FINE ARTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 274, 18 November 1936, Page 11

FINE ARTS.

NEED FOR A CENTRE.

QUEST FOR A SUITABLE SITE.

APPEAL TO LOCAL BODIES

The difficulty of finding a site for the proposed Fine Arts Centre for Auckland were referred to by the Mayor, Mr. Ernest Davis, at a meeting held last evening to discuss the formation of a permanent metropolitan committee. "The question of the establishment of a Fine Arts Centre in Auckland has been long standing because of the difficulty experienced in arriving at finality on the acquisition of the Old Grammar School property in Symonds Street," said Mr. Davis. "A considerable amount of work has been carried out by the special committee, and I myself have devoted long hours and a great deal of thought to the matter. So far the solution lieuj been a will-o'-the-wisp—so much so that I am rapidly coming to the conclusion that the idea of obtaining the Grammar School property sho lid be abandoned and that steps sliou.d be taken to secure a site elsewhere. However, that doubtless is a possibility that can be fully explored by the committee.

"So necessary to our cultural amenities is the addition of the Fine Arts Centre, and so great are the benefits all will derive,, that I feel that Auckland as a whole, and not as a part, should stand together and ensure that the addition be made.

"For nearly 50 years the city has maintained the Auckland Art Gallery without any financial assistance from other local authorities, although the use and enjoyment of its art treasures have been equally available to every inhabitant of the metropolitan area. Is it reasonable to expect the city to continue to shoulder these financial obligations? Every citizen in the metropolitan area has, in this regard, a moral and a financial obligation. Art Collections. "Plans for the provision of a new Art Gallery building, in which better provision can be made for showing the art collections, have been under consideration, as stated, for some time. In the proposed new • building the many fine pictures the gallery possesses, together with loan collections, can be adequately displayed. Despite lack of facilities, many interesting collections have been arranged for next year alone. One is a collection of' masters of British art, drawn from the National Gallery and the Tate Gallery, London—a priceless collection which deserves to be shown to the very best advantage. Another outstanding collection, which has been loaned by the National Gallery of New South Wales, is one of Australian pictures, the value of whiqh is stated to be nearly £20,000. *