THE-MAYOR OF CHRISTCHURCH AND THE MUSEUM.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 4443, 11 May 1875, Page 3

THE-MAYOR OF CHRISTCHURCH AND THE MUSEUM.

TO THE“eDITOE Sie,— lfMrF. Hobbs, a member of thefirm of Hobbs and Son, tailqraand drapers, should write tothenewspapers giving his private ideas concerning matters in general,and the Museum in particular, his opinions would receive the notice they deserve as coming from a gentleman of his position and education, but when be writes in his capacity of Mayor of Christchurch every citizen has a right to expect that his'utterances represent at least the general opinion' of the city, and are in accord with the general requirements of this enlightened age. I therefore, as a ratepayer of this city, protest strongly and earnestly against the dictum of the Mayor that our Museum, of which we have so much reason to be proud, and which is recognised all over the colonies as an institution of great educational value, is only " an expensive toy.” People’s tastes and intellectual requirements differ, and possibly to Mr Hobbs, the Museum may be nothing but a toy, but there are thousands in this city and its neighbourhood, not to speak of a host of visitors, to whom the Canterbury Museum is a great soured of instruction and gratification, and to our youth it offers many advantages which Mr F. Hobbs most probably has not enjoyed, and which unfortunately for him he does not now value.

Coming from the Mayor of a city, which has all the advantages of an extensive and well appointed Museum, to which it has never contributed a farthing, it is still more unbecoming and foolish. As regards the bold step of repudiating the contract for the additions to the Museum, which has the Mayor’s approval, we may safely leave this in the hands of the Provincial Council, which will see that the fair name of the province does not suffer. In any case, I trust that the. City Council will not give an uncertain sound in protesting against the retrogressive lucubrations of their chairman whom I would remind of the old saying,“ Cobbler, stick to your last.” Your obedient servant, RATEPAYER.