NOT OVERLOOKED.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20278, 12 April 1934, Page 11

NOT OVERLOOKED.

Question of Providing Funds

for Museum

ASSURANCE BY MAYOR. An assurance was given bv the Mayor (Mr D. G. Sullivan, M.P.) yesterday that the question of providing funds for the upkeep of the Canterbury Museum had not been overlooked by the local bodies. Mr Sullivan said that as a result of a series of interviews which he had with the museum authorities, a conference of representatives of local bodies in the metropolitan area had been held. At that conference it was practically agreed by those present that it was desirable that a rate should be struck to raise money for the purposes of the museum, but that decision had to be submitted to the local bodies for their approval. Some of the local bodies had already dealt with the matter and had expressed approval of the central idea of rating, but both the City Council and the Paparua County Council were of the opinion that the rating area should extend beyond a radius of ten miles from the Post Office, on the ground i that it was a Canterbury rather than a Christchurch or metropolitan ijiuseum. If the general consent of the local bodies for the establishment of a rating area were obtained a Bill would be promoted and submitted to Parliament next session. "The basis of the discussion all through,” continued Mr Sullivan, "has been the establishment of a rating area for the support of the museum, but it should be explained that the rate would be a very small one.” Conference of Local Bodies Recommended. A further discussion on the finances of the Canterbury Museum took place at a meeting of the Waimairi County Council last night, when it was suggested that a conference of all Canterbury local bodies should be called to see just what amount of financial support could be looked for from them. Mr W P Spencer, who presided, said that if the Canterbury Museum could raise £2OOO a year, there was a prospect of getting £20,000 from the Carnegie Corporation. Mr A. E. Flower, chairman of the Museum Committee hf the Canterbury College Council, had given him to understand that the committee was going to apply to the Government for a £ for £ subsidy on any money raised. "Personally, I am against a rate, and perhaps the question should be held over until we are dealing with the estimates,” he said. “All Canterbury should be in this scheme; it should not be confined to the city only.” He added that he was in favour of the proposal to secure the grant from the corpora ton. Mr G. G. Gardner said that he thought the Museum authorities should do the spade work themselves. .If the authorities had the interests of the Museum at heart, they should circularise all Canterbury local bodies to see what support might be forthcoming. On the motion of Mr W. G. Chapman, seconded by Mr W. J. Walter, it was decided to recommend the Museum authorities to call a conference of all Canterbury local bodies to deal with the question of Museum finance.