Architecture and Building

Progress, Volume XII, Issue 5, 1 January 1917, Page 843

Architecture and Building

11 What is Art, and who arc Artists ? ” -No. IV. By S. HURST SEAGER, F.H.1.8.A. I have contrasted the symbolic “Bull’ of the Assyrians with the natnralcsque lion of Landseer’s. Both are extreme examples. Let as therefore glance at two equestrian statues both having the same aim—the glorification of celebrated warriors. In No. 16 we sec that of Richard Cceur do Lion by Baron

Marochetti standing in front of the House of Lords in London, and in No. 17 that of Bartolomeo Colleoni at Venice by Andrew Vernocchio. The feebleness and lack of war-like qualities in the one are emphasised forcibly by contrast with the strength and the irresistible force and vigour in the other. It is in fact acknowledged to be the finest equestrian statue extant. In sculptured ornaments, as well as in other branches of art, the same principle of generalised imitation must be worked upon, and was worked upon in the true art epochs. No natural flowers were exactly copied, but the principles seen in foliage were grasped, and used to express the qualities intended, as in the beautiful thirteenth century foliage (Fig. 18), which, though admirably conventionalised, still gives a truthful idea of the growth

[Note—The Articles appearing on pages 843 to 850 arc published by arrangement with the New Zealand Institute of Architects.]

of plants, and fills the space it occupies in a most natural and charming way. Here there is no pulling to pieces of Nature’s flowers and piecing them together to fill the required space, as so often seen in the works of impure taste; it is the result of a close study of Nature, by means of which alone artists can produce true and original works. It matters not in what style the artist expresses himself, it is equally true of all pure styles, for in the collection of Greek ornaments (Fig. 19), pleas-

urahle sensations are created by the artists having imitated the principles of radiation and the beautiful lines of double curvature, without copying the plants in which they are seen. For want of a better name the ornaments are said to be combinations of the honey-suckle ornament, but you can see that it is only the peculiar curve at the end of some of the forms which sufficiently indicates its source to give it the name. In the painter’s art, too, we see illustrations of the same principles of generalised imitation—the same passing through the “alembic.” Few painters have been successful in conveying the idea of Divinity. So conscious were the early Christian painters of their lack of power in this respect, that they almost invariably put a halo of golden light, called the “nimbus,” behind the head as a proof of holi-

ness, or mark of divinity. We have seen that in the case of the statues of the Greeks, which they carved to represent their gods, nothing more than perfect human beauty was aimed at, the beauty of the body, the passionless beauty of form; no ancient statue expresses by the countenance any one elevated character of the soul, no majesty of feeling that might mark the features for supernatural. The Christian painters, on the other hand, while they endeavoured to portray whatever typical beauty the human body possessed, deducing their general proportion and types from comparison of the nobler individuals of the race, concentrated their full power and thought upon the expression of countenance, striving con-

tinually to express divine beauty— beauty of holiness. In the beautiful conception of Raphael’s Madonna di San Sisto (Fig, 20), no nimbus is needed to tell us of the holiness of the Madonna; this face of hers, which earned for him the title of “divine,” is no mere perfection of human beauty. He has passed all the beauty, seen in Nature, through the “alembic”; but to the result of that he has added the full depth of his own pure soul and noble feeling, which we can measure in our degree as we gaze on this inspired work. Although the whole is made up of beautiful parts, the transcendant beauty of the face of the Madonna attracts us to it; and when all the surroundings will have vanished from oilr minds, the memory will still cling tenaciously to this figure,

and that of the infant Christ, nestling closely to it. These are examples of the highest kind of art, for we see in them that idealisation is reached by emphasising the general idea, the universal points of resemblance seen in those natural models possessing the quality intended to he expressed. The qualities which are common to a class may even he exaggerated, and are exaggerated, in many of the finest idealistic works. But if there he any exaggeration of individual peculiarities, caricature is the result. And this distinction makes the whole difference between the highest and lowest kind of art. Hogarth was a caricaturist of great talent. In his

“Laughing Audience” (Pig. 2.1), all the figures are exaggerations of individual peculiarities, and to the boisterous controtions of imbecility are added the elements of vice. His pictures are said to be novels written with the brush, but if so, they are novels of a very low order; there are in all, it is true, evidences of great power and technical skill, but he has, to my mind, fallen from the high platform of true art, when he descends to the representation only of the different forms of vice. There are in his pictures no indications of a love for the beauties in our natures; no loving lingering upon some redeeming virtue; all is dark, harrowing and loath-some-loathsome that is, to the finer spirits; to those whose vice they represent, they give no pain.

A vicious man is rather pleased than pained by the depiction of his vice, for it treats of something, however degrading it may be, which to him is pleasurable; it is something he understands and can judge of, as to the probability of its truth. I have heard a man loudly praise an eloquent sermon treating of the vice to which he was notoriously addicted, and that he derived pleasure from the preacher’s efforts is proved by the fact that he took pains to hear him again; yet at the same time making no attempt to alter his mode of life. This is no singular instance; unfortunately, it is of far too frequent occurrence, and must have come within the experience of ns all. Why is this? Why, in holding up the mirror to vice, does the reflection please its disciples? Is it not because the love of truth clings on to fallen natures long after the stream of sin has washed away the bonds of conscience? Be this as

it may, the fact remains that they are pleased at the representation and exaggeration of their vices and weaknesses. We are told of one of Hogarth’s satirical caricatures upon the vices of the society of his day, that “it delighted the public whom it satirised, and had an enormous sale.” , The, portrayal of vice if it pleases the vicious, can but harrow the feelings of the pure, to whom the lesson it may be intended to convey is not of any value. What good purpose then docs the record of vice serve? Simply none.

