MAKING THE MUSEUM A WORTHY MEMORIAL

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26159, 8 July 1950, Page 6

MAKING THE MUSEUM A WORTHY MEMORIAL

CANTERBURY CENTENNIAL

(By

ARTHUR LUSH)

11.

The suggested large globe is only one of the items that may be added to the Canterbury Museum exhibits, circumstances permitting. Another suggestion is a hemispherical star map, with the stars moving as in the sky. One possibility is to have a revolving dome, lit from behind, with the “fixed” stars illuminated. This could show the stars that are normally visible without a telescope, for a large part of the sky; but it is difficult to arrange to show the planets, sun, and moon on any moderate-sized revolving dome. However, this suggestion led to a much better one, and an offer has been made to design a planetarium, which would be in the form of a dome, about 50ft in diameter, on the roof of the museum building, with a system of projectors at the centre of the floor space.

A whole article might be written about planetaria, but one may say now that the first projectors were made by the firm of Zeiss at Jena (now in the Russian zone of Germany), and were expensive. Wherever they have been installed, however, they have been of great interest to the genejal public, and have proved a really valuable attraction. There was a proposal to construct one (with a German projector) in London before the war; but the German Ambassador managed to put such difficulties in the way that the project was abandoned. The reason became clear later, when it was realised that a planetarium was of real assistance in teaching future pilots certain parts of the subject of navigation. What is in mind here is a simplified mechanism, and a much smaller dome than would suffice in London; but the present offer cannot be accepted unless there are funds in sight to pay for the extra cost, which would be mainly in the building. Some extra cost would be involved if we provided even for modified roof design, so that the dome could be added later; but the present offer of design work has a time limit. The whole cost of the planetarium would add no great percentage to the cost of the new museum, and the planetarium itself would be the only one in Australasia, if not in the southern hemisphere. The present offer is, in my opinion, very important and very generous; and I hope that someone, or some firm, will put the museum in a position to accept it Example of Auckland

Coming down to earth, however, it may seem idle to discuss such new exhibits unless we can see our way to pay'for the new building, with something over. A good new building, which will fulfil its purpose well, and of which we can be proud, cannot be provided at low cost. We must face the fact that the first estimate for the new museum building was £191.000. and in order to provide for extras and a few special exhibits, we should, in my opinion, budget for some larger sum. I think that Canterbury can afford to do this. Christchurch faces with equanimity the need for spending, ultimately, about £200,000 for widening Victoria street. Some of our citizens earnestly desire port reconstruction and a tunnel road, though the cost might be 20 times, or 40 times, the cost of a new museum, special exhibits and all. Opinions are sharply divided about this matter; but the fact that it has serious consideration and fairly wide support shows that Christchurch people can view a huge expense with equanimity. Therefore let us consider our comparatively economical museum proposal, without expressing horror at the idea that the museum needs, say, £250.000. How can such a sum be found?

We can get some ideas about raising funds by looking at the records of the Auckland War Memorial Museum. The war memorial section had a Government subsidy, as other war memorials have had: but the museum ilself was built by local contributions. For the original building (1929), the

Auckland Savings Bank headed the list with a gilt of £50.000. The New- Zealand Government subsidy was £37,500. The Auckland City Council gave £10,000; the Auckland Racing Club £5065 18s lOd; the Auckland Harbour Board £5000; and the Auckland Electric Power Board £2500. The New Zealand Insurance Company and the South British Insurance Company each gave £2OOO. Many smaller amounts and sundry collections made up a total of £231,614 Ils 10d. In addition to this. Cenotaph Fund contributions amounted to £6/96 ss. It was a fine effort, and it resulted in a fine museum being built, of which the people of Auckland are justly proud. In course of time, that building, like our own, became insufficient for its purpose, and a fund was started for extensions. By -January 31 of this year substantial amounts had been acknowledged. At the head of the list was a gift of £20,000 from the Auckland City Council. The Auckland Savings Bank has given £15,000, the Auckland Electric Power Board and the New Zealand Insurance Company each £5OOO. the South British Insurance Company and the Auckland Racing Club each £3OOO. And so on. Auckland citizens are so proud of their museum that they are oversubscribing the new amount required (£125.000) in advance. It is intended to apply for a Government subsidy, on a £1 for £1 basis, and thus to build additions costing £250,000. Finding the Money What are we going to do in Christchurch? We are told that “the centennial executive proposes to raise £175,000 for the centennial celebrations and the extension and remodelling of the Canterbury Museum.” As a citizen of Christchurch. I would ask at once that these two objectives, and the sums collected for them, should be kept separate, and the expenditure tor the celebrations kept strictly withing the amount contributed for that purpose. The reason for this becomes obvious when we realise that the fund for the celebrations is expected to be subsidised at the rate of £1 per £3. and the fund for the museum building will, it is hoped, receive a subsidy of £1 for £1 from the Government. Thus we cannot afford to have celebrations without stint, at the expense of the lasting memorial, unless we have money to burn, and lots of it. One suggestion may be added, arising from new conditions. Racing and trotting clubs throughout New Zea-

land are likely to have their return from totalisator profits greatly increased, perhaps doubled, by provision i for off-course betting, so that the share which has gone to the bookmakers will go to totalisator funds instead. This extra income might be spent on providing bigger, brighter, and better racecourses; but I would suggest that there are limits to justifiable expenditure in that way, and that as much as possible of racing profits should be “ploughed back” into other things, for the public good. I believe that the | £5065 18s lOd given by the Auckland i Racing Club (as in the 1929 list of i contributions to the Auckland i Museum) represents the profit from a race meeting held in support of the [ museum. I should like to see each of ; our Canterbury clubs having a meetI ing (annually if possible) in aid of our I museum funds. And if racing, Rugby, I and wrestling now represent the “Three R‘s” in New Zealand (or even i if they don’t) possibly some of cur | athletic institutions or clubs might I make a similar contribution to the i museum funds. It is an educational , I institution, even though it does not specialise in those three subjects, i Moreover, there might be some extra , attendance at such benefit meetings. Meanwhile, if there are offers of help, as regards storage space, work, I or part-time work, or money, the Canterbury Museum will appreciate them all. (Concluded)