MUSEUM FINANCE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22429, 27 May 1936, Page 17

MUSEUM FINANCE

Sir, —I was surprised to see reported the other day that the Auckland Institute and Museum has an annual income of £B6OO. This has been made possible through special legislation, by means of a rate spread over all the local bodies in the Auckland metropolitan area. As people from all over the district make use of the museum, it is only right that the burden of its maintenance should be a joint responsibility and not only to bo borne by the city ratepayers. In addition, the museum authorities have a reserve fund of £29,000, which should be available for the purchase of new collections as may be offered. It has appeared to me and many others that the cost of the museum has grown to an undue extent. It must be remembered that the building and fittings were handed over free of cost by the citizens. I think too much of the revenue is being absorbed by a large staff and the highly-paid specialists, who are enabled to follow ,up their scientific hobbies free from financial strain. I do not underestimate the importance of research work by such an institution, which can be done with the magnificent collections to draw upon, but are we getting an adequate return for the expenditure in this direction? Now that a scheme is being considered to erect a new art gallery and an arts centre, which again should be the responsibility of the citizens of Greater Auckland, it should be reasonable to arrange that half the sum now collected from the local bodies, say, £4300, might be earmarked for the maintenance of the new arts centre. Grey Lynn.