MAORI ARTS

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 131, 30 November 1926, Page 10

MAORI ARTS

THEIR STUDY AND PRACTICE

CONTROL BOARD SET UP

PERSONNEL ANNOUNCED,

"An Act to encourage the dissemination of knowledge of Maori . Arts and Crafts," is the title of a Bill passed by Parliament last session. The legislation provides for the setting up of Maori sWools of art and a board of control to foster the study and practice of Maori arts and crafts. . Some interesting functions are allotcd the board, the personnel of which was announced to-day by the Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. E. F. Bollard), under whose Department the board is to work. Pursuant to the Ac, the GovernorGeneral in Council has fixed the number of members of the board at eleven, and has appointed the following gentlemen :— Chairman: The Minister of Internal Affairs. Deputy-Chairman: The Under-Sec-r-etury, Department of Internal Affairs. The Hon. Sir Maui Pomare (Mm■- ■ ister for Cook Islands); the Hon.A. T. Ngata (M.P. for the Eastern Maoris), and Archdeacon H. W. Williams (these three members to represent the Maori Purposes Fund Control Board); Dr. P. H. Buck (Director of Maori. Hygiene, Auckland). The Uiuler-Secretary and Engineer--In-Chief, Public Works Department. Mr. J. M'Donald (Assistant-Direc-tor, Dominion Museum, Wellington). Mr. W. Page-Eowc (an artist and enthusiastic member of the Anthropological Section of the Auckland Branch of the Now Zealand Institute); and Mr. H. Hamilton (Dominion MuseunO, who is to be the secretary of the board. THE BOARD'S FUNCTIONS. In announcing the appointments, Mr. Bollard said that the proposals in the legislation came originally from the Board of Maori Ethnological Bescareh, a body which had done much valuable' work.- In addition to the provision' relating to the appointment of the1 board lie pointed out that the Act pro-' vides that the Governor-General may, by Order-in-Council, make regulations with respect to the term of office, qualifications and disqualifications for mem-, bership, the mode of filling vacancies on the board, the payment of administration expenses, the keeping and auditing of accounts, and generally for sucli other purposes as may be necessary to give effect to the Act. In further-1 ance of its objects, the board may establish one or more schools of Maoxi art or othe- institutions for the study and practice of the arts and crafts as known to and practised by the Maori people, and for that purpose may acquire land and buildings. The board is to manage and controlthe schools or other institutions estabv lished ,by it, and may appoint and dis- ; charge instructors, teachers, and other officers or servants; provide equipment and material; fix fees to bo paid by; those attending the schools, or other-: wise prescribe the terms and conditions, on which instruction shall be given; and' generally make rules' for' trie ; 'conduct and management of the institutions. It may also make grants to any schools or classes formed for the purpose of giv-* ing instructions in or encouraging the practice, of Maori arts.and crafts. ACQUISITION OF CARVINGS, ETC, Power is also given for the purchase,' acquisition, or vending: by th« board;' of any carvings or other articles having; distinctive Maori characteristics; acquire books or publications connected with Maori arts and; crafts; print or reprint any reference to Maori traditions, life or work considered worthy,' of permanent recoTd; and generally to take such other steps as it may. consider necessary to give effect to th» provisions of the Act. The board is empowered to accept and undertake the' custody and control of any Maori an-' tiquities which may be in the posßes-' sion of the Crown or may be .entrusted" to its. custody. For the purpose of enabling the boardto carry out the objects of. the Act there is to be' paid into its account: each year such sum as may from tima to time be appropriated by Parliament-.' for the purpose; the board may receive any sum of money paid to it by any person or body corporate for. the purpose of assisting its activities; and. the Arawa District Trust Board and the Maori Purposes Fund Control Board are authorised to pay into the account such, sums as they think fit. All moneys paid into the board's account may be expended for such purpose as the board , directs. Commenting on the decision of Cabi- ■ net, Mr. Bollard said that all New Zealanders with- a love' of the Maori race and its arts would join in appreciating tho action of the Government in its efforts to preserve the Native arts, which were admired in every country in the world. Every overseas visitor to tho Dominion—and most of them have delight in diving into the . early history of the country—remark- : ed Mr. Bollard, genuinely admired the carvings of the Maori, which, unhappily, were becoming rare. The enterprising board set up by tho Government would inspire fresh interest in the artists amongst tho Maoris, and one could look forward to very keen progress being made in the future. That was the theme of the legislation.