"UP FOR REPAIRS."

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11028, 17 March 1914, Page 3

"UP FOR REPAIRS."

— — COUNCIL'S ARTISTIC SENSE. PICTURE GRANT RENEWED. The City Council last year brought down a. lot of contumely on its head by selecting, or having selected for its £SO grant to the Art Society, a. picture entitled "Up for Repairs." which was severely criticised at the time. The question was reopened last night, when a letter was received from the Art Society asking that two members of tho Council should be appointed to select this year's picture for the annual grant of £SO given by the Council.

In reply to a question, the Mayor said that tho Council had not voted the money yet, but tho Art Society seemed to consider that an annual grant was forthcoming. Councillor Hunter said that the first vote had been carried on his motion during the mayoralty of Mr T. E. iaylor, hut he had intended that it should bo made annually only if the purchase was satisfactory. He was not satisaed. with last year's selection, and . lie moved—"That, the Canterbury Society of Arts be granted £SO for the purchase of a picture (landscape) pamteel by an artist trained in tho dominion. On the Mayor's suggestion, the mover agreed not to limit the purchase to a landscape. , , Councillor J. M'Cullough said that it had been stated in the papers that the Council's representatives had been ignored in tho last selection. The Mayor said that as one of, the city's representatives last year he was under tho impression that it was merely his duty to explain to the judges the wishes of the Council in the matter ot the number of pictures to be selected. At first the judges had/ been m favour of two pictures, one called Unemployed" and. the other a woman s face. He did not pretend to bo artistic, but these pictures seemed to him reasonable, and he was surprised, to hear that they had been turned down in favour or "Up for Repairs." There was something extraordinary about that picture, for it was noticeable that the men working on the boat in the foreground wero smaller than those further away, which seemed to him quite contrary to the natural order of things. At all events, the picture had aroused a great deal of unfavourable comment, and the question had frequently arisen whether the painter was a New Zealand artist, in terms of the grant, as lis was described as English on the catalogue. He believed that the picture should bo selected before the exhibition was opened, so that the public could criticise the selection. At present the judges might be biased' by public sentiment. Councillor F. Burgoyne said .that ho was opposed to the expenditure while municipal work waited. "Is this not illegal expenditure?" lie asked. "No," said the Mayor. "Auckland is spending about £BOO a year in the sanie direction." It was stated that last year's representatives were the Mayor and Mr Macgregor Wright, and they were renominated. Councillor J. M'Combs moved that the Mayor and Councillor Hunter should be appointed, and 1 this drew forth a caustic remark from. Councillor H. J. Otley that no member of the Council was qualified to select a picture. - . On a vote Councillor Hunter and the Mayor were appointed. Councillor Hunter remarking that no "London artist would be selected this year. •