THE ART GALLERY SITE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18550, 25 August 1928, Page 2

THE ART GALLERY SITE.

To the Editor. Dear Sir, —I am very sorry to reopen the Art Gallery'- site question, and as you state in your leader, it will prol> ably exhaust the patience of the public. Sir, the public’s patience sometimes requires exhausting, so surely it is worth while trying to exhaust their patience in hopes that they will move to prevent the Art Gallery being placed in a position which is entirely unsuitable and unworthy of the gift. Let us consider the facts. There is over half an acre of ground at the back of the Museum which has no buildings on it and is vested in the City Council. The council have the right to erect an Art Gallery on it provided work is commenced before 1930. It. is very evident that the City Council will not provide a site in any of its own reserves; also it appears that the public will not provide the money to buy a site, so it is quite clear that the Art Gallery will be built on the ground behind the Whale House, 4in.less something is done. The’Domains Board has never been asked to consider any site except the one on the lawn, which was rejected. You are not correct in saying the Domains Board have shown quite clearly that they are unlikely to grant a Rolleston Avenue frontage. You have merely assumed that fact. Your remarks that the curator’s house must be erected somewhere else in the grounds, not intended for buildings, is correct as far as it goes, but you seem to miss the point that as things stand to-day we have got to have the curator’s house and the Art Gallery in t.he gardens, anyhow. The curator’s house could be re-erected on the north bank by the boating sheds, which is not used by the public. The ground at the back of the Museum is used to some extent by the public and would, of course, revert back and be kept as an open space.

The Art Gallery would not occupy any more space than that occupied by the curator’s house. The scheme may appear impracticable to you, but that does not say it is impracticable. It may not be the ideal site in any way, but I think it is the lesser of two evils. _I am, etc., lIENRY KITSON.