VALUABLE EXHIBITS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 3000, 19 December 1935, Page 17

VALUABLE EXHIBITS.

WAR MEMORIAL MUSEUM. MEETING OF COUNCIL HELD. Forty-seven new exhibits have been presented to the Auckland War Memorial Museum during the past two months, making the total accessions for the year 244. Included in the gifts there are rare fishes presented by Messrs. Sanford, Ltd., a very fine hinaki or fisli-net, the femur of a moa presented by Mr. P. Pearson, Graeeo-Egyptian mummy portraits deposited by Mr. Richard Hoffman, and plaques from the Flaxman moulds and Wedgwood pottery from the original moulds presented by Messrs Josiah Wedgwood, Ltd. It was decided to thank the donors of the various gifts. The director, Mr. Gilbert Arcliey, reported that the weekly average attendance since the last meeting of the council was 1885, and the attendances for the year to date aggregated 135,804. A considerable portion of the activities at the museum during the past two months had been directed towards the making of special exhibitions and displays. Mr. Archey made mention of the third special Chinese exhibition which had been arranged through the interest of Captain Humphreys-Davies, and added that it was appropriate to hold this exhibition at the present time when interest in Chinese art had been aroused through the notable exhibition of Chinese art now being held in London. Several new displays had been arranged, and the care of the collections, research and field work had all proceeded satisfactorily. In November Mr. Mappin had arranged a collecting trip to Waikaremoana. Accompanied by Sir Carrick Robertson, the president, Mr. A. T. Pycroft, and himself a week had been spent in searching the caves, and the party was able to bring back three good sets of the remains of individual birds, including one complete skeleton of Aiiomalopteryx parvus in excellent condition. Mr. Pycroft said that the party had secured two complete and several practically complete moas from the Waikaremoana area. Messrs. Mappin, Pycroft, Archey and Sir Carrick Robertson were thanked for their efforts on behalf of the museum, and it was decided to thank various other people for assistance given. At the suggestion of Mr. Pycroft, it was agreed to invite Captain Hum-phreys-Davies to become honorary curator of the Chinese branch of art. A committee was appointed to arrange to have repairs effected to the skylight at the entrance to the museum. It was reported that the skylight had been leaking during recent gales, and alternative proposals for remedying the defects had been submitted by the architect.