A HANDSOME BEQUEST

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 121, 7 February 1923, Page 6

A HANDSOME BEQUEST

by SIR HAROLD BEAUCHAMP TO FOSTER ART A handsome bequest of a valuable freehold property valued at between £5060 and £6OOO was made yesterday by Sir Harold Beauchamp towards the establishment of a National Picture Callery in Wellington. Sir Harold Beauchamp explained the conditions of his generous gift to the city in the following letter to the Minister of Internal Affairs (Hon. AV. Downiq Stewart) : — i “For some years past I have considered that something tangible should be done by the citizens of Wellington io bring about the establishment of a National Picture Gallery—one that would be a credit to the capital of rhe Dominion and assist in creating in the minds of the rising generation a love for art in its best and trust form.

“To that end I made provision in a will I executed a few years ago for n fairly substantial bequest in favour of the trustees of the National Gallery, which 1 assumed would be brought info being sooner or later. Recently, hoiyever. I have decided -to net during my lifetime, and have now resolved to transfer to the Public Trustee a freehold property owned by me in Fitzherbert Terrace of the value of between £5OOO and £6OOO. It will be V.oted that it is subject to a lease expiring on May 9, 1927, the rent payable tjhereon being at the rate of £250 per annum, free of rates and taxes. Upon the expiry of this lease, it is my desire that the Public Trustee should sell the property if the terms are favourable and invest the proceeds. Pending realisation, the routs, and, after realisation, the interest from the investment of the proceeds and the accumulation of rents a-ro to be oroitalised until a sum of £lO,OOO is attained: thereafter the income from tha £lO,OOO is to be paid by the Public Trustee to - the Board of Side nce> and Art set uo under the Science and Art Act, 191.3, to bo used by the board in tha purchase of pictures for the Dominion Art Gallery, established in AVelhng- , ton under that Act. In the se.ection of the pictures to be purchased tne board is to endeavour to obtain those off the highest artistic standard, irrespective of the nationality and place of residence of the painter. I lie hoard, of course, can delegate to experts in London or elsewhere its choice of a particular picture. Tn the event of a Dominion Art Gallery not having been built when any pictures are bought, these pictues are to he lent by the Board of Science and Art, pending the erection of such building to the Wol'dngtou Academy of I 1 me Arts lor exhibition to the public. “The only stipulation I make is that all pictures purchased out, of the proceeds arising from this fund shall be known as the ‘Harold Beauchamp Collection.’ 1 i ♦ “If S’OU wiU be good enough cept the offer contained in on the terms and conditions ..efi out herein. I will at once instruct mv robcitor to prepare, a conveyance. cf the Fitzherbert Terrace property from myself to the Public Trustee. Bequest Received with Enthusiasm. A special meeting of the Council of the Academy of Fine Arts was held yesterday afternoon, when the announcement of Sir Harold Beauchamp’s bequest by the president (\, • T Shaildr Weston) was received with the greatest enthusiasm It was stated that with such a «nft the future of the Dominion Art Gallery was assured. The following resolution was caiT’ed: — . “The Council of the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts records its high appreciation of Sir Harold Beauchamp’s .generous and public-spirited action, wh : ch it is sure will have a marked influence upon the future ot art in the Dominion. The council feels that no more fitting gilt could have been made to the people of New Zealand at this period-of its history, and trusts that the noble example set by Sir Harold will be followed by others of our citizens.” . . The property in question is No. 4 < Fitzherbert Terrace, being part sect’ons 591 and 592. Lots 1 and 3, Hospital Reserve, Thorndon. containing 1 rood 22.8 porches, and having a frontage of 66ft. 6in. to Fitzherbert Terraco by an irregular depth of 214tt. to ‘’63ft. 6in. The land (together with the buildings erected thereon) is lot to M : s“. E. AT. Baber (assigned on March 20, 1922. to the Samuel Marsden Colfogia.to School Trust Board) for a term of ten years from May 9, 1917, at £250 per annum.