ART IN WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 5832, 24 February 1906, Page 7

ART IN WELLINGTON.

PUBLIC MEETING. AN APPEAL TO WEALTHY CITIZEN.',

The meeting lield in the Chamber of Commerce yesterday afternoon to consider what steps should he taken towards tho establishment of a free art gallery in Wellington was largely attended. those present including tiumeioiri larly sympathisers. The chair was occupied by the Mayor, the Hon. T. W. 1 lidop. Tiio Mayor thought they might congratulate "tliemselvrs upon that mooting, which had attracted so many citizens interested in tin- object they had in view. Ho did not intend to enlarge upon the subject that bad brought them together, except to say that lie thought i) 'was a standing reproach to Die city of Wellington that it had got no further in the acquisition and eitcour-, agement of works of art. However, lie trusted they would not much longer, suffer from this disadvantage. They found that Wellington in many other respects had been a leader, and so he hoiied with regard to the acquisition of an art gallery they would have the same repetition of the succors of the past 1 that they had had iu reference to other matters. The immediate object, of the uv< (uii meeting wan to acquire the C',oo promised hy the on condition that a .similar .sum was raised hv tho citizens. A scheme had been thought out hy those interested, and he asked Dr Fell to lay it before tho meeting.

Dr Fell said ho had much pleasure in moving tho following resolutions: —“(1) That thin meeting is of opinion that a permanent free art gallery for Wellington is urgently needed. (2) That this meeting pledges itself to rai-o sufficient funds to enable full advantage to bo taken of tho Government oiler of a £550 subsidy. (3) That a committee bo formmi consisting of three members of the council of tho Academy and three gentlemen, not on tho council, to ho elected by this meeting, to carry out the foregoing resolutions and make arrangements for the purchase of pictures and to do any of the business in connection with tho project which may from time to time arise. (-1) That this council hold office' for ono year from this date." Ho hoped they were there to do something morn than to secure tho Government subsidy of £SOO. Their desire was to got enough money to start this gallery as ono worthy of tho city of Wellington. Tho sum of £IOOO was hardly sufficient to do that, but he hoped, once a gallery was acquired, that that amount'subscribed would bo but tho beginning of a very much larger sum. It had been said of the city of Wellington that it was a city entirely given up to tho pursuit of moneymaking. That was hardly fair, but it was true that the city had got its wisdom tooth rather late. They had goi ip on for many years thinking that Wellington really could never bo a comfortable city to live in, but as time went on things had changed. TJiey had now a lino Town Ihill, Victoria College, money was being set apart for a new public library, and shortly they were to have a very fine Museum. Now they proposed to put tho coping-stono on this work by providing a free art_ gallery. There were differences of opinion as to how this money should be obtained. Some thought it ought to come from tho Government, with a view to building up a national gallery with a permanent Government subsidy. Others, •■ignin, thought it should be founded by tho city, but ho for ono should bo very unwilling to see a single penny added to their already high rates. Ho thought, however, it was an object to which the city could contribute something. It was a work to which really tho rich of tho city ought to contribute. They had in their own beautiful homes, and by tho advantages of travel, chances which wero denied to their less fortunate fellows. Ho considered that they would never earn their right to the title of “Empire City” until they realised that they had something more to do than to acquire riches or to indulge in tho pursuit of pleasure. Tho proposals of tho Academy wero somewhat as follows: —They offered, until some moro suitable building could bo found, their gallery, to bo used as a free public art gallery; and. further, they offered their pictures as tho nucleus of a collection to which others might add. They did not want tho spending of tho money raised for this purpose, but asked tho meeting to appoint a committee to control tho funds.

