THE BROUN COLLECTION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17475, 20 May 1920, Page 5

THE BROUN COLLECTION.

QUESTION OF DISPOSAL. DONOR'S STATED INTENTION CLAIMS OF AUCKLAND MUSEUM The action of the New Zealand Govern ment in prohibiting the export to Londoi of the Broun collection of insects, althougl against the wish of Major Broun, as statei in his will, appears to accord with hi: intentions expressed only a few week before his doith. The bequest of the collection to thi British Museum was made under a wi! dated August, 1906, when, according *' a friend of Major Broun, the latter fel ; himself faced with a difficulty in havin| his life's work, which he realised was ? grep.t scientific importance, adequately pre served in the Dominion. In addition there was probab'y present in his min< a litthi annoyance that the New Zealani Government had refused him any travel ling or other concessions in his arduou researches. As time pasted, however, h had gradually changed his opinion, am in conversation with various well-know Auckland men he expressed the wifh tha this city, where he had spent the greate part of his lift, making his collection m writing his volum'nous books on entomol ocy, should retain the specimens. Lata when the scheme lor the extension of th Auckland Museum was mooted, he ii formed a number of people, who are nc r.ble to testify to the fact, that wheneve the scheme was floated he would hand ove the collection to the museum. One of these witnesses yesterday state that Major Broun never had any intent 10 of presenting the gift to the Wellingto Museum, which he described as a "rotte old wooden building." The Government action, whi:h was a wise one, had bee taken under the Maori Antiquities Act providing for the retention of any sped men of natural history, or similar object within the Dominion, if deemed desirabl by the Minister for Internal Affairs. Bu the feeling in Auckland was that th officials of the Dominion Museum wer more uncerned with securing the collec tion for themselves than for safeguards; it on the wider standpoint. They hai never suggested that the specimens migh be kept in any of the other large museums particularly that ot Auckland, which hat more than a moral claim in the matter. Another scientist admitted that then were great advantages in regard to • th« preservation of the collection to be gainec by its being surrendered to the Britisl Museum, in accordance with the terms o the will. It was further conceded Lha it would be inspected and used by man] more scientists 111 London than would bi the "case if the Government persisted ii prohibiting the export. On the othei hand the collection was of special value u New Zealand, in that there were very fev countries in the world where a wholf bianch of the insect fauna has been froij first to last investigated by a single <n dividual. One of the trustees under the will o the late Major Broun, Mr. G. A. Grihbin expressed 4V| e opinion that the Govern ment was ftiJning the Act by jising '•( to prohibit the export of the collection. Evidently the New Zealand Institute wa< endeavouring to make an arrangement witt the British Museum, whereby the Welling ton Museum would obtain the custody o! the collection. But, said Mr. Gribbin, i: the British Museum waived its right t< the collection, the specimens would cer tainlv not go to Wellington. The gifl would again become the property of th< estate and would bo dealt with by the trustees as they thought fit. He admitted that two persons had stated to him that Major Broun told them he desired the Auckland Museum to house the collection, and that would probably be considered by the trustees if the gift reverted to the estate.