ARTS CLUB'S IDEAL

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIV, Issue LXXXIV, 23 September 1912, Page 8

ARTS CLUB'S IDEAL

TO IMPROVE THE CITY APPEAL BY THE PRESIDENT. Many a visitor, a world-traveller, has said that Wellington is splendidly situated for development into a City Beautiful. This is an obvious fact to anyono with half an eye — but some of the Beauty tarries. Th 9 cause is lack of workers for Beauty, dearth of a moving body of public opinion. The Arte Club is still hopeful of working up such an opinion as the necessary preliminary to improving the city's appearance. Discussing this subject with a Pest representative, the club's president (Mr. H. H. Rayward) said that, the idea in the formation of the club was to provide ai focus for the various branches of art. It was realised that to arouse people from apathy which at that time existed in art matters, it was advisable to have a strong body which, taking a^broad outlook on the amenities of life, would co-operate with others in advancing the cause of various departments of art in which individual sections of the club would be particularly interested. For instance, it was desired to urge the claims of Weiliiigton to^a National Gallery. This involved, to some. extent, a political question, and needed a powerful lever of public opinion to move the Government of the day. Artiste for years had striven to attain this end, but popular sympathy was hard to enlist, and by themselves artists found < themselves powerless. It was thought that if a number of public spirited people were banded with artists, a more telling effect would be attained. Proof of this was given by the fact that in the first year of its exist* ejice the club succeeded in obtaining the promise of the Government that provision would be made in the proposed Dominion Museum for a national collection of art. TOWN-PLANNING. Mr. Rayward next referred to beautifying and town-planning. Apart from the mere planting of trees, which, of course, was to be earnestly advocated, he said it was thought that Wellington particularly needed an awakening of the people to the shortcomings of domestic and public architecture, interior decoration, and the most important of all, town-planning. So far as the actual work of planting trees was concerned, individual members of the club had put in considerable work, and a whole body of members had arranged to co-operate with the Mayor on Arbor Day, but rough wet weather interfered with the plans. The club at the outset spared no effort in the direction of town planning, and kindred subjects. The council had workhard and enthusiastically. Lecture wffcer lecture with lantern illustrations had been given, showing what had been done in architectural matters throughout the world. These lectures had been generously given by those having expert knowledge in the subject, and the club issued free invitations to everybody interested to attend them and take part in the discussion. Repeatedly, and with comparative " cheerfulness, these invitations had been advertised in the local papers. "We ha\e also issued special invitation cards to all the architects in the city and vicinity," added Mr. Rayward, "and personally waited upon many of them asking them to come. Only occasionally, however, have we succeeded in exciting the interest the subject has deserved. One regrets to have to say that, speaking generally, such experts as architect* and surveyors have failed to support our efforts. In some cases where we nave asked architects to deliver addresses, we have been met with the question, such as: 'Where do I come in?' 'Why should I give my knowledge to other men of my profession?' In other cases prominent men have declared themselves to bo far too busy to prepare a lecture or even to attend a lecture given by others. Unfortunately, every growing community contains a section of architects who, even if they have some artistic perception, abandon all idea of artistic fitness to suit the views of a class of clients who look solely for cheapness of construction with the least trouble and thought in regard to the qualities of the structure. There must, however, if only we could succeed in reaching them, be public-spirited men in the achitectural and surveying profession who set the good of tne city and the people above mere personal consideration. The club admits that it has failed to reach this section. If it could only get these men to see how much might be done by a community of interest, progress of art architecture, and the beautifying of the city would be by leaps and bounds." WELLINGTON TO TAKE A BACK SEAT. The council of the club had no desire to ram its views and opinions down the throats of specialists and experts in architecture and the like, declared the president. It was quite prepared, so long as it could set the coach rolling, to take a, back seat and accept guidatice from those who may be better qualified for the task. What it asked for was active interest and sympathy of the persoiiß primarily concerned in the construction of the city and its environs, and it promised in return that the whole body of members would use its influence to carry out the projects which might be advanced to secure the objects desired. If the club had failed for want of tact or skill in its affairs, as might possibly bo the jcase (no one- was » fit judge of his own' shortcomings), then let bygones bo bygones. Now was the time for united work purely for the benefit of the city. Tho subject of town-planning was. of course, not so simple as the man in the street was apt to imagine. It was rloaely hedged not only by rjopular prejudice, but by political questions of considerable importance. To secure the proper laying out of tho city and the erection of a proper class of buildings, entailed legislation, which must not be of a very elastic character, and popular opinion has to be educated to take- a broad view of the subject. THE CLUB'S OFFER. The club specially invited artists and surveyors and other professional men to become members, and would enthusiastically welcome every ( man or woman who cared to join in its work. It offered the advantages of a good assembly room holding about 100, a reading room containing most of the journals of the day relating to arts and ciafts, a fair library, smoking and writing rooms, and a good studio, available to all workers at any hour. The assembly room was available for addresses and discussions upon any topic in which any section of members might be interested or desirous of interesting others. The Club was prepared to admit others to the council, and to consider any alteration wheh might be suggested in the rules or regulations with the view of assisting in ttie carrying out of the objects of tlie clnb, and to secure tho help of qualified persons, whether they be men or women. The clnb had arranged with the City Council for a lecture on town-planning to bo be given in the Concert Chamber of the Town Hall abcrut the middle Of October. Mr. Hurst Seager, of Christchurch, would be the lecturer, and His Excellency the Governor had promised to preside if circumstances would permit. This would be one of tho city's tree lectures, and the Arts Club earnestly urged everyone who had the slightest iutevest in the subject to attend^

In brief, tho president submits that the Arts Club is capable of doing excellent and extensive civic service if its membership i 3 sufficiently enlarged.