Tho Hon. T. Kennedy iMacdonnld, M.L.C., seconded tho resolution. Tho question of tho establishment of a free art gallery was ono which he thought would appeal to the whole public of Wellington. Even those who had stood apart from any movement of this kind in the past had been gradually educated, and nrfw recognised the necessity of it. Tho question, however, appeared to him to ho twofold: Wore they to have a free art gallery connected with tho municipality, or in connection with the Government? Ho understood that under tho scheme of rebuilding tho Museum, provision had been made for a groat art hall, and ono point in connection with tho question of either tho Government or tho municipality dealing with tho establishment of a gallery was (ibis: It would require a very largo amount of money to enable an ordinary art society to stand tho upkeep of a free gallery, and that meant of necessity going either to tho Government or tho municipality for provision in that respect. Now, as ho had said, there was room in the Museum for an art gallery. In connection with tho Town Hall there was a Large area of land lying between the Town Hall proper and tho Education Board’s building, which could bo utilised for that purpose also. Whether the citizens would be prepared to face tho question of expending tho sum of money requisite for this object, in addition to tho library rate, he was not sure, and possibly tho best course would be to pin thoir energies in the direction of getting the Government to go on at onco with tho idea that was in thoir minds—of tho establishment of an art hall in-connection with tho Museum, because the Museum, like tho Town Hall, was an object of interest, not only to visitors hut to tho citizens themselves, and there would bo a constant throng of people going through it. He hoped tho resolution would be curried, and that a committee would be appointed to go into this question exhaustively and endeavour to create public opinion upon it, and to endeavour to get tho Government to take tho matter .actively in hand. So far_as tho £3OO to be collected was concerned, to enable them to get tho grant which the Government had promised, ho did not anticipate any very great difficulty in connection with that. If tho Mayor would issno an appeal to the wealthy citizens of Wellington to subscribe, ho was quite sure ho would get tho money within a week. It was, ho thought, only a matter for tho

Mayor to appeal to those whom ho could pav. When one looked at the pel.Sir-spirit displayed in the matter of elvin;; for art in oth'-r [tarts of tr.e t-rilotiy, am! compar'd it with the spirit e:<ist;::v.- in the city of V*eliin;;*on, cmhad a rb'ht to he ashamed ol the ni- n tv ho t'at h-'Tcd to-.rcti.-r large sums of mnur-v from thel-a'lc and commerc- of the city, am! yet who had done so kithfor it. It was no credit to merchants v.Sm had aceinmiia.tr-! money lure. and had left, no portion of their wealth to benefit die f>reat institutions of the csty. ']’ln-y required. in all fainn-m, that- a cert.-in p.-r<:r-Mtaj'e of that wealth t-honld lie devot'd to art and education. He hoja-d tins wotild ho tile beginning for action in the direction aupirc-t'd, and thru I heir wealtliy men. in making their wilts, would hr- advised hy their lawyers to adopt the: course. (X<am?hter.) They mi::}u at that, Mit many a was very at t:u* morry of hjs lawvcr in 'aiggcding how to leave his money. Take- Victoria College, air instancr, v.'har wouM Ur* Itr-U-or in tho intcrests of that college than for our 'wealthy men to provide, say, £IO,OOO, ui their Wills for nc-holaidiip-s in connection with that institution? The lh-v. Dr Gihh; Why not give the £l!l,00il heforo they die. Tho Hon. Mr Macdonald: I am afraid that many men in accumulating wealth ir. comparatively email films narrow their sympathies thereby, and preit-r to look at large .sums in the hanks and their sales, rather than to distribute it freelv (hiring their lives. What they wanted to do in crmijr-ction with I."-' movement was to try and educate those* who could really afford it, "illiout sacrificing any family interest*, or their own, to give freely towards an object of this kind. It only resumed public interest to ho around, and 1m fell sure that the amount mpmed being so small, tho Mayor would have no di tioiilty in getting tho money. It tile people of the colony could see beautiful pictures in a groat hall it would he an inducement lor tlienwealth v men to add to it hy gdU> and loans, which would make it attractive within their own period, and be an additional attraction to the Colonial Museum. • Ho thought they should urgo on tho Government tho necessity oMmilding tho proposed art had at no distant date. Mr H. S. Wardoll, S.M., did net think it should bo left to tho Government to find their future art gallery. Ho believed they .should endeavour to ovoid the i/olitieal and local jealousies which had been so long rampant here. )P referred to tho jealousies tolween the great local centres—Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, and Wellington. Whilst ho was one of those who recognised tho claims of Wellington as th. capital city, ho felt they must look in tho face tho fact that the Government. could hardly bo asked at iho present time to find the money for tho Wellington gallery .without placing itself in tho position of being called upon to render similar aid to the other cn-eat centres. In Auckland the Corporation had provided a very adnurahlo building for an art gallery, and that gallon-, thanks to the liberality of its citizens, had boon well filled with pictures. Ho thought they should look to something of that sort hero. He should ho very sorry indeed if the movement in favour of an art gallery should ho in any way checked by the introduction of what ho looked upon as a political question. In supporting the riviolution, ho wished to say that £SOO was not what they wanted. It was tmo that tho Government had rot apart £*JOOO for this purpose —£500 to each of tho chief centres—on condition that a similar amount was raised locally, but ho wanted tho people of Wellington to recognise that £SOO would not equip an art gallery in keeping with tho reputation of tho city. But every tiling had to have a beginning, and this movement was started so as to enable thorn to take advantage of tho subsidy which tho Government had placed at their command. He felt sure there could bo no difficulty, no hesitation, on Uio part of tho inhabitants of tho city in contributing this £SCO, but ho asked them to remember that £SOO was not all that was wanted. Ho thought thoro were men in this city who would giro them £SO and £IOO apiece. He asked the community of Wellington to respond liberally to tho appeal now being made.

