MUSEUM HALLS NEARLY READY

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28671, 22 August 1958, Page 7

MUSEUM HALLS NEARLY READY

Rapid Progress Reported Members of the Canterbury Museum Trust Board are amazed at each monthly meeting by the rapid progress toward the completion of new galleries for the opening in November. The clearing and renovation of the big gallery, in which the Canterbury colonists’ centennial exhibition was staged, in readiness for its conversion to a hall of transport and shipping was the last of eight to be ready for the opening, the Director (Dr. Roger Duff) told members yesterday. Staff and pupils of the Shirley Intermediate School had helped with clearing. Members also saw the rapidlyrising facades of intersecting early Christchurch streets being built in two of the former downstairs galleries. In the south corridor three period rooms, a large furniture display room, and three “shops” (plus a workroom and store) have been completed and on the other “street” more shop fronts are well under way. The cost of this large colonial programme was beyond the museum’s own resources and present progress was largely because of the generosity of the Canterbury Pilgrims’ and Early: Settlers’ Association and business firms, who were sponsoring exhibits, Dr. Duff said. Mrs J. G. Simpson had given two afternoons a week for more than a year to help Miss Rose Reynolds with material for the period rooms.

The Edgar Stead hall of New Zealand birds was also nearing completion. When the striking Okarito heron group was finished, the last diorama habitat background would receive shore birds from the Okarito beach. Then only six panels of individual birds would be needed to complete the hall.

The Oriental arts hall was virtually finished and the museum w r as grateful to Mr Courtney Archer for the loan of early Chinese ceramic wares, notably two neolithic pots from Kansu, a bowl wth three coloured glaze of the Tang dynasty and examples of the Ying-Ch’ing and Chun wares of the Sung dynasty. These were probably the most valuable pieces in the collection. Mr and Mrs Alastair Laugesen, on a recent visit to Japan, specially selected a ceremonial sash (obi) to enhance the display of inro boxes, and three large paper lampshades for the hall lighting. Mrs John Grigg had offered a selection of her Chinese snuff bottles for loan display.