A MINISTRY OF ARTS

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 130, 4 June 1935, Page 6

A MINISTRY OF ARTS

One of our Indian visitors, the manager of the brilliant hockey team now in the Dominion, inquires why New Zealand has not yet advanced so far as to have a Ministry of Arts. Cultured travellers have wore than once gently suggested that the Dominion should concern itself more with the intellectual and the artistic and should not make the cow and the woolly sheep the chief exhibits in its temple of fame. These intelligent and kindly critics, or rather advisers, must remember that we have to live, and that ne cannot depose the beneficent creatures that bring us so considerable a quantum of our dfiily bread and its accompaniments. But the Arts suggestion is a pleasing thought. The progress and mana of the Dominion Would be advanced by the creation of such a Department of the State, which should concern itself with the fostering of all branches of art—the literature or the country, painting, artcraft in its various branches, the drama, the cinema and music. There is a grc-at and wonderful field to explore and encourage in the interpretation of the country's peculiar genius, its life and scenery, the primitive culture of the Maori, the permanent preservation of sources of inspiration and beauty. The Department would, concern itself naturally with the museums and libraries, at any rate those which are not locally controlled by civic or other authorities. A Ministry of Arts, properly directed, would have it in its power to advance appreciably the cause of real culture and to aid the efforts of workers whose chief concern is not the making of money.

It opens up a highly attractive vista of a State which encourages the artist in tlie widest sense of the word. But there is a background of doubt. One fears to peer into the future and discover that the Government of the day, whatever Government it may lie, has appointed an experienced dairy farmer as the first Minister in charge of the Department of Arts, and a highly-qualified accountant as the first permanent head. They do such things in Governments. One has known a retired grocer appointed Minister of Mines: and there was a Minister of Defence whose chief visible qualification for the job was that he was rather a good man with his lists. As for permanent heads of Departments, the word went forth in Wellington some time ago that proficiency in accountantis the first and chief passport to advancement in the Public Service. From that point of view, it may even be argued that a smart accountant is quite the right man for Aits because he Is so good at figures. —J.C.