Dr Fylfo said their first consideration ivss to get tlio £SOO from tho Government. Ho had done some canvassing in Wellington, and (onnd it was very difficult to got money from rich people. They would give for certain things, but sonio did not two fit to giro for an art gallery. Literature was well provided for hero by tho fine Parliamentary library and the local libraries. Music w: also well provided for—ho did not say it could not bo very much bettor, particularly in _ regard to orchestral music. Tho City Council had recognised its responsibility by putting up a most magnificent organ. When they camo to art, what had they? Ono exhibition a year. Yet it was marvellous tho strides that had been made in art in Wellington during tho last ten years. Credit should, he thought, bo given to tho lato -Mr J. M. Nairn for tho encouragement ho had given to art by his work. Mr J. W. Joynt said ho was sure that they all felt tho time had come when action should bo taken in this matter, and it was very gratifying to tho members of the council of tho Academy to have this question at last thrown,_ ns ’twere. on the broad ocean at Wellington public opinion. Judging from tho spirit of those proceedings, they felt that their appeal would lie successful. However, ho felt a little uneasiness about this drawing of a distinction between rich ami poor. Ho thought it was invidious, this talk about tho rich, and those who made their money here. Tills was a movement that to attain success must find its foundation in a broad, public opinion and tho enthusiastic action of the general mass of tho people. To him, personally. it would bo poor satisfaction indeed if an art gallery were endowed to-morrow by rich Wellington citizens, if tho largo body of citizens wore apathetic and indifferent in regard to it. Their object was not only to raise this money, but to stimulate a healthy interest in the movement, and to his mind a meeting or this kind had an educative effect. Ho was anxious that this movement should have a widespread range, that they should bo able to stir up tho general opinion of the tewn. and to get every class of society to take a living and active interest iii it. There was no need for anv further slanging of Wellington for it’s apathy i" the past. Wellington had made considerable progress in higher education of lato years, and no doubt Wellington would do its duty in tho present wise. Commerce and trade could run side by side with art. Take Manchester. Thera was no place in the world wliero tho artistic taste was so well developed. Tho people there not only supported the commercial spirit, hti also tho artistic spirit. There was Nuremberg, described by tourists as a

“dream of the Middle age*,” a place also alive with commercial energy, and 4hb was only an example of the comhiration of Dm honest commercial find industrial spirit: with the artistic spirit. TV,* was. lie thought, an ideal one. W- need not he ashamed of our commerce. and of devoting cur energies to trade and money-malting, hut they must como to see that it watt quite consistent with industrial and commercia' energy to have a feeling for the beautiful besides. He did feel that they ought to try and interest the geiier.il public of Wellington in this movement, and to hare it on as popular a basis as possible.

Mr H. M. Gore mentioned that Mrs T. f. Williams had written apologising for her absence from the meeting, ami promising a substantial donation. (Applause.) Mr A. D. Hiley pointed out the advantages of an art gallery, by means of which their .students could ho made to mu' what art really meant. He hoped that the council of the Academy, in considering the matter, would not forget tho question of disposing of the present gallery and utilising the funds in tho purchase of works for tho new gallery. He felt that the movement should ho one more for the city than for the Government. The gallery, to his mind, should bo a Wellington institution. and tho citizens' property.

Tiio Hon. T. K. Macdonald, -Mr A. D. Hiley, and the Mayor were appointed a committee to represent tho citizens, together with the ropiwentat.ives to be appointed hy tho council of the. Academy of Fine Arts, to further tile movement. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded to the Mayor'for presiding, and for tho interest ho had taken in tho object the meeting has in view.