THE ART GALLERY

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 17, 21 January 1938, Page 10

THE ART GALLERY

LOCAL BODY CONTRIBUTIONS

DIFFERENCE OF OPINION

(Special to the "Evening Post.") MASTERTON, This Day. "It is a very worthy object," remarked the chairman, Mr. W. I. Armstrong, during a discussion at yesterday's meeting of the Masterton County Council regarding a contribution by the council to the upkeep of the National Art Gallery and Museum.

When the Clerk, Mr. J. C. D. Mackley, reported that the suggested contribution by the council would amount to £15 a year, Councillor G. Moore said: "I don't think that will go down." Mr. Armstrong: The Art Gallery has to be kept going.

Councillor. Moore: We have enough of our own affairs to keep going without worrying about art galleries. Councillor P. R. Welch: Why don't they get a grant from the Consolidated Fund?

Mr. Armstrong: The Government is contributing £6000 or £7000. We would come out of it much better by paying a penny a head of population than by a larger grant coming out of the Consolidated Fund, to which we are heavy contributors. It is a very worthy object. Councillor Moore: There are a lot of other very worthy objects. There are byroads to metal and bridges to build. Those are the things we have to consider when spending the ratepayers' money. When you consider the question of increased costs today and the position of the ratepayers it makes you pause, or it should.

It was decided to consider further the question of a contribution on receipt of an official report on the proceedings at the conference of local body representatives held recently in Wellington to discuss the financial position of the Art Gallery.