THE LINDAUER COLLECTION.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 69, 22 March 1915, Page 7

THE LINDAUER COLLECTION.

TERMS OF THE OUT. PICTURES TO BE RETAINED IN AUCKLAND IP £10,000 IS SUBSCRIBED. DONOR OFFERS VALUABLE MMS. TO CITY. The conditions under which Mr. H. E. Partridge's magnificent gift of the famous Lindaucr collection of pictures was made for the purpose of aiding the Belgian Relief Fund, are being discussed at a meeting of the Belgian Committee this afternoon. As the future disposition of these paintings, which, as a gallery, possess an historical as well as lan artistic value beyond any other collection in New Zealand, is of peculiar interest to Aucklanders, a "Star" representative this morning waited upon Mr. Partridge and obtained from him the, conditions attaching to his munificent gift. The donor explained that his original intention regarding the collection was to bequeath it to the City of Auckland. But la3t year lie was in Europe at the outbreak of the war, and was, himself practically a witness of the heroic and self-sacrificing sta#d made by Belgium against the huge German war j machine when it set out with the] avowed intention of crushing France by a lightning and overwhelming stroke of arms. "The apparently impossible feat which the Belgians achieved in holding up the Germans at Liege for over a week saved France, and probably England, for every well-informed person at Home knows that had France been overrun, as overrun she undoubtedly would have been in her unprepared state, England's turn would have come next," declared Mr. Partridge with conviction. "That week's respite saved the situation for France and England. Both countries had neglected years of warning, and it was only superhuman efforts while little Belgium was sacrificing herself in holding up the invaders that enabled the Allies to defeat the German plans, ln one day at Dijon I myself saw two hundred train-loads of men and war material rushed away to tbe front. The world will not properly realise what Belgium did to save it from German militarism till the war Is over, but what I saw and know to have happened have Stirred in mc an undying admiration for her, and she merits tbe practical gratitude of Englishmen in whatever shape they can show it. "In making this gift, therefore, my idea was to help the Belgian Fund, and at the same time to ensure as far as possible the retention of the Lindauer pictures in Auckland. With that object, taking as a basis the value of the pictures at £25,000, 1 thought the people of the North i.land of New Zealand would be patriotic enough to subscribe the sum of £10,000, which money, together with what subsidy the Government might give towards it, should be devoted to the Belgian Fund, and the pictures retained by the City of Auckland."

"My idea has always been," added Mr. Partridge, "that Auckland is the proper and natural home of these pictures. A great number of the subjects represented in this collection were born in tbe Province of Auckland, and lived, fought, and died in it. Their relatives and descendants fora very great part are living in the North Island to-day. It was, i nshort, practically a pictorial history of the colony since its earliest days. If the city acquires this collection, therefore. I have in addition a number of valuable manuscripts and other most interesting matter, together with all of the copyright certificates of these pictures, which I will band over in supplement of the collection. Tim matter that I am willing to donate to the city if the pictures are retained here can lie very easily made a source of revenue for the future upkeep of any gallery in which they may be contained."