FIFTY YEARS AGO

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21885, 22 August 1934, Page 8

FIFTY YEARS AGO

AUCKLAND ART GALLERY CRITICISM OF THE SITE The conflict of opinion about the merit of the art loan collection now on view in the Auckland Art Gallery, comes almost like an echo of conflicting views, sounded first 50 years ago. upon the suitability of the site of the gallery which houses the exhibition of to-day. , In a letter to the editor of the New Zealand Herald, published on August 22, 1884, a correspondent, who signed himself "Citizen," stated: "The site suggested is a most unsatisfactory and expensive onq, and unless the building were put upon a handsome level terrace (in itself an expensive matter) and set well back it could not possibly look well, as it would always have the effect of slipping down hill, and even then it would be so low that, from the place of public resort, viz., Albert Park, everyone would look down on it. "I do hope that some decisive measure will be taken to prevent a matter of this vital importance being slurred over because of a false start, and that Auckland may yet have at least one building that may be a 'thing of beauty and a joy forever.' " The protest was, unavailing. From the designs for a library and art gallery which had been invited, those' of Messrs. Grainger and D'Ebro, of Melbourne, were accepted, and the foundation stone was laid on June 4, 1885. The library wan opened on March 26, 1887, and the art gallery on February 17 of the following year. The nucleus of the gallery, consisting mainly of old masters and other pictures, was given by Sir George Grey, and other public-spirited citizens have followed his example. The most notable bequest, however, states Mr. John Barr, city librarian, in his history of Auckland, was that of the late James Tannock Maekelvie. who bequeathed, in 1885, his valuable art collection, along with a large sum of money, in trust, to establish and maintain a museum of fine art for the people of Auckland. An addition was made to the Art Gallery building and the collection deposited there. To provide accommodation for the rapidly increasing number of pictures, a further addition was made to the gallery in 1916. but the space provided has proved insufficient for the growth of the collections. A few years ago competitive designs for a new municipal building and art gallery were called for by the Auckland City' Council, the buildings to be part of a scheme for a civic centre. The approved design placed the buildings adjacent to the Town Hall, but the proposal was not proceeded with. Other suggestions in recent years which came to nought visualised the art gallery alternatively in Albert Park and Symonds Street.