The Canterbury Museum

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22429, 16 June 1938, Page 10

The Canterbury Museum

We are glad to print this morning a letter in which Professor C. H. Hercus expresses his anxiety over the apparent suspense of the centennial project to rebuild—or to reconstruct' and extend—the Canterbury Museum. The Canterbury College Council, which controls the museum, has for years had this aim before it, recognising that the present building is not merely inadequate for the proper care, display, and use of the very rich collections but positively unsuitable; but the building fund which the council has been able to accumulate is far from sufficient to do what is necessary to rehouse them. A considerable sum by way of grant, gift, or subsidy is required; arid no effort of the council’s to secure it has succeeded. This was the position when the question of Canterbury’s choice of a centennial memorial arose; and no more suitable and desirable a form of memorial could have been suggested than a rebuilt Canterbury Museum. Unfortunately, when the suggestion was brought forward, it was not unaniriiously adopted, Timaru and Akaroa, for example, let it be known that they would work for memorials of their own. The project of a centennial highway to Akaroa, which is being pursued with some energy, in the districts it would serve, has emerged as an alternative: an alternative, because it cannot be considered in the least degree likely that the local bodies which would subscribe for that would also subscribe for the museum, or subscribe sufficiently. Unless the Canterbury •, Museum scheme is supported by the province, or nearly the whole province, it ceases to be practicable and it ceases to be fully It seems not to be well enough realised that if the centenary of New Zealand is to be marked by memorials, they should be such as to belong to . wide, not narrowly localised, communities. The province of Canterbury,, looking back to its origin in a remarkable scheme of community settlement, should not hesitate to choose a memorial which _ may now arid Always be said to express a sense of community, belong to the whole province, and to contribute its value and service to the remotest borough or county as well as to the centre. It is a simple statement of fact that the museum is, in this sense, 'a provincial institution, giving provincial service, which is steadily being developed. It is, moreover, an institution which has the closest direct connexions, personal |ind other, with the history of the province—a history which, in the objective language 'tlje museum collections, is written nun* completely tbere thaa in any

other place. The museum already has a preeminent memorial value and function; the project of rebuilding it is no more than the necessary, most appropriate, and timely recognition of that. Professor Hercus may have misjudged appearances: the “ inertia which appears to “ have overtaken the project ” may not be real. But he is not alone in his anxiety. The silence, the want of public evidence of decision, movement, organisation, and preparation, have produced the same fears in others. An early statement from the Canterbury Provincial Centennial Committee is needed. The Christchurch City Council, which must be expected to lead the Canterbury local bodies in the matter, should move promptly to the support of the committee. If the committee should see fit to adopt Professor Hercus’s suggestion, in part, and constitute a strong special sub-committee to forward the museum scheme, progress might be facilitated.