FOR MOUNT COOK

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 58, 12 March 1929, Page 12

FOR MOUNT COOK

ART GALLERY & MUSEUM

GOVERNMENT'S INTEREST

COMPETITIVE DESIGNS

Important decisions wero reached at. a, meeting of tho executive) of the National Art Gallery and Dominion Fund Campaign yesterday afternoon, that competitive designs for the group of buildings should lie called- for without delay, and that a temporary board of trustees ' should bo set up. A letter from tho Primo Minister (the Eight. 1 ;Hou. Sir Joseph Ward), stating the '■' Government's attitude, was received at tho meeting with the warmest satisfaction. Sip Joseph ®:has agreed to act as chairman of the temporary board of trustees. The Mayor (Mr. G. A. Troup) cxpressod pleasure at so largo an attendance of members of the executive, ■which was indicative of tho interest still maintained in the campaign. Ho had deferred calling the meeting' until such time as ho was ablo to make a final statement in regard to the carnival and until some outstanding subscriptions might be forthcoming, or the amounts of oth.ers who had madepro; mise might bo announced. There were still some promises of amounts not stated. -Io was also anxious to be in a ; position to state just what attitude the new Government was taking towards the scheme, and was pleased to. say that' that attitude was most gratifying. ■ Mr. Troup then gave details of the carnival account and balance-sheet (which are set out in another column), giving a net return of £1197 6s 7d. The expectations of the eaYnival had not been realised, said Mr. Troup, and for that there ■wbro various reasons, tho chief probably being that it fell just before Christmas, when peoplo were disinclined to spend freely at such entertainments. However, tho general fund had benefited by £1107. That amount included an item of £250, value of costumes. These wero valued by tho organiser, at a much larger sum, but he had placed the figure at £250. An offer had been received from Christchurch of £100 for the loan of them. "HOT BY ANY MEANS AT THE END." Since the last meeting of the executive, continued Mr. Troup, a number of donations, some of them substantial, had come in, showing clearly that the campaign was not by any means at its end. Only that .day he had been advised of one amount'of £100, two of £50, and one of £25. The grand total, together with accrued, interest, now stood at £91,964, and though that did not reach the full amount, it was still a very creditable sum indeed. "There remains £8000 to be collected, and I do not think that that sum should be beyond us. If we obtain even £95,000, the interest will more than make up the balance, but I hope, and believe, that wo shall get in the full £100,000." " . . Mr. Troup said that the amount invested was in tho vicinity of £26,000, so that tho greater part was still outstanding on promise. He proposed to send out a circular letter suggesting that those who had promised subscriptions should now send in their money, and thought that £-10,000 or £50,000 would thus soon bo available. Many of those who had undertaken to contribute bo much over a period of four or five years would no doubt now be willing to send in the full amount, which would certainly benefit the fund by reason of greater interest earning.. In answer to Sir Harold Beauchanrp, the Mayor said that tho expenses in connection with, the general fund had Tjeen very light indeed, not more than £200 for tho full amount collected, apart from carnival expenses. VAs to tho future," he continued, "we have still a number of people who are well able to give, and some of them intend,to give. I think we should make a list and at least give them ample opportunity. From that source, from the country districts, the Art Gallery Art Union, and the performance of "The Messiah" at Easter,' £95,000 should be easy of attainment. Moreover, some of those who have already given are willing to give more. I have hesitated to ask, but if some will come forward they will encourage others." In reply to a question, Mr. Nelson Isaac said that ho thought the art union should bring in at least £1000. PRIME MINISTER'S ACTIVE INTEREST. Sir Harold Beaucbamp and himself, continued the Mayor, had waited upon Sir Joseph Ward to learn what the policy of the Government would be' in regard to that of the lato Government, and whether it would give consent to the calling of competitive designs. Sir Joseph had received them niostcordially, and had assured them that he would do everything in his power to carry the project ahead. The ucheme appealed to him greatly. He (the Mayor) had later written formally' to the Prime Minister, and had received from- him a very satisfactory reply. The Mayor's letter to the Prime Minister was as follows: — "Acting on the promise of your predocessor in office to make tho Mount Cook site available; for the joint purposes of a National Art Gallery, a Dominion Museum, and a carillon campanile; also to subsidise pound for pound up to £100,000 all donations received by public subscription, an appeal was made, with the result that" so far. promises of about £92,000 have been received. With interest derived from the investment of the money received until; such time as the structures are under way, the sum of at least £100,----000 will bo available. The next step proposed is to call for competitive 'designs, and I shall bo glad if you can sec your way to agree to the sotting up of a temporary board to carry out this part of tho work. It is suggested that such a board_should act in conjunction •with tho New Zealand Institute of Architects, and that throe prizes should he offered for the three best designs. 'With the object of safeguarding tho interests of the subscribers as well,as of tho Governmont, I "beg to suggest; that the money subscribed should bo held in trust by this board until such time as-the permanent board of trustees shall be appointed. I understand it'will be 2L£cesgary to pass legislation next session in order to set up permanent trustees, and to doflno their powers. T sincerely trust you can see your way to give effect to the suggested proposals which will help .to advance the project a stage further, and which I am confident will be greatly appreciated by tho public of Wellington." Sir Joseph replied as follows: — "16th February, 1929. "Dear Sir, —I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter. In reply I may say that the .proposals contained in your communication are quite satisfactory to the Government, and I have pleasure in confirming them. The Government agrees to the proposed composition of the board , and also to tho suggestion made by. Sir Harold Beauchamp and yourself that the Prime Minister should Toe chairman." TEMPORARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES Boforo the board of trustees could bo set up, continued tho Mayor, legislative authority would have to bo obtained, but in. the meantime, they, had i

