UNVEILING OF THE MEMORIAL PORTRAIT OF JULIA.

Colonist, Volume LII, Issue 12738, 9 March 1910, Page 2 (Supplement)

UNVEILING OF THE MEMORIAL PORTRAIT OF JULIA.

The Suter Memorial Art Gallery was crowded to excess yesterday afternoon when the Governor unveiled the memorial portrait of Julia Martin, the Grace Darling of New Zealand. Among those present were the Bishop of Nelson and Mrs Mules.Mr John Graham, ALP., Messrs J. H. Cock, C. Y. Fell, F. G. Gibbs, Nicholson (trustees), F. .V. Knapp, IX. I. Kingsley, the Secretary (Miss Nina Jones), and members of the committee. On the arrival of Lord Phmket and party they wore met by His Lordship the Bishop and other trustees, and were conducted to the platform. Mr M. M. Webster, on behalf of the subscribers to the memorial portrait of Julia, asked the Bishop, as the president of the trustees of the Suter Art Gallery, to accept of the picture to be hung iv the Gallery. He said they &1 know what the late Mrs Julia Martin had done, and why they honoured her. He referred to the untiring and devoted services of Miss Nina Janes in connection with the Art Gallery, and said it was largely due to Miss Jones' efforts the memorial portrait about to be unveiled that afternoon was obtained. The Bishop of Nelson, in accepting the portrait, ' paid a tribute to the heroism displayed by the late, Mrs Julia Martin ,\b the time of the wreck of the' Delaware. He recognised the good and useful work Mr Martin did as a mcimber of the Anglican Church. "In regretting Mr Martin's absence, his Lordship said he was smc that ail present would deeply regret to hear that Mr Martin was lying in Wellington hospital very ill. He, was sure all joined in wiehing Mr Martin speedy restoration to health. He said the artist had been successful in producing a speaking picture of the late Mrs Martin, and when Mr Martin first saw it bo was deeply moved. Ho fully endorsed all that Mr Webster had said about the; energetic and valuable services of Miss Nina Jones. He concluded by asking His Excellency to unveil the portrait. His Excellency said he had very great plea-sure in unveiling the picture It was always a pleasure to recognise bravery, arid particularly the deeds of a brave woman. He felt extra pleasure in- the duty he had to perform, seeing that it was in recognition of a brave deed done by a Maori woman. He had no doubt they all felt a keen interest in the Maori race, and regretted that it was a dwindling one. His Excellency then drew aside the curtain, and when the audience saw the splendid portrait of the lato Mrs Julia Martin they gavo a hearty round of ■applause. Mr Park, of Motueka, by the aid of an interpreter, thanked them for the honour that had been paid that afternoon to one of the Maori people. The Maoris 'felt it was honouring them. Tho Maoris felt pleased that they were under the British flag, and members of the great British Empire. They felt that they would not have fared so well undor any other nation, • and lie instanced the treatment the Jews had received in Russia. He again thanked them for the and honour shown to the late Mrs Martin. (The speech was received with applause). The Governor was presented with a souvenir of his visit, in the shape of an album. The title page had been most tastefully illuminated by Mrs Topliss. There* was an excellent picture of the Suter Art Gallery, a photograph of Mrs Julia Martin's memorial portrait, a colours] sketch, of the 3cene where the Delaware was wreckMi and a "hotograph of the Maori pah, where the late Mrs Martin lived. At the conclusion of .the ceremony, the Governor and party were entertained by the ladies, being given afternoon tea.

Die portrait was greatly admired, it being deemed an admirable, one, and renects ihe greatest credit on the artist, Mr Lindauer, of Woodville, who lias been very successful in painting portraits. Ho has executed one of tho late Bishop Sclwyn, Bishop Williams (y) and other notable personages. It is appropriately framed, Messrs Cook and bon executing the order, and the inscription on tho tablet has been neatly engraved by Messrs Brown and Kerr. The inscription on the tablet reads: "In public recognition of tho brave deeds of Huria Matenga, chief, tailless of the Ngatiawa, Ngatitama, and Ngatitoa tribes, who, in company It , h !>%. husband, Hemi Matenga, at risk of life, swam for a rope through a stormy sea, thereby saving the lives of the crew of the ship Delaware rf^/t WfaP«akaf September -3rd, 1863.— Died April, 1909."