MUSEUM NEEDS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 118, 21 May 1938, Page 7

MUSEUM NEEDS.

LECTURE HALL WANTED. FINANCIAL RECEIPTS FALL. The need for classrooms and a lecture hall at the Auckland Institute and Museum is stressed in the report to bo presented i>v the president, Sir Carrick Robertson, to the annual meeting of the institute on Monday night. At the same time it is recorded'that the receipts for the past year have fallen off, as compared with the previous year. The receipts totalled £816(i, and the balance is shown at £822, as compared with £1188 the previous year. The revenue from the institute's own reeourcee, £7603, was considerably less than last year owing to reduced interest receipts, and to a large expenditure for building maintenance. It is reported by the chairman of the trust board, Mr. V. J. Larner, that the endowment fund now amount® to £29,850.

Continued and increasing activities in the various departments is, however, reported by Sir Carrick Robertson in speaking of the progress of the Museum as a public amenity. There was a keen desire on the part of all concerned to make their various activities increasingly efficient. Attendances totalled 179,84s, 1 a weekly average of 3459. A large number of gifts had been received, and Sir Carrick refers particularly to Mr. Earle Vaile, who had presented a large collection of ethnographical specimens and six Italian bronzes of classical figures. Dealing with the appointment of Mr. R. A. Scobie as education officer at the Museum, it is reported that since the schools opened as many as 800 children, in classes. had visited thy Museum in a week. This drew attention to tlie need for classrooms and a lecture hall. The council was keeping this in view and hoped to be able to report progress before long. In reporting on the series of Sunday afternoon lectures given at the Museum, Mr. A. W. B. Powell states that so great interest was shown that the Museum library no longer provided adequate accommodation, which showed the need for an up-to-date lecture hall for this and othrr educational cervices.