centres, each of which had done much to help and cultivate art at its own expense The only assistance which the Canterbury Society had received from the Government was a grant of a site upon which U had erected the buildings that contained its collection of -*orks of art. which had cost considerably over tIO.OOO, and" a single grant of ,500, which eaca of the other societies had received at che same time. The members ox the society therefore felt that the Canterbury Art Gallery was a great achievement for-the j unaided efforts of such a small comWitv. He hoped that the *«« ««* throughout the Dominion and the memof Parliament would agree with the in its protest against the pro- ;££• He considered that the acuon oi Society wa, both reasonable and just and that it must be agreed that its efforts were entitled to more practical recognition from the Government.