CENTRALISATION.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 15863, 7 July 1919, Page 4

CENTRALISATION.

Ip Wellington had its way, the same undesirable conditions would prevail in New Zealand as obtain in Australia. There population concentrates in the capitals of the various States, and the State Government fire at their wits’ end to deal with the problems which arise from centralisation and the neglect of country interests. Fortunately, in New Zealand the population is scattered, and a healthy, rivalry exists between the four chief centres and other progressive cities and towns. There is, however, a tendency on the part of Wellington and Auckland to consider) their, .respective cities the hub of New Zealand, and the former is everlastingly demanding fresh spoonfood from the State,. as if the fact that the seat of government is there does not provide it with sufficient advantages over other less-favoured communities. A few weeks ago Wellington was claiming all the trophies of war for storing away in some museum. Which, of course, the Government will he asked to provide, for the especial delectation of dwellers in and visitors to the Empire City. Distribution over the Dominion is surely the fairest and most equitable proposition, for Wellington did not provide all the soldiers who won the trophies, though its business people have reaped by far the richest rewards; from the expenditure of the tens'of* millions the war has cost New Zealand. Another case in point is instanced in the offer made to the Government by the Academy of Fine Arts in Wellington and some of the citizens in that centre, to raise a fund of £IO,OOO towards the erection of a National Art Gallery as a Peace memorial, the Government being asked to subsidise' the contributions 'that will he raised by subscription. Despite the manner in which the desirability of a war memorial and the valour and selfsacrifice of our soldiers are introduced, the proposal stands out badly as one that the taxpayers of the Dominion should contribute, largely to the establishment of an Art Gallery in Wellington. The feature of it which involves the collection of subscriptions from 'the public for this purpose under the guise of erecting a memorial of great deeds and events is not itself happily inspired. The desire of the art-loving people of Wellington to secure a creditable Aft Gallery for their city does them honour, and their aim is entitled to every sympathy and, encouragement. But their* enterprise in this direction has in the past been far from conspicuous. They still seem to cling to'the idea that because Wellington- happens to be the seat of Government'they are entitled to expect Government assistance in a project of 'this kind. The self-reliant policy adopted in other centres in the establishment of public art galleries is in agreeable contrast, and has produced highly creditable results. - There , should be enough enthusiasm in Wellington to secure generous and practical recognition of the claims of Art, but we agree with the Otago Daily Times That there is no sufficient reason why,"* even under the guise of a Peace memorial, a “National" Art Gallery should be secured by the citizens of Wellington at the expense, in a large measure, of the rest of the Dominion.