PICKED PICTURES.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 77, 30 March 1912, Page 9

PICKED PICTURES.

WELLINGTON'S OPPORTUNITY A CALL TO CITIZENS. TOWN AND COUNTRY COOPERATION. No on© in Wellington 16 better uleased than Mr. J. Gray that the Mackenzie Ministry is no longer a mystery. Mr. Gray is honorary secretary in a campaign for pictures, the effort of the Now Zealand Academy of Fine Arts to hold permanently for tho pleasure and pride of Wellington citizens many of the pictures which Mr. Baillie will soon display here and in the other centres. The political excitement, of the past few weeks has been a grievous nuisance to the busy secretary, but ho is confident now that he and his felow-workers will have a clear run forward. The plans are ready for an appeal calculated to stir and shako Greater Wellington from Tia Aro flat to the heights of Karori, aad the whole of the surrounding district on each side of Cook Strait will b,e roused simultaneously. Indeed, tlje bombardment of country citadels has already begun. Many hundreds of letters have been sent out to large landowners, sheepowners, commercial men, and others in Wellington, Eangitikei, Manawatu, Wairarapa, Tarauaki, Hawkes Bay, Nelson, and Murlbordugh. It" is too soon" yet to know how many guineas have been brought down by that opening volley. The objective is a sum of at least £bOOO, in which the organisers hope to ha,ve the pence of children figuring respectably with, the pounds of tho wealthy. The moving friends of the pictures hope to interest everybody and to catch everybody, for the good of everybody, ant! tho greater honour of Greater Wellington. It will be a case of asking the citizens to be kind to their own city, to lift it on to v plane to command the respect of sihter oities jivhich are slyly putting the tongue in the check at llio suggestion of a National. Art Gallery for Wellington. Chri&tchureh has recalled ' the wool sales that were onco conducted in the little brick box of Whitmorestreet that secluded little Art Gallery winch modestly screens itself away Irow tho passing show. Wellington is continually reproached a« a monetary charge-house, a city of sordid soul in matters of art and civic beauty, however open-hearted and open-handed in matters of kindness to tho sick and poor. Wellington now has tho chance 10 make the outside critics alter their cynical opinion. BEAUTY* BREEDS BEAUTY. It is anticipated that if Wellington proves eager to possess good, pictures, an appetite for other things to improve the appearance and status of the city will - grow. It is expected that earnest men and women will bo presently banded' together in a determination to beautify the capital. A successor muy yeb bo found for the deceased Scenery Preservation Society. The Arts Club ha* plainly b el, out its willingness to co-operate with the City Council. The club would! do a noble public service if it organised a strong movement presently, but in tlie meantime tho pictures call for all the energy which tho club and other societies can spare. The pictures can bervo as pioneers in. conquering apathy. NOT A SELFISH MOVEMENT. It is suspected, unfortunately, in Christchurch that Wellington peoplo hope to gain au unfair advantage with the proposed National Gallery by grabbing the bulk of Government bounty and compelling other districts to go hungry. This suspicion vtsts on fancy, not on fact. The Wellington Academy has no wish to interfere with tho State system of _ periodical grants to the galleries of sister cities. ludeed, the heads of the local gallery, destined to bn merged in the National Gallery, ar<> confident that theii plans will benefit the various provincial galleries, for' it is intended to send the national treasure up and down the country. It is hoped ttko to have an understanding on a mutual loan basis with Australian galleries. Wellington, by tho wav, is not to have a special, separate building as a, National Gallery. The projected gallery is to be pait of the National Museum, on a worthy aite, nobly in the public eye. ALL HANDS TO HELP. Country newspapers arc invited to d» all in their power to help tho movement, which is designed to benefit the wholft of New Zealand, and especially the middlrdistrict. The organisers have a hard lajsk, and they need all tho aid of wellwishers. They are not working for themselves, noi for fees. Their work id for the community, a. work done iti^ generous spirit of public service. Long arduous hours, day and night, stretch before them, but they .face the toil cheerfully, in the confidence that they will not labour in vu-in. Children of primary schoole and pupils of secondary schools and colleges arc not to be overlooked. It is suggested that boys and girls of city and country schools should put their pennies together and distinguish themselves and their schools by a worthy purchase. The children of the middle district could tb.ua do their part admirably in the furnishing of tho National Gallery, and tho interest which the.y would 1 be induced to take in the Baillie collection might be the beginning of a, permanent art fervoui, beneficial to the individual a.nd priceless to the community. 4u effort will be mado > to persuade secondary colleges, technical schools, and other institutions to bo commemorated on tho gallery's walls by worthy pictures. THE EXHIBITION. Next week My. Baillie will be hero to complete tho arrangements for the beet picture exhibition of New Zealand's history, the best even when the display at the Christchurch Exhibition of 19061907 is taken into the comparison. The Harbour Board's large U Shed will bo wonderfully transformed by the works of master artists, such treasure as should draw visitors from all parts of the province. The pictures alone should be a Bumciont feast, but it is possible that local vocal and other talent will be engaged to help the pictures to realise the ideal of the Academy—the raising of at lftast £5000. Before the exhibition is opened there will be a brisk canvass for tho canvases.