CITY OF CULTURE

Taranaki Daily News, 11 March 1933, Page 5

CITY OF CULTURE

PRAISE FOR WANGANUI. NEW PLYMOUTH’S MUSEUM. . Wanganui, March 8. Visiting New Zealand on behalf of the Museums’ Association, London, and the Carnegie Trust, New York, is Mr. S. F. Markham, who was in Wanganui yesterday. Mr. Markham is visiting all the art galleries and museums in the British Empire, with a view to reporting on their need for financial assistance. His collaborator in New Zealand is Mr. W. R. B. Oliver, director of the Dominion Museum, Wellington. He had already visited Auckland, New Plymouth, and Wanganui. In all three centres he was delighted with the splendid collection of exhibits. “I am much impressed with Wangahui,” he told the Dominion, “and in no other town in the Empire of similar size have I seen such an attractive art gallery or library, not only from the point of view of buildings, but also in regard to their equipment and arrangement. The Alexander Museum has equally delightful buildings, but the arrangement is possibly not the happiest. The collection of Maori, neolithic, and recent specimens is extraordinarily interesting, and also the collection of local birds, but much of the exotic material could with advantage be weeded out. The great lack is suitable introductory cases, arranged specially for those who had not made a special study of Maori civilisation or natural history. Habitat groups should be arranged as was done in the Auckland museum.”

The Sargeant Art Gallery deserves a special word of praise, continued Mr. Markham, the selection of pictures, with perhaps a few exceptions, he considered remarkably good, and were arranged superbly, making it possible to see every picture under the best conditions. The curator and his fellow workers deserve every congratulation.’’ Commenting on Auckland and New Plymouth, Mr. Markham said that for its size and the amount of money available, Auckland had one of the finest museums and art galleries in the British Empire. "Although New Plymouth has no art gallery,” he continued, “splendid work has been done in the museum, and the library, a Carnegie Trust gift, is a fine asset to the town.

“Compared with other parts of the Empire—Canada, South Africa, and Australia—the three, centres I have so far visited compare most favourably. This is particularly so when comparison is made between Australia and New Zealand. Fur example, in towns like Townsville, Ipswich, and Ballarat, about the same size as Wanganui, the museum or art gallery provision is either non-exist-ent or lamentably poor. Even compared with many English towns of the same size, Wanganui shows up to great advantage.” Mr. Markham has just completed a tour of Australia, where his collaborator was Professor Richards, of Queensland University.