ANZAC PICTURES

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2974, 11 January 1917, Page 3

ANZAC PICTURES

EXHIBITION OPENED L\ T WELLINGTON. An exhibition of the Anzac pictures, produced by Sapper H. Moore-Jones, New Zealand Engineers, was opened in Wellington yesterday at tho Caledonian Booms, 33 Willis Streot. Tho watercolour paintings, ■which havo been described already, possess uniquo interest, since they constitute a Tecord,, niado on tho spot, of tho ground hallowed by the blood of the Anzac heroes. They show the country over which tho New Zcalandcrs and! Australians advanced in their battles with iho Turks, and illustrate the conditions under which the. troops lived during tho long months of tho occupation. The paintings are accompanied 1 by a collection of photographs nnd a number of maps drawn in (iallipoli for tho uso of tho troops. The- Mayor of Wellington (Mr. J. P. Liike)" opened the exhibition, and in doing so urged strongly that tho New Zealand Government should acquire tho collection and) place it in a national gallery as a pormanent record of a memorable chapter in Now Zealand history. Tho paintings were- .of extraordinary interest to every New Zealander, and they must bo almost sacred in the eyes of those people who could hope for no other opportunity of seeing the scenes amid which lovedl ones had found soldiers' graves. He asked the citizens present to support him in making representations to the Government on tho subject. The gathering, which was a large one, heartily endorsed the Mayor's suggestion, and carried unanimously a resolution urging the matter upon tho attention of Ministers. Mention was made of the fact that the purchase of tho pictures for the United Kingdom had already been advocated in some quarters. Tho London "Morning Post," for example, had said: "We daresay the New Zealand Government will retain the original drawings. _ If they do not it would bo a recognition of noble service and colonial-art were tho National Art Collections Fond to raiso a subscription to purchase.ail these drawings for presentation to the British.Museum or South Kensington." The exhibition was visited by a largo number of people. Mr. Moore-Jones was present, and! ho explained tho pictures in a very' interesting fashion. He expressed his willingness to _ answer questions relating to the drawings and photographs,' and his courtesy was warmly appreciated by tho visitors. The exhibition will be open daily in the afternoons and evenings in order that all Wellington people may have an opportunity to inspect the pictures. Later Mr. Moore-Jones intends to take the collection to other centres,.in pursuance of his ;idea of showing the people of New Zealand tho only comprehensive pictorial record of tho Anzae sector of Gallipoli.