WAR MUSEUM

Evening Post, Volume XCIV, Issue 48, 25 August 1917, Page 8

WAR MUSEUM

THE BRITISH SCHEME

SHOULD NEW ZEALAND FOLLOW?

A correspondent, Mr. Edward Green, writing to The Post from London, under date 28th June, forwards n, clipping from the Chronicle, outlining the aim and scopo of the National War Museum being established in Great Britain.

In a covering note to the Editor, Mr. Green states: "The Evening Post should urge tlio New Zealand Government to at once try and secure some of the 'duplicates' which arc liable to be rejected by H.M. Office of Works, and have them handed to Now Zealand's official representative in London to be sent to New Zealand to be re-distributed amongst museums there,. Givo the. art students in New Zealand a chance. What the New Zealand Government has already dona foi' me can also bo done for other art students in New Zealand. Even the very boots of tlio Allies and enemy soldiers of the various grades and ranks should also bo included." The matter is referred to in our editorial columns-

The extract from tlio London Chronicle states:—"Tlio War Cabinet and Parliament itself liitvo given sanction to Sir Alfred Mond's happy conception of a National War Museum. Thus wo shall liave in London an institution which, so far as is known, will stand alone in the world. Private :ol:lections are heard of in all parts of Europe, but we are to do the thing on the grand scale, and all who can help should Know of the scheme at once. Every phase of the Great War --civilian as well as military—is to be commemorated, and the student and the historian are to have collected for them materials of priceless value. "Sub-committees of experts have.been engaged for some time in working out the necessary floor space which would be required to house exhibits representing the efforts of the Navy, Army, and Munitions. Definite figures have been ascertained and approved of by the committee, and preliminary plans are now in course of preparation, ft is clear that ,to worthily perpetuate the great national and Imperial allied effort, a large and imposing- building will be required. The War Museum must, from its very nature, partake of the form of a war memorial, and the idea of combining with the Museum appropriate features, such as a memorial h,all, a regimental gallery, in which the unique roll of honour of those who have paid the supreme sacrifice in this war would be enshrined, as well as records, of gallantry of the regimental and naval units . themselves, will certainly meet with sympathy and approval. "Sir Alfred Mond estimates that the war library alone to be housed will com: prise from 30,000 to 50,000 volumes. Then there will be the enormous mass of original State documents, many of which may not reach the Museum for at least a generation after their date. In the ordinary course all these documents would be deposited in the Record Office, and if they are to be accommodated in the National War Museum some express arrangement for that purpose will have to be made. The books.- and the documents, however, voluminous as they must be, will be the least bulky of the exhibits.

"There will be guns and models of ships in fighting trim. The land war on all fronts will be illustrated. Posterity will want to know more than books tell about Verdun and Vimy Ridge, dugouts, and subterranean dressing-stations; and of these also the Museum will show models. The achievements of surgery and medicine will, as far as possible, be commemorated spectacularly. _ An important branch of the Museum will bo devoted to the civilian war contribution, especially women's work in spheres formerly held exclusively by the men. "In the meantime, the Office of Works has already received over 1000 gifts for the Museum, and these are being carefully stored. Regimental records of all kinds' will be acceptable, and the Musenm will probably be the recognised home in .future of all such treasured docarnents."