DR HOCKEN'S COLLECTION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2734, 8 August 1906, Page 12

DR HOCKEN'S COLLECTION.

THE PREMIER WILL MAKE NO PROMISES.

A Tery large deputation, headed by the Mayor (Mr G. Lawrence), members of the City Council, Messrs Donald Reid, sen., J birthie, G. L. Denuiston, M. Cohen, A. Bathgate. T. Brown, J. A. Burnside. iJr Hocken, and others, waited upon the Premier to ask for Government aid in connection with building a suitable place for the reoeption of the early-history collection Dr Hocken has offered to the public. Several members of the Legislative- Council and Parliament were also present. Mr J. A. Millar, M.H.R., said the deputation had called on the Premier with regard to the building of a suitabfe olace for housing Or Hooken's collection, -which was very valuable, and had beeft offered by Dr Hocken to the bitizens of Dunedin en condition that it was properly housed in a place easily accessible to the public. J-he deputation hoped the Government would see its way to gi*e some' assistance. The Mayor (Mr G. Lawrence) said the desire was, if possible, to take advantage of the very generous offer made by Dr Hooken to the city and to the colony. The difficulty was the noosing of the collection. The promoters of the Art Gallery had, he believed, strained every nerve to carry out their object, and he thought the citizens had responded splendidly to their rail. The Early Settlers' Association had also gone to a great deal of trouble in getting in subscriptions sufficient to put up a building, and the difficulty that now confronted those -interested was to find means to put a suitable building to house the rolleotion Dr' Ho)Biieii~-h«a s#" generously offered as a gift. It would be a calamity, he (the speaker) thought, if the offer of the collection 'was refused, because there was no iuUding in which to place it. It was of great monetary .value, and the deputation wished Government to help them in the direction of nutting up a building for its reception. The people -bad -been -drained so much for a variety of objects that^ney oould hardly be expected to stand any farther tax upon them. , Dr Hocken said he thought me oollection was one of great value to the colony, and consisted of very much more than books and pamphlets. There was an immense collection of old pictures, maps, plans, and «o on, relating to the very early days of •the colony, and to missionary enterprise •very many years back. The collection also included letters of all kinds from oelebrated men connected with New Zealand, and Dr Hooken's special wish was that it should be well looked after. An error had crept into -the morning paper with regard to thespacs required, the figures given being 40ft 1-y 60ft. The plans and pictures alone would take up that space. The Premier: What is the space for the whole? „ „ , Dr Hooken said Mr Burnside would be better able to say than he could. His (the speaker's) idea was that the pictnres -would look very well in a oorridor. such as the Auckland Free Library had, which vas very well designed. It was not, however, at all necessary to put up such a building as that. . _ Mr Donald Reid, sen., said the objact of the deputation was to lay before the Premier what they had in view in trying to secure for the proviace and colony the housing of the gift, which they understood Dr Hocken had offered on condition a suitable place to house and display it was obtained. The gift was an exceedingly valuable and historical one. and one that would be appreciated by the whole of the people of Otago. With the numerous calls made upon the peonle — Art Gallery, early settlers, Hospital. University, and other things— they felt they could not go to them very well so soon again. They thought in such a case as this they might reasonably ask Government to provide the housing. £1500 was not a large sum, and that wonld be sufficient for the purpose. The Jeputation thought the Premier might pivo them some undertaking that the matter would be brought before Parliament. If the Premier could assure them they would get £1500 they would raise the other £500, which he believed was required, the** selves.

Mr M. Cohen «aid that in other place! these things were attended to by Government on behalf of the people. This collection, he was advised, contained 7COG volumes, which would occupy 650 superficial feet. The pictures would require another 650 ft. to say nothing of those untrained, which the doctor intimated he intended to have framed. These would require 1500 ft additional. If this collection was housed he waa authorised to say they would receive another one of great value. Mr A. Batbcate said truis was not merely «. local thine, but a jrift to the colony. Dr Hocken harl h«*>n livinp in Dut^din for ■nearly the last half-oen+urT or th^reanouts. and in making 1 the gift ho (the speaker)

thought he was * justified in making ihV stipulation that it should be located here. The stdue of £he .gift was enormous- It ■was a gift money could not buy. He <Mr Bathgate) submitted this was not a matter of merely ic&d interest, and thai the

Government might be asked for a subsidy. It was really a matter of colonial interest. When, thov asked for £1500 out of a probable £2000 to be provided by the f4overntnent, he thought they w«re very moderate in their v requests indeed. If the Government did this the future maintenance would no doubt fall upon Dunedin. Dr Hocken had already made a suggestion that the collection should be reported upon hv a committee of those who might be experts in such matters, and several names had peen mentioned. Whether that was desirable or not, he (Mr Bathgate) would suggest that the Government, before committing itself to any expenditure, might send down Mr Hamilton (the curator) to report upon the collection. Judge Chapman knew the collection, and his services would be valuable.

