Museums’ Claims For Lottery Grants

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31041, 22 April 1966, Page 10

Museums’ Claims For Lottery Grants

With the aim of having museums entitled as of right to claim grants in aid from Kiwi Lottery Board funds, the Canterbury Museum Trust Board will ask the Art Galleries and Museums’ Association of New Zealand to seek clarification of present rules. “At the moment the Government is in a strong position to pass the buck,” the director of the Museum (Dr. R. S. Duff) said at a meeting of the museum board yesterday. There was no committee of the Kiwi Lottery Board dealing with capital grants to galleries and museums, although funds were apparently avail-

able with ease to projects ranging from swimming baths to scout dens, said Dr. Duff.

The Kiwi board “nominally relegated” the needs of galleries and museums to the Queen Elizabeth II Arts Council. This council granted £2OOO annually through the museums' association to assist small institutions with expert advice and services.

“The anomaly is that museums and galleries, the oldest, most widespread, and most enduring cultural investment of local communities in New Zealand, cannot at present apply as of right to the Kiwi Lottery Board for capital grants in aid.” said Dr. Duff.

Canterbury was deeply concerned because the museum manned a new wing to mark its own centennial in 1970, and some subsidy would be needed.