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New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7827, 22 December 1886, Page 4

In another column, Mr. Mackechnie makes an appeal on behalf of the Art | Gallery which we feel bound to aid. His contention is, that the Art Gallery should be managed by a Board of Trustees, composed of men taking a special interest in the subject, able to devote some time to it, and likely by their influence to obtain donations. It will be remembered that we made an effort after something of this kind for the management of the Free Library. Our proposal was, that a committee of the City Council should have associated with them several gentlemen who had given special attention to books and to the constitution of libraries, and that the combined body should have the management of the Free Library. We strengthened our argument by pointing out that in all the great Free Libraries of England, the local bodies are assisted by such men a3 we indicated. The ratepayers, in electing gentlemen to the City Council, have chiefly in view the qualifications fitting a man for determining the expenditure of money on streets, and on such other public works as I the Council have in their charge. It cannot bo expected that such men, who for the most part must be actively engaged in business, can have the necessary familiarity with literature, and with the books which are constantly being published, a3 to fit them to maintain the library as it should be maintained. But our suggestions were treated by the Council with much scorn and anger, and if we mistake not Mr. Mackechnie was one of the angriest and most scornful. The councillors practically asserted that they had capacity for all things, that they had time to make themselves familiar with any specialty of science and literature. Now, here we have another difficulty in the Art Gallery. The management of that also demands special training and special knowledge, although at the present time, when the Art Gallery is but in its infancy, not much can be done. The Victorian Art Gallery is managed by trustees, and they have been on the whole very successful .But that is a national aSair. We* should not for a moment argue that the Council should part with the control either of the Free Library or of the Art Gallery. These institutions are partly maintained by the taxation of the citizens, and the expenditure upon them could not be entirely entrusted to men who have no responsibility to the citizens. But we believe the Council will find the details of the management of these institutions very irksome and difficult. Men who have but little knowledge of literature or art will find it impossible to do the work rightly, and it will be for them by no means a labour of love.