PEAT COLLECTION.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 88, 15 April 1933, Page 9

PEAT COLLECTION.

STATEMENT BY OWNER

HIGHER OFFER REFUSED.

PORTION FOR AUCKLAND,

Mr. F. 0. Peat, of Titirangi, whose collection of kauri gum and Maori curios has been purchased by the Government, -replies to criticism of -the transaction that appeared in the "Auckland Star" on Thursday. Mr. Peat wrties: — "Mr. H. E. Vaile's letter in your paper of the 13th instant, and your editorial founded on his remarks, are misleading to the public and most unfair to the Itt. Hon. J. G. Coates, tho Hon. A. Young and myself. Mr. Vaile and your editorial state that the Government has paid £3000 from the public funds for this collection. Thie is contrary to fact. The purchase price is found by means of funds from an art union, subscribed to by participants throughout the whole of New Zealand, and this collection of kauri gum specimens will be housed in the Dominion Museum and National Art Gallery for all time for all the people of New Zealand. "Mr. Vaile states that 'he knows my collection well; it consists mostly of gum specimens out of demand for many years' (whatever that means) and infers that its value is £2000. If Mr. Vaile can prove that the Peat collection of kauri gum specimens is not the best in the world of its kind and is not worth at least £3500, I will give £500 to the Auckland Museum, provided he agrees to give the same amount should he fail to prove this within 12 months from this date. My collection has never been offered for the ridiculous price mentioned by Mr. Vaile. I offered it to the Government for £5000 sonic time ago. This offer was not accepted through lack of funds. Subsequently

a wealthy American tourist, a patron of American museums, who had made overtures from time to time for the purchase of the kauri gum collection, made a definite offer of £3500 cask to mc. My desire has always been to keep this collection i.n my native land if possible, and when it was suggested that the Dominion Museum authorities might find £3000 by way of an art union, provided I agreed to accept this amount, and so keep the exhibits in New Zealand, I turned down the better offer and agreed to accept £3000 on the distinct understanding that the kauri gum specimens would be housed in the Dominion Museum, which I.had lately ascertained had no collection, whilst the Auckland Museum has Sir Edwin Mitchelson's very fine'collection of kauri gum specimens. "Subsequently, I understand, the Auckland Ministers mentioned in Mr. Vaile's letter and your editorial", took steps to have the valuable Maori and other curios comprised in my collection divided between Auckland and the Dominion Museum and National Art Gallery, when the building now in courw of erection is completed. This means that the Auckland Museum will receive a portion of the Mairo section of the collection."