H.—2l.

Three engravings, " The Duke of Wellington," " Judge Chapman," and " Captain James Cook," bequeathed by the late Horace E. M. Fildes. "Anemones" and "Coast Scene" (water-colours), by T. A. McCormack. Purchased by the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts with funds granted by the Board of Governors of the Thomas George Macarthy Trust. A collection of early Worcester china, presented by Mrs. Ernest Makower, London. A number of pictures were lent for exhibition in the Gallery, including a portrait of Bishop Selwyn by Griffith, lent by the Centenary Committee of Diocese of Wellington. Thirty-four pictures oSered as gifts were declined as not reaching the standard required for a National Collection. The thanks of the Trustees and of the public are due to the donors for their generous and publicspirited gifts. E. D. Gore, Secretary to the Committee. ANNUAL REPORT OP THE DOMINION MUSEUM COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH, 1938. Six meetings of the Committee were held during the year. Director. Under the auspices of the Carnegie Corporation of New York, on 7th March Dr. W. R. B. Oliver left on a trip abroad. He will visit leading museums in United States of America, after which he is to proceed to Europe and visit leading museums of Britain and the Continent. He will return to Wellington towards the end of the year. Museum Education Officer. In February, 1938, Mr. D. W. McKenzie was appointed Museum Education Officer, his salary being paid half by the Carnegie Corporation of New York and half by the Education Department. Educational Work. During 1937 the total attendances of school-children at the Museum lectures numbered 9,135. Each lecture included an exhibition of specimens, lantern-slides, and a film. Lectures this year commenced on Bth March, and up to 31st March attendances of school-children at Museum lectures have totalled 4,094, practically all lectures having been given by the Education Officer. An arrangement has been made with the Director of the Training College whereby various groups of at least six Training College students are present at the Museum throughout the year. These students assist the Education Officer in taking groups of school-children around the Museum exhibits, each student specializing on a selected subject. During part of the time the students are given instruction by officers of the Museum stall and attain to a degree of proficiency in certain aspects of museum technique. Educational work is so organized that the time available is used to the fullest extent. A general lecture is delivered daily ; and, in addition, each morning small groups of children are being given instruction in the Museum exhibition halls. About 1,200 pupils attend these classes weekly. Considerable support for the educational work of the Museum has been received from both the primary and secondary schools of the city and suburbs. The educational work has widened the sphere of activity of the Museum. Maori Collections. About sixty of the remaining cases of duplicate Maori material have been unpacked and their contents classified as a preliminary to a complete recataloguing of the whole collection, a work which has already commenced. The value of duplicate Maori material, both as a nucleus for future scientific investigation and as a means of furthering educational studies, is now recognized to be of growing importance. Necessary shelves and racks are being erected to hold the collections not yet classified. The principal additions by donations were four Maori stone adzes and one fishing-canoe prow, presented by Mr. H. G. J. Sinclair ; prow and stern-post of canoe, presented by Miss Hosking ; and twenty-two casts of Maori artifacts, presented by the British Museum. Foreign Ethnology. Several valuable donations to the collection of foreign ethnology have been received. Of these, the most important are a Malay kris from Mr. C. N. Taylor, nine articles from Mrs. T. F. Taylor, and a Samoan mat and a jar from Ellice Island from Mrs. H. F. Dykes. Visit of Carnegie Preparator. We are indebted to the Carnegie Corporation of New York for the visit of Mr. Frank Tose, Preparator. This visit was of great importance to museums in New Zealand, marking the inauguration of a new era in museum technique and display. For a period of about six weeks, extending from 13th December, 1937, to 31st January, 1938, Mr. Tose had his headquarters at the Dominion Museum, conducting a class composed of museum officers from various parts of the Dominion. Five members of the Dominion Museum staff thus received valuable training.

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