AGRICULTURAL MUSEUM

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1745, 16 August 1905, Page 26

AGRICULTURAL MUSEUM

OBJECTIONS TO ITS CURTAILMENT. An effort has lately been. made to curtail the valuable agricultural museum which the Government Biologist has been striving to get together for some years past for the benefit and instruction of the agricultural community. The move has not been made in any spirit of opposition to such an institution, hut owing to additional room being needed for other branches of the Department of Agriculture on the top floor of the new Customhouse, where the museum is at present located. On account of the unsatisfactory state of things, the Government Biologist has not felt justified in going on with the re-arrangement of the museum, rendered necessary by the recent change of quarters. The position generally is unsatisfactory, and disheartening to those who have worked conscientiously in collecting specimens. The fact of the matter is that really more space is needed, not less. The recent Agricultural Conference was in favour of affording every facility for the establishment of an agricultural museum, and the committee has since written to the Minister for Agriculture, suggesting that ample space should be provided for the biological department’s valuable collection of exhibits. Even the room where the exhibits now are—which it is proposed to further subdivide—is smaller than the one formerly occupied in the W.F.C.A. building. The following appeared in the Department of Agriculture’s annual report of 1897, and goes to show the good purpose to be served by the “farmers’ museum.” “Unfortunately, no provision has yet been made for a suitable place in which to house a farmers’ museum. The promises of exhibits and collections, which would be of great service to settlers, still continues to be made, but until accommodation is provided, I am unable to avail myself of the donations offered. I (T. W. Kirk) am more than ever convinced that such a museum as advocated in former reports would prove of enormous service both to the department and the colony.” The outline of the scheme included an exhibition of models for practically everything required by the farmer, soils (with analysis), manures, life-his-tory of animals and their products, vegetable products, collections of weeds, seeds, parasites, insects (injurious and useful), and their effect. Another intention was to introduce a system -of travelling cases, whereby practically the -whole of the museum could be sent round the country v in bits,” and so brought directly under the notice of farmers.

On June 14th the following letter on the subject of the agricultural museum was forwarded to the Premier by Mr C. R. Beattie, of the firm of Beattie, Lang and Co. :—Dear Sir, —My belief as to the importance of this museum is my excuse for addressing you on the subject. For several years I have taken much interest in the gradual development of the excellent collection being put together by Mr Kirk, the Government Biologist, and recognising its educational value to the farmers of this country, I have, whenever occasion has offered, expressed my views to gentlemen connected with the Department of Agriculture, as to the necessity of having this museum in a building convenient of access, and to the importance of advertising the fact that such a museum is in existence, for I believe that not one in fifty farmers knows of its existence. The first time I visited the museum was when it was located in Customhouse quay, opposite the Bank of New Zealand. This was not a very suitable place for it. It was then shifted to one of the top floors of the

W.F.C.A. building, in Lambton quay, even worse position, and for all practical purposes inaccessible to- the farmer visiting Wellington. It is now installed on the top floor of the pew Customhouse building, in a room fairly well suited for the purpose, but hardly large enough, for the present collection to be displayed in the best manner, and until such time as lift accommodation, is provided in the building, it is not likely to be visited by any but farmers who are very enthusiastic in search of knowledge. On the occasion of my visit to this last place I heard that- the Department of Agriculture was contemplating taking away a portion of the museum floor space for office purposes. As already stated, the present floor space is hardly sufficient for present requirements, and it will seriously handicap Mr Kirk in increasing his collection, and any curtailment of the present floor space will be doing great harm to. the collection and an injustice to Mr Kirk. From a personal acquaintance of museums in various parts of the world, I have no hesitation whatever in saying that Mr Kirk’s admirable display would be a credit to any museum in older countries, and I would urge, in the interests of our farmers, that every consideration and encouragement he given to this museum, and that proper steps be taken to make it easily accessible to the public. The Premier’s reply, dated July 10th, was as follows:—Dear Sir, —I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of June 14th with respect to the question of the establishment and better accommodation for an agricultural museum. lam sorry that pressure of Parliamentary business prevented my dealing with your letter sooner. In reply, I may say that the establishment of an agricultural museum on a firm and satisfactory basis in Wellington is verydesirable, and would fill a long-felt want. Personally, I have read your letter with much interest, and I am bringing the representations contained therein under the notice of my colleague, the Hon the Minister for Agriculture, who, I feel sure, will give the matter his most careful consideration.