suggested, the Government should agreo to tho setting up of a temporary board of trustees; the following members bciug suggested:—.

The Mayor of Wellington. The chairman of the Harbour Board. Sir Harold Beauchamp. The president of the New Zealand

Academy of Fine Arts. The president of the Institute of

Architects. The directors of the Dominion

Museum. The chairman of the Carillon Society. Two Government nominees.

To this constitution, said Mr. Troup, the Prime Minister had readily agreed, and he had also consented to their request that he himself should be one of the Government'nominees and should act as chairman of'tho board.

Upon Sir Harold Beauchamp's suggestion the meeting unanimously agreed that a letter should be sent expressing the executive's warm appreciation of tho activo interest taken by Sir Joseph. Mr. Troup remarked that since tho names of tho temporary trustees had been suggested to Sir Joseph Ward he had thought that the names of the Mayors of Masterton and Palmerston North should be added, if the Government was agreeable, that the close cooperation of tho Wairarapa and Manawatu districts might be obtained. Both those gentlemen had already given very \-aluable assistance. To this the meeting agreed. CALLING OF COMPETITIVE DESIGNS. Sir Harold Beauchamp said that he was convinced.that a good many people had held back up till now, feeling that the project was rather nebulous but now that.it was taking a concrete form they would come forward, and a good deal more money should be forthcoming. Mr. George Shirteliffe agreed with that view,, and said that the response would be still better if the, Mayor was able to announce that competitive designs were to.be called for.

Mr. Troup replied that a stage had now been reached when that' was possible; and he moved'that the temporary trustees should be instructed to proceed at once,: with the calling of designs. He had discussed the matter with officers of both the "Wellington and the New Zealand Institutes of Architects, and. was of the opinion that the best course would be to hand over the matter to the New Zealand Institute, to arrange. assessors, etc., The institute knew more about the business than anyone else in Now Zealand, and was in. a position to deal with the matter in a thoroughly impartial manner. NEW ZEALAND DESIGNS ONLY. Mr. J. N. Wallace asked whether designs were to bo called for from outside New Zealand. Mr. Troup: "My own opinion is that they should be confined to New Zealand; Sir Joseph Ward is strongly of that opinion." • Mr. Wallace: "Which is the more important: to confine the competition or to get the finest design from ariy part of the world?" Several members spoke upon the point. Mr. A. B. Hornblow and Mr. W. S. Wilson held that designs should be sought from all parts of the British Empire. j '

Finally Mr. IShirtcliffe moved that the designs should be confined to New Zealand architects, and Mr. Wilson an amendment that they should be called abroad as well.

During the further discussion Mr. Shirtcliffe said that to call for overseas designs would mean considerable delay. No opportunity to obtain tho very best should be missed, said Mr. Wilson.

" Mr. W. Gray Young said that the experience in connection with the Auckland Memorial Museum had been that it was a, waste of time ,to go outside' tho Dominion. Now Zealand designs were placed first, second, and third. The proposal to call designs from all parts of the Empire was lost by 9 votes t0.25, and a formal resolution was carried instructing the temporary trustees to call for designs in New Zealand as soon as possible.