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Public Lectures and Ftlm Evenings. Public lectures were given in the Museum Lecture Hall on 24th May, 1939, by Dr. W. R. B. Oliver on " Museums Around the World," and on 15th June by Mi , . W. ,J. Phillipps on " Maori Days." Owing to the comparatively small attendance at these lectures it was decided to experiment with a session of evening meetings for the screening of educational films. The first of these film evenings was held on 29th August, 1939, and was an outstanding success. Further film evenings were held on ]9th September, 17th October, and 21st November. On all occasions the hall was full, and on two.the doors had to he closed at 7/15 p.m., many people being turned away. Loan Exhibitions. Five exhibitions, for which the Museum borrowed the exhibits from private individuals and from institutions, were held during the year. Native-bibd Paintings. A series of about fifty original water-colour paintings of New Zealand birds by Miss L. A. Daft was lent by the Forest and Bird Protection Society, and was exhibited from August to November, 1 , .);'. 1 ,). Bronze and Silver Ware : Ironwork. A collection comprising Italian bronzes and reproductions, English gold- and silver-smiths' work, and English ironwork lent by the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, through the Empire Art Loan Collections Society, was exhibited from December, 1939 until February, 1910. Nature Photographs. In December, 1939, and January, 1940, one hundred photographs of wild. 1 ife loaned by the American Federation of Arts were placed on view in the Museum vestibule. The photographs depicted mammals, birds, and reptiles in their natural haunts. They formed part of an exhibition organized by Country Life and held in the British Museum (Natural History). Native-flowee Paintings. About two hundred and fifty water-colour drawings of New Zealand plants by Miss Christine Watkins were shown in the Botanical department of the Museum from January to March, 1940. They were placed on view just before the opening of the Native Plant Exhibition arranged by the Museum. Kn (; lis if China war u. An exhibition of English, chinaware of the period 1750-1850, comprising about six hundred articles, was opened in the Museum by His Excellency the Governor-General on 13th March, 1910. Lady (lalway also was present at the opening ceremony. The articles were borrowed from about fifty residents of Wellington, Featherston, and Timaru, from the Cawthron Institute, Nelson, and from the Canterbury Museum, Christchurch. The Committee desires to place on record its appreciation of the very generous assistance given by Mr. S. Northcote Bade in the selection of the articles for exhibition and in providing the information required for the labels and guide-book. This publication contains an article on the evolution of English ohinaware and a catalogue of the exhibits. Bledisloe Cup Photograph Competition. The seventy-two exhibits of the photographic societies of New Zealand for the Bledisloe Cup were shown in the Dominion Museum from 6th November to 20th November, 1939. Native-plant Exhibition. The Third Annual Native Plant Exhibition to be held in the Museum was opened by Mrs. Kuox Gilmer on 17th January, 1940. About three hundred kinds of living and cut plants were exhibited. As before, the Museum management was indebted to many institutions and. friends for specimens, which were received from as far north as Waipoua and Whangarei and as far south as Stewart Island. The municipal Botanical Gardens at Wellington, Christchurch, and [nvercargill were particularly helpful. Maoki Collection. During the year special attention has been given to the Maori Gallery of the Museum. Using material collected by the late Captain Bollons, a special case illustrating by objects the Maori method of making a fish-hook has been placed on exhibition. Maori meeting-houses at Levin, Aotearoa, and Te Kuiti were visited by the Director and Mr. Phillipps. Near Te Kuiti a Maori carving was collected on the site of an old pa. A visit by Mr. Phillipps was made to Namu Pa, Opunake, and some eight stone implements collected. Photographs were taken of an old carved altar stone. Other interesting articles added to the collections were as follows : Several taiaha, pouwhonua, and tewhatewha, presented by Mrs. L. Kronfeld ; a canoe bailer and adzes, presented by Mr. E. 11. Schnackenberg during the visit to Kawhia of the Director and Mr. Phillipps ; a greenstone bird pendant and a greenstone kaka poria, presented by Mrs. .1. C. Nicholls ; a stone pounder, presented by Mr. P. Brophy ; and a, photograph of a maihi, presented by Mr. W. C. Davies. Mr. Phillipps published the, follow ing papers on Maori subjects : " The Te Ore Ore Maori House " (Art in New Zealand, 1939) ; "An introduction to Maori Pounding Implements " (Journal of the Polynesian Society, 1939). The Te Ore Ore House recently has been destroyed by fire, and the series of photographs obtained by Mr. Salmon for the Museum are to be used by the Maoris to guide them hi building a new house,

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