KAURI GUM SPECIMENS

Stratford Evening Post, Volume II, Issue 219, 12 April 1933, Page 7

KAURI GUM SPECIMENS

Valuable Collection

ACQUIRED BY MUSEUM

■o r psa Association —Copyright

| Wellington, April 11. —The Ouost I collection o£ kauri gum spoci- ! mens in Uio world, owned by Mr, j E. O. Peat, Tltirangi, Auckland, is to be I acquired by the National Art Gallery 'and Dominion Museum with an allocaItion of £3OOO from the proceeds of too ; Great Easter art union, announced the | Minister of Internal Affairs, the Hon. J. ; A. Young, when discussing the various i allocations of the art union money ap--1 proved by the Government. 1 Five separate allocations totalling £17,- ! 500 will be made. The trustees of the | National Art Gallery and Dominion 1 Museum will benefit to the extent of I £3003, and this money will bo devoted to purchasing Mr. Peat’s collection of kauri I gum, Maori curios and other objects. The i object of the purchase is to ictain the j collection for New Zealand as tnerc is

i a distinct danger that it would go to a I wealthy American museum. Actually Mr. | Peal had received a tempting offer from jan American museum, which was prei pared to pay more than the amount for j which the collection is being bought by ■ the Dominion museum. Representatives {of the American institution recently vis- | ited Auckland for the purpose of comj plating the deal if possible, but Mr. Peat j is anxious that it should not leave the ; country, and he intimated that rather ! than see this happen he would be preI pared to take less than the American j offer.

I Unemployment relief organisations I throughout New Zealand will benefit to [ the extent of £IO,OOO from another allo- : cation of the art union proceeds. So for | the Cabinet has not decided exactly in j what manner the sum will be distri- | buted. j Five children’s health camp organisaj lions are to receive a maximum of £SOO j each. They are the Community Sun- | shine Association of Auckland, the Waij kato Children’s Health Camp League, | the Wellington Children’s Health Camp : Association and similar organisations in I Christchurch and Dunedin.

j Central Otago gold miners’ prospecli ing associations are to receive £I3OO. This money will be applied toward the relief 'of unemployment. The associations arc ! concerned in a local relief scheme and I the money will be used by recognised | bodies for equipping gold prospecting parties with suitable tools and mach- | inery. j The sum of £SOO has been allocated to j the United Fire Brigades’ Association of j New Zealand. This sum will be applied | toward meeting expenses incidental to j the annual conference.