THE MUSEUM SITE.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 13880, 3 November 1910, Page 6

THE MUSEUM SITE.

1 Most people, we imagine, will .support the action oi tho Domain Hoard in protesting agiin-t the attempt oi' the Hoard of Governor:; of Canterbury College to secure po.-.scr-»~.ion ot that portion ol the Domain occupied by the "Museum. The College Hoard, some time ago. in--1 tied the Domain Hoard to agree to 'In transference of this lend, but tho Domain 80-.rd, fur reasons which should appeal to everyone, declined to consider the. proposal. The College authorities, however, are now asking Parliament- to give them the site. The Museum block is as much a par*, of the Tlr.glcy Hark reserve as any portion of the parks or g.-rdons. At the timo when the .Museum was erected it was under the control oi the Provincial Government, who. naturally, did not fore.ee thfe difficulty that might arise when thc "Museum building was transferred to Canterbury College, and tho Domain, passing into th-3 hands of tho general Government, was administered by another body. The division of authority, however, leaves the Domain Board 3till Lite controlling body of the Museum site, and though the desire of the College Board to have it transferred to them is quite intelligible, there i.s a much better reason for its retention by the Domain Board. Mr "Bosvrk'k, in his letter to tiie Canterbury members, pointed out that once the land xrer-s vested ?r. Canterbury College, although restrictions were imposed aa to it*i alienation, theso restrictions might at somo future time bo removed. Tho Museum might, as he said, be destroyed by firo, in which case tha Canterbury College authorities might consider that some other sito would be better for the Museum, and that the present site could be more advantageously used for other purposes «uincet-**d with Canterbury College. It i.s also possible that somo futuro College I Board might decide to erect on the | site buildings which, however useful they might be, would be no ornament to the public gardens. At present, we presume, the Domain Hoard would havo some say as to the character of any ( iiew buildings that tiie College Board might wish to erect alongside thc Museum. But the best reason c f all for tho maintenance of the "status quo" is that the site is public property. To allow it to pass into other hands would be a dangerous precedent, and we aro glad to see the Dcmain Board have taken up the attitude that to alienate this land would be opposed tc the public weal. Mr Beswick's presentation df the case should convince the Minister and the members to whom it is addressed that matters should bo left as they are.