MUSEUM MATTERS

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 107, 2 November 1926, Page 10

MUSEUM MATTERS

CONFERENCE OF CURATORS

MINISTER'S WELCOME

EXCHANGE Oi 1 SPECIMENS,

The conference of representatives from various museums throughout the ] Dominion was opened to-day in the Dominion Museum, by the Minister of Internal Affairs (tliu Hon. E. F. Bollard), who expressed Tiis pleasure at being able to bo jiresent to welcome the delegates. "It is inherent in the nature of most New —and I am proudto bo one," continuod the Minister, "to take a keen interest in the bird and animal life of their country and in its antiquities, with which the Dominion has been splendidly endowed. As Minister of Internal Affairs these mattors come within my province, and I think that I can say that I am as zealous as any of nvy contemporaries in seeing our antiquities and fauna prcservod for our own people. It may be that wo have in some directions delayed too long; if we had acted sooner perhaps some of the bird life that has been lost might have been preserved. I also think that we have allowed too much to go out of New Zealand." The j.linister added that in conferences which ho had held with the officers of his Department he had leai'ned that there wore a number of matters upon which it was desired to have more uniformity of action, and t^> accomplish this was the object of the present conference. He was confident that the conference would accomplish good results and he looked forward to hearing the results of their deliberations. The following museum representatives wore present:—Whangarei, Mr. A. T. Brainsby, chairman of Museum Committee; Auckland, Mr. G. Archery, curator; -few Plymouth, Mr. E. B.Ellerm, curator, and Mr. W. H. Skinner; "YVanganui, Mr. J. H. Burnot, president of board of trustees; Dominion Museum (Wellington), Dr. J. Allan Thomson, director, and Mr. J. M'Donald, assistant director; Municipal Museum (Newtown), Messrs. H. D. Bennett, C. Lindsay, and J. Burns; Nelson Institute and Museum and Cawthron Institute, Mr. W. 0. Davies, curator of Cawthron Institute; Canterbury, Professor !R. Speight, curator; Otago, Professor W. B. Benham and Mr. H. D. Skinner, curator and assistant curator; Southland Museum, Invorcargill, Mr. G. Jaquiory, curator. Other bodies represented were:—Maori Arts and Crafts Board (Mr. H. Hamilton, secretary), Department of Internal Affairs (Mi-. G. P. Newton, assistant under-secretary), Goological Survey Department (Dr. J. Marwick, palaeontologist). The Board of Maori Ethnological Research was due to be represented by the Hon. Dr. Poinarc and Mr. H. E. H. Balneavis, but they had been unable, to got back in time from the funeral of the late Sir Jans Carroll.

On tho nomination' of the Minister, Mr. >V. H. Skinner, of New Plymouth, who is president of the Polynesian Society, was voted to the chair, Dr. Thomson undertaking the duties of secretary.

The first subject set clown on tho agenda paper for discussion was the Maori Antiquities Act. From this arose the question of exchange of specimens betweon the various museums. The opinion was expressed that each museum should have a representative collection from every other district. If each museum had a list of its possessions, duplicates, and wants, and this list was circulated amongst the other museums, a system of exchange on a large scale might "be inaugurated. With regard to the export of Maori antiquities, at present prohibited under the Maori Antiquities Act, it was suggostcd that export should be allowed midei- supervision partly to facilitate exchange with foreign museums and partly to encourage the Maoris in the pursuit of their old-time crafts.

After considerable discussion, Dr. J. A Thomson moved that an examining officer bo appointed to operate at each of the- following towns: Auckland, Rotorua, Wellington, Ohristchurch, and Dunedin, to examine all Maori antiquities offered for export and to make recommendations to the Minister of Internal' Affairs. Cases of doubt would be referred to a special board of three persons, with expert Tcnowledgo of Maori art. This resolution was carried.

It was decided to take no action about circulating lists of duplicates and wants between the various museums of the Dominion.

(Proceeding.)