CANTERBURY SOCIETY OF ARTS.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 9992, 23 March 1898, Page 3

CANTERBURY SOCIETY OF ARTS.

Enlivened by excellent music, a wealth of shrubs and greenery, and the striking dresses of the ladies, the Art Gallery last night presented a scene that was altogether beautiful, and reflected high credit on those interested in the management of the annual exhibition of the Canterbury Society of Arts. Of the pictures more will be said later, but the gallery presented a triumph in the decorative art, which must have been gratifying to Messrs R. Hoimburger, Fuhrmann and Smith, who had worked hard to make it a success. The shrubs and flowers were kindly lent by Messrs Nairn, Jones and Anderson, and the music was supplied by Rossiter's baud. The exhibition was opened by the President, the Hon. E. C. J. Stevens. In declaring the exhibition open Mr Stevens said he had learned with alarm from the papers that he was to deliver an inaugural address. Such was not his intention. The Society regretted very much that his Excellency the Governor had been prevented by another important engagement in Dunedin from being present and openine* the exhibition, which he would otherwise have honoured the Society by doing. The only subjects to which he would call their attention were, first, that the finances of the Society were in exceedingly good order, and it might be said to be in a prosperous condition. He was, however, bound to mention that they were not in such a flourishing condition as to warrant the expenditure of such sum 3as they could desire on the purchase of works of art, either locally or from abroad. It was to be hoped that some second Mackelvie would arise aiuoug them who would be the means of benefit among them that his forerunner had been in Auckland. The Hanging Committee had made a most searching inspection of the works that had been submitted to them, and the result had been a much more even representation of the art of the colony than before. However his hearers themselves would be the best judges when they inspected the pictures in daylight, and had an opportunity of criticising them. They had to congratulate themselves on the appearanoe this year of a certain number of young artists. They felt that it was necessary to encourage them, botli in Christchurch and from other parts of the colony, and they had a scheme of bearing the expense ot the carriage of pictures to and from other parts of the colony to the different exhibitions, which, if it was carried out, it was hoped would give them a better opportunity of getting representative work from other parts of New Zealand. Some of the pictures in the exhibition were of great merit. In that connection it would not be right to pass over the important fact that Lady Ranfurly had done the Society tho honour of sending some works of her own to the exhibition. The courtesy was one of which the Society was deeply sensible. He had already said that they had small means to purchase works of merit to add to their collection, but they had nearly completed an arrangement by which it was hoped to Becure a fine work by Mr Van der Velden, which was hanging in the Gallery. Arrangements had been made which rendered it probable that they would be successful in securing it. He referred with deep regret to the loss of one of the most important supporters of art in the colony, Mr W. Hodgkins, of Dunedin, whose servioes to art as President of the Society in Dunedin, and by his brush, were well known throughout the colony. The only consolation which he could find lay in the fact that the Society had in its gallery a work of merit done by his hand. Mr Stevens then presented ,the awards as follows:—Silver medal for landscape, R. Procter ; bronze medal for still life, Sydney Thompson; first prize for design for catalogue, E. Bartley. Mr Stevens referred to the fact that the last prize had been kindly given by Mr R. D. Thomas,who had been unable to be present. Mr E. Hill was highly commended for his design for the latter. The rest of the evening was spent in listening to the music and inspecting the pictures. Refreshments were supplied by Mr Freeman.

ANNUAL EXHIBITION.