The Evening Star TUESDAY, JULY 24, 1906.

Evening Star, Issue 12873, 24 July 1906, Page 4

The Evening Star TUESDAY, JULY 24, 1906.

LEADER

KTAOIN ETA

The reception given by the Premier to tho deputation who waited upon Dr Hockftn's him this morning in the matCollection. tor of Dr Hocken's offer was

Terr disappointing, and it seems to us that the people of Dunedin will have substantial cause of dissatisfaction if the Ministerial attitude of "non possum us " is not modified. Mr Hal!-Tones virtually told tho local community that they ought to provide all tug 3toM;r required for the practical acceptance of the offer. Apparently ho does not realise either the national import of the present opportunity or the extent of what has been accomplished by Dunedin citizens during the last few years in raising money for the"improvement of Government or semi-Government instituhons. • For instance, the work done, br the citizens with the object of putting the Hospital in a decent condition gives "them a claim upon tho good-will of the colonial authorities, to say nothing of the large sum raised for the University a vcar or two before. Tfc was the promise or prospect of a subsidy from the Treasury that gave the necessary propelling force to these movements of local liberality: but- if the local appeal had failed the Government would sooner or later have been under a moral obligation— at least in the case of the Hospital—to provide the whole sum. We do not approve the habit of looking to the Government for everything; but "still less are we disposed to allow Ministers to'got into the way of thinking that semi-national undertakings are to receive nothing in the shape of national aid. The Premier pointed to the maintenance of the Parbamcntarv Library as an instance of what the State was doing for literary research. The illustration was not very happy, seeing [hat the Parliamentary Library is "of precious little use to anyone outside the Parliamentary Club, so to speak. But, apart from that view, the fact that something- is being clone in Wellington furnishes no argument against similar activity in Dnnedin. A very different idea of Ministerial duty prevails in Australia, where tho State Governments are always gladly readyto accord liberal help in such matters. Dunedin does not expect to he relieved of all financial responsibility in connection with •Dr Hocken's offer. From the start of the discussion we have recognised a part of the money would have to be raised locally by subscription, and that the annual cost of maintaining the library would, in some form, be a load burden. Tint the obligation of the Government to grant n. subsidy, if not to defray the entire cost of the actual building, appears to us to be beyond dispute, and we invite the Premier to consult his colleagues and give the subject a more thorough and more friendly consideration. Though the result of yesterday's conference between the Art Gallery trustees, the Early Settlers' .Association" and Dr Hocken's friends was not altogether satisfactory when regarded superficial! v. still there is reason to believe that suitable arrangements can-yet be made for the adequate housing 0 f t h G collection on the old station site, where the other institutions are to be erected ; but, of course, the lack of Government-assistance would seriously accentuate the difficulty of the project. * We believe that the difficulty would eventually be overcome, even under these oppressive conditions: but the Government ought to recognise that their credit—we almost say the credit of the Colony—ls concerned in the matter, and that the heavy burden of making provision for what is a national as well as a local undertaking should not. lxj entirely laid upon the shoulders of the ])oople of Dunedin. We can assure the Premier that his reply to the deputation will cause acute dissatisfaction in the City, and we hope thai the unpleasantfeeling will ba removed by the adoption of a more reasonable attitude.