CONSERVATORIUM OF MUSIC.

Otago Witness, Issue 2861, 13 January 1909, Page 12

CONSERVATORIUM OF MUSIC.

GOVERNMENT AID SOLICITED. Wellington, January 7. In accordance with the resolution of the i New Zealand University Senate in January last, Mr Louis Cohen and the Rev. W. A. Evans waited on the Minister of Education to ask the Government to set apart a sum of money for the establishment of a conservatorium in New Zealand. Mr G. Hogben (Inspector- j general of Schools) was also present. I Mr Gohen said that both Sir Robert | Stout and Mr Von Haast had been prevented from attending through absence from Wellington, but that they had every sympathy with the project. The Ne.w Zealand University had no funds of its own. It received £4000 per year from the Government, which it bestowed en- ! tirely on scholarships, and where it pre- j scribed any new matter of education it j relied upon the affiliated colleges to pro- j vide the teaching. Amongst the degrees that it awarded was that of Bachelor of Music. The deputation was not there to say it had any scheme to submit to the Government. What it asked was some meed of encouragement of the assertion that the establishment of a conservatorium was essential to the cultivation of musical art in New Zealand. It was understood that Mr G. W. Russell had offered a site for the purpose. There was hope that Canterbury College might see its way to come forward with a substantial vote of money for the establishment of some such school. The matter of locality was of no concern to him. Whatever might have been said in criticism of the proposal came principally from teachers who had 110(1 had the advantage of the life and experience of the conservatorium, or else statements were made in misconception of what was intended. In reply to a question from Mr Hogben, Mr Cohen said the cost of salaries per year would b© about £4000, leaving out, of course, whatever income might be derived from fees. As he had previously stated, the work of the conservatorium would be of little value unless it could do the examinations and possess men capable of conducting them. Some £4000 went out of New Zealand to the Associated Board and Trinity College every year. With a properly-established conservatorium this money would give a financial basis to the project in the Dominion. In any case, the entire matter of examinations was only incidental to the question at stake. The Minister of Education said he thought it would be a very desirable thing to have an institution such as was sketched. At the same time it was difficult to see in what way the Government could come into it at the present stage. First of all, there was a considerable opposition to the proposal by those piofessional musicians of the Dominion who were represented by a pretty largelysigned petition sent in some time ago. j Of course, that petition might have been signed under something of a misapprehension of the Bcope and intention of the j conservatorium. The first essential, it seemed to him, would be to have a considerable amount of agreement among6t those specially interested in the proposal, and evidence of sincerity and willingness !to do something for themselves. Take, I for example, the Dental School in New Zealand. He did not see that the Government could pronounce on the subject very definitely un+il it had a niore con- ! Crete proposal put before it. He would have no hesitation in bringing the matter before his colleagues, but in the absence of t.ny definite scheme he did not think they would get much further. If the movement took shape in such a w?y that a rerosjnised body was willing to undertake Lome responsibility and financial mii terest, then the Government might be ' asked for some assistance in the way of an annual grant if the sum was not too large. The Government recognised that encouragement of the art of music was in tfre interest of \%e whole com- . munity. Before they could pronouQce on ; tfre proposal a plan, ought to be developed, | If thai was done he would be very glad Ito have the matter considered- Per- j

I sonally he was in sympathy with the idea. New Zealand wtes under peculiar circumstances in having its four centres so widely separated that a conservatorium established at any one of them might not be to the advantage of students in the other three to the same extent, although the benefit would be diffused over the whole Dominion. He could not say any more than that if the scheme progressed and any responsible body was willing to take part and submit a proposal, then the Government could consider and deal with it. ' I