TWO GREAT NEW ZEALANDERS

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 207, 29 May 1936, Page 13

TWO GREAT NEW ZEALANDERS

Portraits For Gallery SIR FRANCIS BELL AND SIR TRUBY KING Presentation Ceremony At the National Art Gallery yesterday morning portraits in oils of the late Sir Francis Bell and Sir Truby King were presented to the national collection on behalf of the subscribers. There was a large gathering of subscribers and friends of the two subjects of the portraits, and all wera accommodated in the main ball of the New Zealand Academy’s section of the building, where the paintings had been temporarily bung. Later they will be hung in one of the permanent collection galleries in another part of the building.

The gathering was presided over by the Kt. Hon. 51. J. Savage, Prime Slinlster and, byvirtue of that office, chairman of the board of trustees. He accorded all present a cordial welcome. It was his pleasant duty as chairman of the trus.ees to preside at a meeting, held under such encouraging surroundings, for the building was one which reflected credit on all concerned. Particularly he mentioned Mr. G. A. Troup and those associated with him, who worked long years and who had compiled such a debt in their favour that he was afraid they would never get out of it. After apologising for the absence of the Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. W. E. Parry) and the Minister of Education (the Hon. P. Fraser), the Hon. Air. Justice Smith, the Hon. Air. Justice Fair, Sir William Hunt and Mr. Hope Gibbons, the Prime Minister said that the real object of the gathering was the presentation of the portraits of Sir Francis Bell and Sir Truby King. That of Sir Francis would be handed to Mr. Cheviot Bell, who in turn would present the portrait to the national collection. All they had to do was to look at the canvas to see the man in the flesh, and he congratulated the artist (Sir. Archibald Nicoll) on having caught an excellent likeness. As one who had known Sir Francis for a number of years he could say that it was a faithful portrait of one who had helped to shape the destinies of New Zealand, and they felt deeply indebted to those responsible for so appropriate and timely a gift. Ileferring to Sir Truby King, the Prime Jlinister said it was a painting of a man who had rendered wonderful service, not only to New Zealand, but to the world, and his work in the preservation of infant life would be a monument that would live for ever. A Great Sian. The Hon. Mr. Justice Ostler, in the absence of the' Chief Justice (Sir Jlichael .Myers), said it was his pleasure on behalf of a group of subscribers to present to the family of the late Sir Francis Beil the portrait on the wall, with the request that it should hang in the permanent collection of the national gallery in memory of a great statesman, a great lawyer and a great New Zealander. His'death had occurred so recently; but perhaps it could be said that in that death the greatest of native-born New Zealanders to date had passed on. He was already practising at the Bar when the speaker was a student, but it was Sir Francis who had given him his first opportunity; so it was not remarkable that, with all present, he revered his memory. His memory would remain green for a very long time, for Sir Francis was one of that bright company that this country could not afford to lose. The portrait showed Sir Francis full of years, and yet with that maturity, strength, dignity and wisdom which were inherent in the man. He bad much pleasure in presenting the portrait to Mr. Cheviot Bell, with the request that it should remain for ever in this beautiful building.

Mr. Cheviot Bell said that on this important occasion he wished to express the deep gratitude of his family for the gift of the splendid portrait of his father and the tribute the action paid to his memory. lie felt that he could take for granted the affection aud respect those concerned had felt for his father and the way in which they held his memory. lie had, justifiably and without reservation, to admit the unbounded pride in which he held his father’s memory, and the place his father and grandfather had held in shaping the destinies of New Zealand. Mr. Bell said he might be permitted to refer, not boastfully, to the manner in which the Bell family and the destinies of the country were interlocked. That interlocking began in the very early days, when a Wakefield married into the 801 l family—an Edward Wakefield had married a Priseilia Bell, the name his baby daughter bore. But, more tangible, perhaps, was that connection when his grandfather became secretary of the New Zealand Company, and was closely associated with Mr. Edward Gibbon Wakefield in the foundation of the colony. That connection was truly carried on by his father during bis life. Although an Imperialist, Sir Francis was first and before all a New Zealander, and bis pride and interest in the welfare of the country continued unimpaired to the end of his life; so he thought it was not inappropriate that his portrait should hang for all time in this bouse of records.

The Prime Minister said it would not be difficult to live up to the conditions i u view of what New Zealand owed to the late Sir Francis Bell. It may be that in years to come people might visit the Gallery and wonder how this portrait came to bang on the walls. When on inquiry they found the reason they could not do less than take off their bats to the man who had v.orked so whole-heartedly for the welfare of New Zealand. So far as humanity could make a pledge the portrait would remain there forever. Work for Child Life. The Hon. Mr. Justice Blair said he was there to present the portrait of a great New Zealander, that of Sir Truby King. New Zealand was yet too young to have produced many great men. Probably the number of those who had left their mark on the world could be numbered ■>n the fingers of one hand He could mention three who could be said to ive left such mark—Sir Francis Bell, ~ord Rutherford, the great scientist, nd Sir Truby King, whose work for ■ liild welfare had been recognised all over the world. Unfortunately Sir Truby was not well enough to be present. The portrait depicted him not as he Is, but as he was some twenty years

ago, when one might say he was in the prime of life. The paper he had before him (in the portrait) was an official record of the preservation of infant life in this country as the result of his method, and the artist had succeeded in catching the man pleased with the record before him of that which had made up his life's work. In accepting the portrait, the Prime Minister said it was very easy to accept the portrait of such a great man. His own work was a lasting monument to what he had done not only for New Zealand but for humanity at large, and, when the time came, he could go down to the grave with the knowledge that whatever the sacrifices were he had made in life, they had not been made in vain. The occasion terminated with a vote of thanks to the Prime Minister for presiding, moved by Mr. Troup, and carried with acclamation. Among those present were Mr. E. D. Bell (brother of Sir Francis), Miss Euid Bell and Mesdames H. F. Johnston and Rolleston (daughters of Sir Francis), Sir Walter Carncross, the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates and Mrs. Coates, Sir James Allen. Sir R Heaton Rhodes, rhe Mayor, Mr. T. C. A. Hislop, and Mrs. Hislop. Mr.. Mrs. and Miss G. A. Troup, Messrs. William Watson, W. IT. Mill ward, F. Mackay, W. F. Hogg. I, O. 11. Tripp, E. W. Hunt and Mrs. Hunt, Hons. R. McCallum, J. Alexander, and F. Waite, M.L.C.’s, Lieut,-Colonel ,1. A. Cowies, Messrs. K. E. Luke, F. N. Martin, Sydney Thompson, N. Isaac, Nugent Welch. F. 11. Bass (secretary of the trustees of the National Art Gallery), E. 11. Gore (secretary of the New Zealand Academy of Fino Arts), D. A. Ewen (president of the New Zealand Academy), T. R. Barren Dr. W. P Evans. Professor T W Kirk, Dr. W R. B. Oliver, Messrs. W. Fielding, 11. A. Huggins. J W. Heenan (Undersecretary for Internal Affairs), C. II Weston, K.C.. P B. Cook, K.C., H. E. Evans and Lady Frazer.