THE BIG-CAMPAIGN

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 122, 25 May 1928, Page 11

THE BIG-CAMPAIGN

HARBOUR BOARD'S £5000 "SUBJECT TO AUTHORITY" WHAT PROJECT MEANS The Wellington Harbour Board lias as its duty to Wellington, city and province, the development and conduct of the port to the best interests of city and province, and that duty it undoubtedly carries out in able manner. There, should its members take a narrow view, its duties end, but the narrow view is not taken, nor, indeed, is it possible if the interwoven interests of city, country, aiM port are to be truly baiaiiced. Again, in the narrow sense, these interests are "strictly business," with the board in the position of a middleman" of so desirable a character that he makes no charges.for services rendered other than those necessary to enable business to be still further expanded. The board, happily for the relations between itself and the people and local authorities of the wide, area of Wellington Province-which does its business through this port, has grown far, past the "strictly business and harbour business at that" policy, and, as' the re-elected chairman, Mr. J. G. Cobbe, and the. ex-chairman, Mr. M. Cohen, said at the citizens' meeting in tho Council Chamber a .week or so ago, regards itself as a provincial body in the widest sfiise, with' the interests ■of city and province close" at heart. It is -that wider policy of co-opera-tion which has carried through- at »*** last meeting, without fuss, or long speeches, the resolution that tho board should contribute out of its harbour fund the sum of £5000 towards the Dominion Museum and Art Gallery on tho Mount Cook site, the payments to. be made in five annual sum 3of £1000, or at any earlier period as may, be required. Both the chairman and Mr. Cohen indicated at the Council Chamber' meeting that the boarc? would almost assuredly give- substantial support. And £5000 is a pleasantly substantial sum. ' ... LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITY. But plain business caution does come into the matter, for the board's decision is "subject to legislative authority being obtained by tho Citizens' Committee." That means precisely what it says, but no great fears are entertained on the point by members of tho committee to >'iom it has been mentioned. Tho Auditor-General is a man of peculiarly inquiring frame of mind and may be moved to question whether the board may make such a ■contribution, and the position will be mado the surer by the Citizens' Committee asking for ' special legislation for a special occasion. "Just-tho same point cpneerns, or might otherwise concern, various business firms and corporations which might; failing the obtaining of special legislative authority by the committee, be unable to take their part in carrying through the campaign, : .'. . ■ ;;' '-'"''S.-'i'^iI: ' '". ■ CONTEIBXJTIOir T(O AN IDEAL. In a sense all contributions are as much contributions to an ideal as towards the cost' of a block of splendid buildings upon the city's finest site. Wellington has been behindhand in appreciating herself—maybe ( a civic pride is strongly present but hides through sheer, modesty, „or is sternly suppressed; •:.:. 'liTho;>fulfilme.nt;: of . the Mount^QoW'seh^i^^iv^nftiSious pro- : ject certaihlyi'-shb.ulot'''awaken^ that civic spirit arid pride, very, effectively, should it bo dozing, or calf it forth 1. from a too modest, retirement, if mod- ! esty is its failing. On Mount Cook, on which at present squats New Zealand's ugliest public building, practically unused and never fully used, are to be placed a great building, or buildings, the National, Momorial,. which is a mattor'for the Government, and is out-, side of tho £ 100,000 • campaign; the Dominion Musetlin and Art Gallery, to cost '£200,000,. of which- city and district are to find half; and the Carillos tower. These will be built not merely as buildings, fine thought they will be, but as an establishment/a lasting proof of Wellington's prido in herself. That is" the attitude in which the Harbour Board and.; all others, City Council, individual citizens,-business houses, and institutions which haye : promised large donations of ,£IOO,O and over have met the apgeal,; the o.nlyattitude of mind which can carry the campaign thmugh.'