HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 77, Issue 6978, 15 October 1948, Page 4

HISTORICAL SOCIETY

HOUSING OF VALUABLE EXHIBITS BOROUGH COUNCIL APPROACHED The assistance of the Borough Council was sought by a deputation consisting of Mrs W. G. Macky and Mr Spooner at Monday night’s meeting to help the Te Awamutu Historical Society find a suitable home for the Society’s museum, at present housed upstairs in Gifford’s Buildings.

Mrs Macky said that Mr Gifford, who over the years had been most generous, had taken charge of a large number of things that really should be in the charge of the Borough Council. Some of the items were of little value but many were of great value and if they were lost they could not be replaced. Numbers of outside museums would like to have some of the exhibits. The reason for the presence of Mr Spooner and herself was to ask the council to interest itself in having the valuable exhibits suitably housed. Many of them should be the property of the Borough Council and the time had come when they should pass into their hands. Mrs Macky said she wondered if it would be possible for the exhibits to be housed where they could be on view. “It would be a great pity if the outward and visible signs of what went on before were lost” concluded Mrs Macky. Mr Spooner said the idea was for the exhibits to become a public responsibility, and that must be done as soon as possible, as Mr Gifford desired the room to be free. Mr Spooner said that the exhibits were not adequately housed and there was also the fire danger to be considered. The Te Awamutu Historical Society was gaining more recognition from outside sources and the recent Te Awamutu broadcast, including the historical data, had been of considerable help to the Society. They had been asked to supply material for an historical atlas that was to be produced. The Government had given the Society a grant of £lOO, £5O immediately, and £5O when the new plans were justified. That sum could not be placed towards a building fund, but it had to be used in historical research. The fact that the Government recognised the importance of the local Society should be an incentive for local citizens to do likewise. Te Awamutu was most fortunate that they, more than any other town of a comparable size in New Zealand had such a collection, for the exhibits were really the nucleus of a bigger museum. People were constantly making gifts to the museum. Some of the old citizens were able to make contributions of real value, and some of the exhibits and other material, if not given to the Society, would go into the rubbish heap. There were two definite requirements; one, that the council should consider the possibility of giving immediate assistance to the Society, and secondly, to consider the fact that the museum deserved a permanent home, say near the Public Library. In reply to a question by Cr M. H. Williams, Mr Spooner said it would be a difficult thing to assess the floor space required, because of the fact % that some of the exhibits were so cramped in their present position; a fairly large sized room would be required. The mayor, Mr Spinley, said that the Borough Council, like others in the town, was handicapped by lack of floor space. Mr Spinley then referred to the possibilities of the council using a section in Churchill Street for the' erection of a two-storied building but that was in the future and it would of course take time. Mr Spooner said that the Society had practically no funds. They only had a small membership at a very nominal membership fee. The mayor said that the council was sympathetic but that would not go far in helping to solve the Society’s needs. Mr Spinley said he thought that the matter should be referred to a sub-committee. He recognised that some of the exhibits were very valuable and should not be allowed to leave the district.

The mayor assured the deputation that they would give every consideration to the matter and the deputation, after thanking the council, retired.

Cr Williams facetiously remarked that they should set up a magicians’ committee, seeing that they were being asked to find homes for various organisations.

Cr Babbage said he was sympathetic towards the Society,. It appeared as if they would have to find a home for the collection or put it into storage. The matter of a permanent home for the museum was bound up with town planning. Cr Quick asked if the risk of fire would be too great to allow the exhibits to be housed in the Library. Cr Williams moved that it be a recommendation to the Library Committee to go into that matter. Cr Hopping suggested approaching Mr Gifford to see at what rent he would be prepared to allow the museum to remain in the present position, for a time at least. Mr Gifford had been most generous in the past, said Cr Hopping. ' The suggestion was adopted and the motion was carried.

VISIT OF MR W. J. PHILLIPS

DOMINION MUSEUM EXECUTIVE Mr W. J. Phillips of the Dominion Museum Wellington, addressed members of the Te Awamutu Historical Society last night. Mr Phillips gave a most interesting and informative address on the arts and crafts of the Maori people. At the close of his remarks the speaker gave a demonstration of Maori string games and he gave instruction in the plaiting of Maori head bands. Mr Phillips was heartily thanked for his address and demonstration. Seen this morning for a few minutes by a Courier representative Mr Phillips said he had been pleased to see the exhibits in the local museum which he said was inadequately housed. In every museum only specially selected things should be exhibited to the public and thus avoid giving the impression that everything

was worthy of exhibition. In a museum there should be two groups, one wherein articles that could afford scope for study should be shown and secondary articles that would enhance the value of the museum.

Mr Phillips returned to Wellington to-day.