CENTRAL SITE SUGGESTED FOR ART GALLERY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18453, 2 May 1928, Page 7

CENTRAL SITE SUGGESTED FOR ART GALLERY.

OFFER MUST COME FROM CITIZENS, OR MATTER TO BE CLOSED

A meeting of the Jubilee Memorial Committee was held yesterday afternoon. There were present: Dr Thacker (chairman). The Mayor (Rev J. K. Archer), Messrs 11. Holland, M.P.. F. L. Hutchinson, R. B. Owen, A. Dudley Dobson! E. 11. Andrews. A. 11. Shrubshall. T. D. Lennie, J. W. Beanland and W. E. Leadley (secretary). A sub-committee reported on alternative sites for the erection of the Art Gallery, and recommended a site at the back of the Canterbury Club, in Worcester Street, extending through to Montreal Street. No action was taken by the Memorial Committee, the report being received. At a subsequent meeting of the Jubilee Executive it was decided that, unless a concrete offer came from the citizens before 5 p.m. on Ma}* 10, for the purchase of the St Elmo site, the matter should be closed. Dr Thacker said that the sub-com-mittee had inspected ten sites in the city and had paid part’>”*ar attention to a site at othe bar]: of the Canterbury Club, in Worcester LUrcet, extending through to Montreal Street. The committee recommended the site as one of the best. The frontage on Worcester Street was four chains, and on Montreal Street three chains. It necessary, in the future, the whole block could be. obtained. The site would allow a chain of gardens round the gallery, and would allow, also, scope for extensions. FAVOURED BY BUSINESS MEN. He had reported the matter to the Mayor, and asked Mr M’Dougall to receive the committee. Yesterday they had a long talk on the first site and the proposed site. Dr Thacker mentioned that the proposed site was the one favoured by the business men who had offered to buy a site. Since the meeting of business men, Mr M’Dougall had expressed the wish that the gallery should be built on the Gardens site, and the matter was dropped. He thought it would take some inspiration to get those men together again. If the citizens were prepared to pay for the site, or if it was presented to the. city, Mr M’Dougall and the Mayor had stated their willingness seriously to consider a change. In the meantime, plans were going on for the erection of the gallery in the Gardens. Mr A. 11. Shrubshall said that the recommendation of the Memorial Committee would not carry much weight. Dr Thacker said that if the people showed the right spirit they would ask for a public meeting to be held. He suggested, also, that a section at the back of the Canterbury Club would be a good site for a rest house, with rooms for the Plunket Society.

Mr F. L. Hutchinson said that he favoured the erection of the gallery on a central city site. He considered that many people who would visit the gallery in the city would not do ?o if it was placed in the Gardens. Speaking as a painter, he thought that it would be fine to have the gallery near the School of Art, but as a citizen of Christchurch he was of the opinion that the gallery should be in a central site. Mr Hutchinson said that a public meeting could be called, when the opinions of citizens would be heard.

WILLING TO CONSIDER CHANGE. The Mayor said that he had been a medium only between Mr M’Dougall and the citizens of Christchurch, and he had never attempted to influence Mr M’Dougall's judgment. It was Mr M'Dougall’s strong wish to have the lawn site in the Gardens, and when that site was not available he accepted the site already secured. The Mayor said that in most other cities the Art Gallery was situated in gardens. In regard to the proposed site, Mr M’Dougall had said that he was willing to consider the alteration, and he (the Mayor) believed that the donor desired the selection to be the wish of the city. At the same time, Mr M’Dougall could not be expected to consider any other site until some definite proposal was submitted to him. They should not run the risk of putting up a proposal before the public of purchasing an expensive site when the poll might be rejected. In the meantime, Mr Hurst Seager and other members of committee had been told to go ahead'with the plans for the erection of the gallery. The sub-committee of the Domains Board had suggested a few alterations to the Museum site. The Mayor said that the best thing to do was to accept the Gardens site. He felt quite satisfied that, if a vote was taken, it would be in favour of the Museum site. The report was received, no action being taken. THE ST ELMO SITE. At a meeting of the Jubilee Executive, Mr D. G. Sullivan said that it was desirable that finality should be reached. Mr C. H. Clibborn said that something definite should be given out to the public. In regard to a suggestion that public subscriptions sltould be invited, Mr

Sullivan said that if a public appeal * was made and collapsed, the city would be placed in a wrong position. Mr Hutchinson said that he was strongly of opinion that the gallery, like a church, should be on a site s amongst the people, not on a site out of the way. Dr Thacker moved that, unless a concrete cash offer came from the citi- ' zens before 5 p.m. on May 10 for the 1 purchase of the St Elmo site, the mat- i ter should be closed. : The motion was declared carried.