OTAGO ART SOCIETY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17729, 13 September 1919, Page 7

OTAGO ART SOCIETY

ANNUAL MEETING. AN APPEAL FOIi SUPPORT, Tho 43rd annual meeting of tho Ota,'jo Art Society, wliioh was held ill tho Art Gallery yesterday afternoon, "was presided over by Mr A. IL Fisher, who was appointed a vice-president during tho year owing to tho resignation of Dr Roberts. 1 hero wa3 a fair attenxkumo of members, including several ladies. Iho chairman, in moving tho adoption of tho annual iepo>-t, said Unit members wero J»bo congratulated on tho results attained. I hey regretted exceedingly tho retirement of their president (Mr George Joachim), ai>d tho funoere thanks of the society were duo to him for the many years of work which he had devoted to its interests. Since tho report had been published they- had heard with great satisfaction that one of the earliest members Itad bequeathed to tho city, through. tho Art Gallcrv trustees, tho magnificent sum of £10,000, tho interest of which was to bo devoted to tho purchase of pictures bv British artiste.—(Applause.) Ris foresight and generosity would jjaco Dunedin in an unique position, and m years to como this city would be as famous for its galleries as for .ts university. 'Ir,ey felt confident that tho trustees would exerciso wisdom and dis- , cretion in tneir selection of works. The | would bo greatly helped by tin's , fillip which art had received in Dunedin, j f. jd . looked forward to tho future wtli I high hopea—(Applause.) I Mr Cx. VV. (jarringtan seconded tho . motion, "Wtuc.il wis carried "without discusj sion. ! TRIBUTE TO LATE PRESIDENT, j Mr Fisher then mow! : «' Vnat Mr George ; Joachim co oi-cr.ted an honorary life mem- ; ber of tiio -i- lit* members desire I j to place on record their doep appreciation j of has services io tho during 1 his unj interrupted, terra of ofdee of 21 years aa | president their great regret that, owiiir' |u> ul-healfch, 110 had felt it necessary to S decline re-elcotion." | Mr E. I. Haiisnstoin seconded the motion, j and paid a h:gh. tribute to Mr Joachim's | services, stating thai; tlu'ir late president! | had at all times done everything in his : I power for tho benefit of tho society. S : nco his active participation in its affairs had ceased they had missed mm very greatly, and his election as an honorary lifo member was the least they could do to show their appreciation of his splendid services. Pho motion was ca/rned by acclamation. ELECTION OF OFFiC E-B E A REUS. On the motion of tho chairman, seconded i by iSIr Hawcndgo, Dr Lin<lo Forguson was ! unanimously elected to tho position of presi- ' dent. In retui-nmg tlianks, Dr Ferguson j said ho would endeavour to help the society to the best of his ability and to advance the interests of art in Dunedin. The -remaining office-bearers were elected as follow: —Vicc-prcaident, Mr A. H Fisher; members of tho council—Mrs E C Reynolds, Mrs M'lndoe, Miss I. Burton' Messrs G. W. Garrington, H. Tvlandeno, 11. Price, R. Haweridgo, James Begg, Dr Koborts, and Dr Barnett; hon. treasurer, Mr E. I. Hallenstein; socrotarv, Mr R H Neiison; hon. auditor, Mr J. S. Little. APPEAL FOR PUBLIC SUPPORT. Mr D. E. T*heomin, in making reference to tho late Mr Smeaton'e bequest, said it was not sufficiently well known that the trustees, who had devoted a great deal of effort and energy to the establishment and maintenance of tho Art Gallery, merely held that splendid institution in trust for tho citizens. That was expressly shown in the constitution and in the lease which they had obtained from the Government, and tho Gallery was just as much publio property as anything else which was recognised and claimed by tho corporation and the citizens. Tho trustees wero tho unpaid servants of tho publio of Dunedin. Unfortunately in the past tho Art Gallery

had not had the support of tho citizens through the corporation to tho extent which it merited assistance. For tho last few years they hod obtained a grant of £75 a year, but they benefited only by a beggarly £25, because £50 of that sum had to be returned in rates. Tho point he wished to mako was that tho money v.hicvi had now been so generously donated ci:d not improvo their position in resocot to maintenance, because it was only "for tho purchaso of pictures. They would gladly combine with tho Art Gallery trustees when it came to a question of purchasing works of art, but they still had to look to the citizens and the corporation for increased support in tho way of maintenance and upkeep 011 one occasion their request for assistance had been met by a vote of £200 front tho City Council, but more money was now required, and ho hoped and trusted it would !x> forthcoming from public and privato sources.—(Applause). VOTES OF THANKS. The meeting terminated with votes of thanks to the secretary, tho treasurer, and last year's offioe-bcarers generally.