OTAGO ART SOCIETY.

Evening Star, Issue 9878, 14 December 1895, Page 4

OTAGO ART SOCIETY.

The annual meeting of the Otago Art Society was held in the Town Hall yesterday afternoon, and attended by about a dozen members. Mr.W. M. Hodkins (president) occupied the chair.

ANNUAL RErOUT. The following report was presented by the retiring Council: — The Counci', in presenting to members this report, stato that, although the year now ending lias been ono of general anxiety to all institutions, owing to the continued depression which has been felt by all classes, it hai not affected this society so prejudicially as might under tho circumstances have been expected. Signs are not wanting of a revival in trado, and such a change will without doubt have its beneficial effect on the society's income in the future. The pales at the exhibition just closed amounted to £149 7p, as against £l3B last year. In both years the art union came to £75; but, while the takings for admission to the gal.'ery last year were £6O 5?, £SO was all that was realised from this source during the late exhibition. In 189* the number of exhibits was 306; in 1895, 286.

The works shown this year were almost entirely by members, and the Oouncil are glad to be able to express their opinion that the quality of the work exhibited manifested olear and unmistakable s'gns of improvement in drawing as well as in technique. Members appear to be endeavoring, in manv eases with commendable success, to improve themselves in both branches, and the Council regard this as an indication-of the earaestnePß which animates the exhibitors as a body, and look forward with confidence to the work of succeeding years for a further improvement. The society's silver medal for the best original landscape study by members was won this year by Mr A. S. "Wood. As to the medal offered to the Dunedin School of Art and Design for a study from the life, no report has yet been received. Mis 3 May Barron is the winner of the silver medal given to the Girh' High School. During the year the Council, in 'conjunction with the Savage Club and the Orchestral Society, endeavored to make arrangements for the use of the top flat of the new Government Insurance Building, in order to provide a gallery in which to hold the annual exhibitions, as well as accommodation for members, for a place of meeting, for reading room, library, and for general club purposes. Owing, however, to difficulties raised during the negotiation, the arrangement fell through. Your Oouncil is, nevertheless, strongly impressed with the opinion that suitable accommodation for the above purposes should be obtained, as it will greatly extend the sphere of influence of the society, and they propose to take advantage of any favorable opportunity that may arise to secure it.

The society has received during the yoar an oil painting by K. Deas from Mr Shaw, and from Mr Hermann a serie3 of fac-simile reproductions of pencil drawings by Allers, a German artist of note. A small water color by the late E. A. Gifford has been acquired by purchase. The thanks of the Council are also due to Mrs G. Scott, to the Rev. A. North, to Mr J. Battray, and to Mr J. Cowie Nicholla for the works lent by them to the exhibition just olosed. The Council conclude this roport by acknowledging with gratitude the service done to the society by the ladies and gentlemen who so generously gave their assistance at the concerts held in the gallery during the exhibition. The balance-sheet showed that the receipts for the year (including a balance carried forward of £36 15s 8d) amounted to £334 13s sd, and the expenditure to £332 16s 6d. The assets are set down at £1,084 4s 5d and there are no liabilities.

The President, in moving the adoption of the report, mentioned that the Council had been endeavoring to procure a permanent home for the society. It was felt that it would be>, much better if the society could obtain a permanent place of meeting, where the members could come together without arranging special meetings to be held at the convenience of the City Council or Borne other body, for the society was always beholden to someone for a place to meet in. It might be within the bounds of anticipation that the next year the society might be able to come to some arrangement with the Government or with somebody else as to the acquisition of a permanent home, and there was the greatest possible hope that the society would then be able to go on better than it had done in the past. The motion for the adoption of the report was carried unanimously, ELECTION OF OFFICE-BEARERS.

The election of office-bearers resulted as follows :—President, Mr W. M- Hodgkins ; vice-president, Mr L. W. Wilson; hon. secretary, Dr Scott; hon. treasurer, Mr J. White (all the foregoing officers were reelected); council—Mrs Hocken, Mrs Woodhouse, Miss G. Joel, Dr Roberts, Messrs J. R. Sinclair, D. E. Hutton, C. W. Foster, W. Hutchison, M.H.R., G. P. Nerli (reelected), and J. A. Burnside. A vote of thanks to the City Council for the use of the room concluded the meeting.