FOSTERING CULTURE

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 70, 24 March 1933, Page 9

FOSTERING CULTURE

DOMINION PRAISED

MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES

'ENLIGHTENED CITIZENS'

"Classifying countries according to their importance from the museum and art gallery point of view, New Zealand takes premier place in competition with all parts of the Empire. Few museums in the Empire, in centres with a- population of less than a quarter of a million, are superior to those of Auckland or Wellington", and in its museum service as a whole New Zealand is comparatively ahead of South Africa, Canada, and Australia." This, remarked Mi1. S. F. Markham, in an interview, was due to enlightened citizens rather than to extensive Government support. Mr. Markham is at present visiting the Dominion on behalf of tho Museums Association of London, and ho is collecting data for a'report on museums and art galleries for the Carnegie Corporation of New York. He has already, made similar surveys in the British Isles, Canada, India, and Australia. When comparisons were-made, as to size ■of buildings, extent of fidancial support, number of scientific staff, etc., in relation to population, Auckland had a very clear lead over all other towns in the Empire with a population of less than 275,000, except Cardiff. Wellington compared favourably with most of the towns, but Christchurch was below tho average. New Zealand in its national expenditure on museums and art galleries compared favourably with other countries, the annual expenditure in pence per head of population working out as follows: —Great Britain 8, United States 7£, New Zealand 4, Australia 3, Canada and Newfoundland 24, and South Africa 1-}. ' . . , LITTLE GOVERNMENT HELP. In New Zealand, Mr. Markham pointed out, there was not one town with a population of 20,000 or more which had neither a museum nor an art gallery, whereas in, Canada, South Africa, Australia, and Great Britain thero were many towns not so equipped. Wanganui, Nelson, and New Plymouth each had institutions of which the local authorities were deservedly proud. Tho reason why New Zealand with its small population and short history in terms of modern civilisation was comparatively ahead of South Africa, Canada, and Australia in museum service had little to do with an vnlightcned Government giving extensive support to cultural movements. "Frankly," said Mr. Markham, "the museum and art gallery movement in New Zealand owes very little to tho Government, but it owes a great deal to thousands of enlightened and publicspirited citizens who have pulled together with a. delightful sense of team work to make their particular town excel for its art gallery or museum. Beyond tho yearly grant for the Dominion Museum and spasmodic grants to two or three other institutions, successive Governments have left museums and art galleries to care for themselves. The New Zealand Official Year Book, a model publication in many respects, apparently entirely ignores tho existence of not only the Dominion Museum, but of all cultural institutions from Auckland to Invercargill." Travelled Europeans and Americans, commented Mr. Markham, knew New Zealand as "The Sportsman's Paradise" or as "The Wonderland of the Pacific," but very few knew that the finest collections' -of historic Maori material in' the world could be seen in Wellington,. Dnnedin, Auckland, and Wanganui, that the Auckland War Memorial Museum was the most beautiful and best arranged educational mnseum south of the Lino, or that Wanganui had almost the finest art gallery and library for a town of its size anywhere in the Empire. EFFORTS PRAISED. ' The lost prestige of the Christchurch Museum was emphasised by Mr. Markham, who said that for the first thirty years of existence—it was the oldest museum in New Zealand—it was undoubtedly the best in tho colony. But its progress had not been comparable to that more lately mado by Auckland, Wellington, or.Dunedin. The Clirisf.chureh Art Gallery, however, was. probably tho best art gallery building in New Zealand. Tho Auckland Huscum was a superb building, superbly situated, and the cases were the finest in the Dominion. The new museum for Wellington, ho thought, ought-to prove equal to the one in Auckland, provided sufficient care was taken over cases and equipment. The aew gallery at Dunedin he characterised as being charming and restful. CARDINAL PRINCIPLES. The Carnegie Corporation, concluded Mr. Markham, was anxious to assist in sending curators -overseas; in encouraging the expansion of a museum's work in schools, and in providing new cases and equipment. But assistance was not given unless there was some assurance that local financial support and interest would be given and continued. There were certain cardinal principles about museums and art galleries that he and Ms colleagues had laid down. It was essential, for instance, for the continued success of any museum or art gallery for there to be a full-time, well-trained staff. Men with^ university training, supplemented by a period of teaching in schools, made the best all-round curators. No museum in a town of fewer than 12,000 persons could hope to be a continued success unless it was exceptionally well endowed. In towns with more than that population the minimum income from all- sources should be at least sixpence per "head of population.