Antarctic items for Japan

Press, 17 February 1984, Page 5

Antarctic items for Japan

The Canterbury Museum will lend several pieces from its Antarctic collection for an exhibition in Japan. The N.H.K. broadcasting company asked for the loan of several items for a “Great Antarctic Exhibition” it plans to stage in six Japanese cities later this year. The exhibition would last for about 40 days. The director of the Canterbury Museum, Mr Michael Trotter, told yesterday’s trust board meeting that he was reluctant to lend pieces from displays but that there were ample items in storage.

“I would also be reluctant to lend fragile or rare or valuable items,” he said. The exhibition was being staged by the broadcasting company to promote the Antarctic, he said. He had had a telegram from the Minister of Tourism, Mr Talbot, asking the museum to support the exhibition, Mr Trotter said. Mr C. F. S. Caldwell said he felt the museum should support the exhibition, as several Japanese organisations had sent exhibitions or lent pieces to New Zealand galleries. “I think we have a reciprocal responsibility,” he said.

Someone might be sent to supervise the pieces from New Zealand, Mr Trotter said. The company had indicated it would pay for someone to travel with the items. The board decided to assist the Japanese company, but not to send display or valuable pieces. Totara timber The National Marae Committee will have to replace the totara it has been given by the museum as it takes each log. The museum had agreed to allow the marae to use the dry totara in

return for green totara. The board decided yesterday that it wanted the timber replaced as it was taken, rather than at some later date. The National Marae Committee will use the timber for carving for the meeting house on its Pages Road marae. A letter to the board from Mr Peter Heal, of the committee, said there would be no difficulty in replacing the timber.

Extra member An election for an extra board member will be held in the next few weeks. New legislation in 1983 increased the representation of the outer Cantebrury local bodies on the board to three. Two nominations have been received for the extra position. They are Mr William Cosgriff, of the Eyre County Council, and Mr James Free, of the Ellesmere County Council.

Museum visitors Last year 228,618 people visited the museum, an increase of 14 per cent on the previous year. The figure was further increased by 55,419 schoolchildren in school parties. It was the first time since 1978 that the museum had had more than 250,000 visitors, Mr Trotter said. Donations for the year had increased 18 per cent.