THE COMING ART GALLERY.

Evening Post, Volume LXXI, Issue 47, 24 February 1906, Page 4

THE COMING ART GALLERY.

Yesterday's public meeting to consider tho question of a freo Art Gallery for Wellington marks, we hope, tho beginning of a new enthusiasm in the community. For an initial ottempb to forward an interest* very alien to tho reputed spirit of tho city, it was encouraging in its practicality; and tho fact that almost ovcry relevant aspect of the question was discussed argues an earnestness thnt should ensure success for the prefatory project of raising tho £500 necessary to secure the Government's subsidy. As was pointed out, the £1000 which will thus b,o raised will merely bo tho iiucl»us to provide n. gnllory worthy of the city's position. It appears thnt there ia a. difforenco of opinion ns to where the supplementary money shall come from, the State and the Municipality being among tho suggestions ns to tho sources of supply. We hope thnt State aid will be left out of the question dice and for nil, not only because our muni cipnl dignity and pride preclude such neRWtnnce, nnd.bectuts© Wellington hns in this mnt-ter wo right, to except special fa« your from the Government, but nlso because with tho works of urgent necessity nhead of it—in the matter of road nnd railway development, for Instance— tho State cannot fot nfford the luxury of being a benevolent pntron of nrt. Clenrly, if tho grliety cannot bo built nnd maintained entirely by voluntary prlvnto contributions, it is tho duty of the city, which hns interested itself in tho muMcnl and literary needs of the citizens, lo allow a nimilar eiir<vfor their artistic appirntions It Is not ljlfoly thnt in doing so the city would forget that necessities must niways preeedo luxuries, or would dream of prejudicing the paramount demands of public health and recreation in favour of what, witiiout being^ n luxury, in nfter all not a prime essential. Wo agreo with most of Mr. Kennedy Mn«donald's strictures on our unsympathetic wealthy folk, for in the past, we have insisted that they should} like tho wealthy In other conntries, begin to reallso that their wealth entails upon them specinl duties to tho community. It remains now for the committee to buoy itself without delay amongst tho wealthy nnd tho less wealthy wWlo tlio public interest is warm,