VALUABLE PICTURES

Taranaki Daily News, 28 December 1929, Page 15

VALUABLE PICTURES

NOT INSURED. LITTLE PROSPECT OF SALVAGE. Mr. Murray Fuller, who has been bringing out to New Zealand the valuable collection of paintings by British artists, which was on board the wrecked Manuka, is now at Okawa, watching the wreckage coming ashore, in the faint hope that some of the pictures might be still preserved in their strong eases. The valuable collection was substantially covered by insurance up till the time they reached Melbourne, but such were the rates asked for their further insurance to New Zealand that Mr. Fuller decided to take the risk. The whole of the pictures in the nine big cases may therefore be written down as a complete loss. Mr. Fuller, in a letter to Mrs. Fuller, states that some of the pictures have come ashore, but they are so badly knocked about through the cases being smashed open, and then dragged through the sand that he has small hope of being able to salvage any of them. The only hope seemed to be of one or more cases coming ashore unbroken. In that case there would be a chance, as probably the effect of the immersion in salt water could be rectified by skilful treatment. There should be a possibility of this, as the cases cost about £3OO, and are especially strong. The pictures on the Manuka were never unpacked in Melbourne. Many of them have not seen the light of day since they left the packing room, and these represented the cream of th collection. It is reported that some of the pictures have fallen into the hands of pilferers. If such be the case, there may bo a possibility of their eventual recovery.