“ WONDERLAND”

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 149, 21 March 1927, Page 3

“ WONDERLAND”

A GIFT TO THE CHILDREN OF OAMARU

On March 7 there was unveiled in the Municipal Gardens of Oamaru a group of statuary in bronze, which is said to be unique among the art treasures of New Zealand. The group becomes the property of the town through the generosity of Mr. Robert Milligan, a prominent citizen, and exMayor of the borough. The idea of having a piece of sculpture for Oamaru Gardens occurred to Mr. Milligan dur-

inc a recent visit to London, when he saw the Peter Pan group in Kensington Gardens. The commission tor the work was placed in the hands of Mr. Thomas I. Clapperton, R. 8.5., of St John’s Wood, London The group, in dark bronze, stands about 8J feet high, and rests upon a pedestal’ of natural rockwood rising 2 7 feet above ground level. It represents two voting children, a bov and a girl, who, out in search of adventures, have discovered a veritable wonderland at the back of beyond. Under the cliff on which they are perched there dawns upon their delighted vision a little world of fairies and all sorts of wild creatures. . A tiny elf charms a pair of rabbits with the sound of his pipes; another is holding sen-

ous confabulation with a squirrel. Beautiful winged forms flit over the face of the rocks, or creep mischievously from tiny caverns. Mice.and frogs, doves and peering owls are included in this fanciful and charming community. Of the children, the little maid represents the dreamy, imaginative type. She sits, passive and absorbed, drinking in the beauty of the picture presented to her enraptured sight. She

watches the fairies emerging from the rocks to meet their- little mortal friends and float around the ivv and grass-cov-ered bank. The bov is the figure of eager action, keen to take part in the fairy revels. One slender winged form rise’s to the edge of the cliff, and, touching his foot lightly with her finger, seems to beckon him to join them. The numerous groupings of fairies and animals which come successively into view as one moves around the pedestal will give ever-recurring delight to the children of all ages to. whom Mr. Milligan has dedicated his gift. It is one ol the all too rare benefactions to New Zealand directed purely to cultural ends—nothing more “useful” than a simple restirring of the joys of childhood.