M'DOUGALL ART GALLERY

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22345, 8 March 1938, Page 8

M'DOUGALL ART GALLERY

10 THE EDITOE 01 THX PEBSfI. Sir. —As a New Zealander on a visit to Christchufch after 23 years spent in Sydney, I thought I should like to express an opinion regarding your Art Gallery, which was given, I understand, by Mr K. E. McDougal-L of this city. Being anxious to see your gallery I, in company with my two brothers,-drove-to the Gardens at 3.30 on Monday, February 21. .Wnen we arrived at the Art Gallery

building, we were surprised to see the doors closed; in fact, I turned to one of my brothers and said, "Is this the building?" He said, "Yes," at which I laughed and thought he was joking, as there was no indication of it being so. I expected to see "Art Gallery" in bold relief on stone over the door, which you see in all other galleries. However, we looked for a notice, giving the hours the gallery would be open, also the reason why it was closed on a Monday, but there was no notice, in fact, no indication whatever of what the building was. Going around to the side of the entrance outside. I saw a small foundation stone with the inscription, "Dedicated by Mr R. E. McDougall," etc. I turned to one of my brothers and sail, "What an insult to the donor of this beautiful building—to think this is the only indication given by the citizens of Christchurch —what an insult to a good citizen!" I believe your City Council, or possibly a committee headed by your Mayor, was appointed to decide where the building was to be placed, and why such a site was chosen I cannot understand. That, I consider, was another slur on the donor. If it had to be in the Gardens, there seemed to be alternative sites, either near the hill where the pine trees are, or close to the museum, facing Canterbury College, with a building in keeping with

As it is now built on its present site, why not put a notice on the gates at the main entrance to the Gardens indicating where the gallery is, or to ridicule the whole mistake your committee has made, a huge Neon sign could be erected in Cathedral square indicating that an art gallery is situated in the Botanic Gardens somewhere behind the Museum. I thank you for publishing this for me as I admire your fine city and glorious parks, which-are much finer than any we have in New South "Wales or Victoria. —Yours, etc., R. T. PHILP. February 25. 1938. ["We appreciate comments from visitors to the city, but we think that a letter of this kind is in very bad taste," said the Mayor (Mr J. W. Beanland) when this letter was referred to him yesterday. Mr Beanland added that it was as well to discover the facts before uttering such criticisms. In the first place, the foundation stone and the lettering on the Art Gallery were exactly according to the wish of Mr R. E. McDougall himself. Second, the gallery was closed on Monday for cleaning, following the practice of other cities. The reason for the absence, of a board giving the hours of the gallery was that the board normally displayed was being painted at the time of the correspondent's visit.]