ART GALLERY SITE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 108, 7 April 1936, Page 2

ART GALLERY SITE

REQUEST TO COUNCIL, A SYMPATHETIC HEARING. A request that the Palmerston North City Council should cede to the Palmerston North Art Gallery and Museum Association a site for a museum and art gallery was made by a large deputation, representative of numerious organisations in the city, which waited on the council last evening. It was pointed out that the fixing of a site was the next step in the activities of the association, which was formed last week, and subsequently the council instructed the engineer to prepare a report for the next meeting of the works committee, showing the sites available, and also the possibility of providing the necessary space by adding further to the municipal library building. Th deputation was introduced by Cr. W. B. Tennent, who said it was the most important one that had waited on the council for some time. A forward step in the cultural side of the city had been taken in the meeting held last week, when many organisations had conferred and decided to approach the council to allocate a site.

The Mayor (Mr A. E. Mansford) said it was very gratifying to see such a large deputation. In . the last four weeks there had been more 'deputations to the council than had possibly been the case in the last four years that he had been Mayor. It was a very gratifying indication of the increasing confidence of the public. The city was making rapid strides toward being one of the greatest cities of the Dominion, and it was only natural that there should be made available the same cultural facilities as in other centres. The establishment of an art gallery and museum was supplying that higher education which could not be obtained in the schools. He was sure that the deputation would be accorded a sympathetic hearing and, if it was possible,'they would do all they could to assist the deputation, but, he pointed out, the committee had to be prepared to help themselves to a certain degree. Speaking *as a representative of the Manawatu Art Society, Mr R. H. Billens said that it appeared that the councillors were very well acquainted with the wishes of the deputation. They had a very deep' sense of gratitude for the very generous and broadminded move made some time ago by the council in making a grant of £250 toward the cost of an art gallery and museum. That had given not only a direction and stimulus to all those forces working for the art gallery and museum, but bad also placed the movement above sectional interests and made it one for the establishment of an institution in which every citizen would have a direct interest. The council would realise from just a casual glance that the deputation included representatives of practically every organisation in the city that had for its aim the cultural advancement of Palmerston North. Already the city had reached an enviable position in regard to schools with the establishement of an agricultural university college, and with j the three secondary schools which were ( among the finest in the Dominion. The next step in the advancement of the cultural life of the city was to provide a; focal point in the establishment of an art gallery and museum. Within a radius of 40 miles of the city there was a population of 90,000 persons and, looking at the subject from that standpoint, the city was one of the most important of the “near cities” of New Zealand; yet it was one of the few “near cities” that had not made a definite move for the provision of an art gallery and museum. Wanganui had a very fine gallery, if not the finest in New Zealand, also a museum, and Napier had taken action for the establishment of an art gallery. The Palmerston North Art Gallery and Museum Association had been brought into being only a few days ago. The deputation was asking j the council to make a gift or cede a site for the gallery and museum. A further move could not be made until a site had been decided on, because architectural j plans could not be drawn up, and neither could a confident approach be made to j the residents for the funds. The site should be as central as possible. Many had thought that the civic buildings should be in the Square. It might not be possible to ask for a site in the Square, but the nearer to the centre of the city it was the better it would be for everybody. The speaker asked that the council decide on the principle to give a site and then ask a committee of the new association to meet either the full council or a | committee to discuss *the sites available. Then a decision,, could be' arrived at as to whether they were suitable to the council, the Museum and Art Gallery Association and the citizens of Palmerston North. TRE OLD MUSEUM. Endorsement of the remarks of Mr Billens was given by Mr M. A. Eliott, president of the Manawatu branch of the Royal Society of New .Zealand. He said the society had as its aim the furtherance of science and art in the Dominion. A local branch had been formed 12 months ago and was becoming quite an enthusiastic body. Under the rules of the society the greater portion of its income had to be devoted to either a museum or a library. Many years ago there had been a museum established in Palmerston North by private subscription, and that hail been maintained for a number of years, being visited by 200 to 300 persons a week. It had been very small, although growing, but its activities had been stifled through lack of room and finance. The time was now ripe for an effort to see that Palmerston North did not lag behind in matters of that kind. Napier, Wanganui and other centres had shown a very landable spirit in that regard, and Palmerston North should be on their level.

Adding his support, Mr J. A. Nash commented that the city should be unanimous in seeking the establishment of an art gallery and museum. Though the centre of the Square was another matter, there were sites which could be provided closely adjacent. Citizens generally had become interested in the movement to provide cultural facilities, and they should endeavour to maintain that. The council were to be congratulated on allocating £250 as the nucleus of a fund, and he hoped that this would become an annual contribution.

Mr H. B. Free, who was one of the sponsors of the movement which led to the £250 being placed on the estimates, said he had had an old friend who had two pictures he would have liked to have seen hanging in such an art gallery as that suggested. He had' passed on, but the pictures remained, and there must be many similar art treasures available. Palmerston North had a sincere appreciation of the beautiful, as had been proved by the attendance when Titania’s Palace was on exhibition. QUESTION OF CONTROL. Cr. W. B. Cameron said he fully supported the movement, but he inquired the reason for the suggestion that the control of the institution, instead of being vested in the council, which was a permanent body, should be under a committee which was subject to change. The Mayor, as chairman of the committee, stated that this was only a temporary expedient. Not being certain of the administrative methods followed in the conduct of art galleries and museums in other centres, he had instructed the town clerk to secure information as to the constitution and management of such institutions. He was sure that the committee would be only too glad to have the' control undertaken by the City Council if that , was the general practice. Cr. G. Tremaine asked if the sites were to be considered only in terms of bricks and mortar, or if, attention was to be

given the question or grounds, and en vironment.

Mr Billens stated that that opened up a big avenue .of discussion. The idea was to secure, if possible, a site with grounds, but there would be a willingness to forgo the extent of these in favour of availability. The question of a suitable site could be determined at a discussion' between responsible committees representing the Art Gallery and Museum Association and the City Council. They could visualise a city of 50,000 people, with the possibility of the business centre shifting. Consequently a site must be chosen which was likely to satisfy every contingency. , The Mayor said that the council were, as a body, and individually, in entire sympathy with the movement. Though £250 had been placed on the estimates last year, it remained to be seen whether a similar contribution could be made this year,' as the unexpectedly heavy expenditure of several thousands of pounds, due to the storm, had affected the finances at the council’s disposal. The Mayor said that he personally could not approve of the gift of a site until the engineer had reported on those available, so that the council could discuss them and, if prudent, make a grant. With reference to the centre of the Square as a site,, he suggested that if the committee were prepared lo wait it was quite possible that the council could allocate a site there. .If the council could provide a site, then anything done would be with the approval of the New Zealand Art Galleries and Museum Association. Air Billens conveyed the thanks of the deputation for the reception given the deputation and the generous treatment anticipated. Subsequently the engineer was instructed to furnish to the next meeting of the works committee a report on what sites were available' for the purpose. The Mayor commented that he understood, when the Library Buildings were constructed, that they were designed to permit of the later addition of another storey. This matter could be investigated by the engineer when he was inquiring into sites. • • ■ • - . . The discussion at the meeting of citizens held last week to consider the establishment of an art gallery and museum was the subject of a special report to-the council. ■>. < v