NATIONAL ART GALLERY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22108, 14 May 1935, Page 11

NATIONAL ART GALLERY

ACADEMY'S PICTURES QUESTION OF TRANSFER DIVISION OF OPINION The terms upon which the pictures at present in the possession of the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts are to be handed over to the National Art Gallery now being built in Wellington, if handed over at all, were discussed at some length at a special meeting of the academy which was attended by over 40 members. One member remarked that he had attended in anticipation of a stormy meeting, but, although a decided difference of opinion on the subject was apparent, there was nothing in the course of the meeting which could be termed even a breeze.

But so marked was this difference of opinion that, as transpired during the meeting, two members of the council had resigned rather than subscribe to the resolutions framed by the council regarding the transference of the academy's collection. The members were Mr. P. B. Cooke and Mr. W. F. Hogg. The opposition was not against the transference of the collection to the National Gallery, but against making an absolute gift of the pictures. Mr. D. A. Ewen presided and briefly sketched the position. He stressed the fact that if the resolutions were carried the academy would still be able to carry on its functions and under very much better conditions than before. It would have a preponderant voice in the management of the National Gallery. Dr. A. D. Carbery moved a series of comprehensive resolutions, which were seconded by Mr. T. D. H. Hall. These provided for the handing over of the academy's collection to the board of trustees of the National Gallery, and for the appointment of a committee of management for the National Gallery, on which committee the academy would have seven members out of nine. It was recommended that in making its nominations for this committee the academy should bear in mind the national character of the new gallery, and should include representatives from other centres. Mr. Hogg moved as an amendment to the resolutions that they be adopted subject to the condition that, while agreeing in principle with the fusion of the two collections, the academy should not part with its property in pictures, so that if it thought fit at any time it could resume possession and control of its pictures. The amendment found but little support and was lost on a show of hands, the resolutions as placed before the meeting being carried by a large majority.