Dr Hocken : It should be thoroughly reported upon to see whether the collection is as valuable a? I believe it to be.

Cr Loudon said this would be a gift to the Government and to the people of tho colony, and the citizens of Dunedin would be the custodians of the property ; therefore, they felt the matter was one of colonial importance. He thought die idea of the Government supplying a fund for housing the collection was exceedingly reasonable, and that it was a golden opportunity for getting one of the finest collections in the colony. This particular collection was most valuable. He hoped the Premier would see his way to recommend that the Government should provide proper funds to meet Dr Hocken's wishes and desir«3, and that the Premier might see his •way to set aside a small sum annually for the proper maintenance of the place and the collection. , The Premier said he must congratulate their old friend Dr Hocken upon making euch an offer. It was made to 'the City of Dunedin or the people of Otago.

The Mayor: To th-o colony, sir. • The Premier said : No, not to the colony, for if such an offer had been made to the colony a deputation would not have been interviewing him on Ihe subject to-day, because very likely if such an offer had •been made in oilier directions it would have been closed with before now. He knew something about Dr Rocken's collection, not personally, but from those who •had seen it and were in a position to recognise its value, and they agreed that it was a unique collection. It contained jworks that could not be obtained in any i>ther part of the world — works that were Viot to be found in the Colonial Library, Ithe Parliamentary Library, and which he mould like to have there. Though we called it the Parliamentary Library, it was always looked upon ac the Colonial Library |£— it being for the good of th« people as a ftrhole. What etruek him when he heard of Jtbe offer was the thought that within a 'fortnight the people- of Dunedin would Je»y that they had found the money to [close with it. He did not know what 'progress had been made towards that end, Jbut it colld not be muoh, when out of a cost of £2000 they aaked tho Government '(to find £1500 and an' annual sum for fnaintenance. Where would it land the

Government M this request were granted and it were followed up by similar requests from other places? To do go would be to incur a very 'arge expenditure. Ho still hoped that the people of Otago would themselves make provision for the housing of this valuable collection. Mr Donald Reid had spoken about the poor people of Otago and the calls made tupon them of late. Well, though this was the first time he had had the pleasure of meeting Mr Donald Reid, he knew Mr Reid well by name, and felt sure that in a movement of this sort he would be one of the first to lend a hand. Well, tho immediate question was " What are the people themselves •jroing to do? " When that was answered there would be something to go on—something diff-ere-nt to what they had this morning, and if the answer was all right he would then ask hi<« colleagues what they uould do. It was not a large sum that was needed, and if the people here were prepared to do their share he. in tuin, would be prepared to make a recommendation, but" not on the lines suggested, of the State finding £1500 and the city £500. It would be a mistake if Otabo allowed this collection to go away. He would be glad to assist in retaining it here, not only for the sake of the gre.it value of the collection, but also because Dr Hocken. was one of bur oldest "and most ro«pocted residents, and it would be nice to have something to remembe-r him by when, in the fulness of time, he should be called away. Let the people of Otago do their duty, ajid then he would see if his colleagues would not do something to help. He would «ugcvst that the Mayor should see what could \e done, and then communicate with him. But the people should not let this opportunity pass by on the expectation that they were going to get th© grant su^pestpd, for he did not think it woukl be done on the lines proposed by the deputation. He did not want to deceive the deputation. The rlaeo would have to cV> more than find £500 out of £2000. If the Major and those who were working with him were to put their shoulders to the wheel they would find the people rallying round them, and he fully believed that in the course of 10 days or a fortnight they wou'd be able to send him word that they had done something worthy of tho place.

Mr Cohen suggested the - .. --r might promise pound for pound. The Premier repli«*d that he was bound to his eol'eag-ues If they saw what they could do here the Government would see how far trie people here could get, and what further assistance was required.

Mr T. Mackenzie. M.H.R. : If the collection is not accepted by the reopl^ of Ptago will it co to Wellington to be housed at the public expense? The Premier: That we will not pro into. The Mayor nressed the matter of a subsidy of nound Tor round.

The Premier said his oninion was that the people of Dunedin and Otago should find the money themselves, but if in their ender.vours to raise this money there was not the response they wished, then he did

I not wish to see Dr T^Seken's offer lost. In Auckland or Chr y»e'hurch he would take just the same course. If in the course of their work thej^ found it impossible to raise this amount he did not want to see Dr Hocken's offer lost. The deputation then thanked the Minister and withdrew.