The wicked delight in it, and the pure, at first shocked, gradually become accustomed to the horrors it represents. “For it is ordained that rcpulsiveness shall be diminished by custom in a far greater degree than, the sensation of beauty:. so that the anatomist, in , a .little time, loses all sense of

horror in the torn flesh and carious bone, while the sculptor ceases not to feel, to the close of his life, the deliciousness of every line of the outward frame.” We cannot pass through life without being made to feel more or less keenly the force of the evil which is in it, but the beauties of life may, in “the hurry and bustle for existence, in the crash of innovation and the race for wealth,” escape our notice: and it is on those that artists should long and lovingly dwell. Torture and suffering should never be depicted for its own sake. Look at the Laocoon Group (Fig. 22). If we fully understand its meaning, we can but be grieved at the story it tells— tale of horror and suffering it expresses. The father, a Dardan priest, and his two sons are attacked by two sea serpents and thus squeezed to

death. “I suppose,” says Buskin, “that no group has exercised so pernicious an influence on art as this; a subject illchosen and only recommended to imitation by subtleties of execution and accumulation of technical knowledge.” It is, indeed, a wonderful exhibition of technical skill in reproducing the anatomy of the human body; in this respect it is perfect, and commands a place in every school of art and academy in the world. But as a work of pure art, it cannot command our admiration. We may become accustomed to the picture of horror sufficiently to feel no repulsion Avhen in its presence, but if so, some of the finest impulses of our nature it will be said, evil and good flow side by side in the troubled stream of life; and if we draw from it, Ave must perforce, gather in the bad and the good, the sorrow and the joy. Yes, this is so; and those

are the greatest artists, who, if they show us the stream of evil, show us, at the same time, that it is evil, and that the greatest happiness is to be derived by drawing from the stream of good.

From the illustrations you have seen, it is clearly evident that art may be either moral or not moral. The morality of an artist’s work depends upon the good intention of the artist, as shown in the general effect which the expression of his thoughts and emotions are calculated to produce. To man, the helpfulness of art depends not only upon the wise selection of the subject, and the faithful representation of it, but upon the manifest aims and objects of the work itself. The work will be moral if the conception, as presented, is calculated to improve the moral health of society. In most of our grand Gothic Cathedrals, but especially in the noble one

at Rheims (Fig. 23), there are seen thousands of figures in the buttresses, niches, doorways, pinnacles —even in the gargoyles; every “coign of advantage” tells its tale by some image or representation of some living thing, giving meaning and animation to the whole. Some of the figures on the exterior are revolting indeed, for they represent some of the worst vices by which man falls; but these are not presented independently of the whole work; the church as a whole is the work of art; these are only the details which have their purpose to serve. Thus, we see devils, imps and evil spirits of all kinds, peering over balustrades, or acting as water-spouts; but it is a beautiful idea which governs their use, for they are all on the outside, fleeing from the power of religion within, and are far outnumbered throughout the building by the elements of good. Thus, if

we have the ugliness of degradation, we have also many types of divine beauty. By the side of passionate and despairing sin there stand figures of victory, sublime and calm. The devils are far outnumbered by the host of angels. There lurks the blur of human depravity; but as we pass under such a glorious portal as this, in which we see the heavenly host of angels and groups of long robed saints in prayer, the thoughts of sin fades away before the dream of Divine purity and peace. I have endeavoured to show you some few of the main aims and principles which must be kept in view in passing Nature through the “alembic” of man. I have aimed at showing how the lamp of art must be trimmed and supplied if it is to burn with a pure light. But can this lamp of art, this bright light, burn for us here? Can it be made to illumine our path, so that we may “read as we run” the teachings which Nature’s works convey? Here, where there is nothing to compare with those mar-

vellous works produced out of the glowing intelligences given to men of old Can we be made to see that those things which help us simply to exist are much less useful to us than those which set the glories of the universe more brightly before us? It can never be, if we only continue to dream on and on; for all day-dreams are idle, unless we put to the best use those talents with which we have been endowed. "We cannot realise by wishing, and our noblest thoughts and aspirations are but as “airy nothings” to which can be given no local habitation and a name, unless we “Act, act in the living present, Heart within, and God o’erhead. ” No, the purifying influence of the beauties of Nature and of art, can never be felt by the people, until those who practice the arts work on true prin-

oiples, with a full knowledge and glowing enthusiasm worthy of the cause— they cease to look upon their calling simply as a profession whereby they may be enabled to exist. It is not even enough that they themselves can appreciate the beauties in their own art and those of others, they must know why they do so. They must be able to analyse them sufficiently to point out the chief constituents of beauty in them to their fellows. Intellectual blindness is possible in love of beauty, as in other love, but the love that is blind can lead to no happiness; we cannot guide if we fail to see the dangers of the path we tread, and we cannot create a love in others for that which we admire, if we fail to see wherein consists the excellence of it. All workers in any of the arts, whether it be either of the shaping arts of Architecture, Sculpture or Painting; or one of the speaking arts, Music or Poetry; whether they appeal to their fellows through the medium of reason, or the sense of sight, or hearing; should all fell the responsibility which attaches to them, and should endeavour to practice their arts as such, to put into their productions the very best of which they are capable souls travail. In any age of living art the artists produced the best it was in their power to do at that time. We find no inartistic works—no works executed on false principlesduring a time when the true principles were understood and acted upon. It is only in modern times that good and bad work have been erected side by side, and that the excellence of the few has no effect on the baseness of the many: This should not be, and would not be if we were more earnest students of Nature, if we only observed more fully the beauties spread out in this our adopted land so lavishly for our welfare, if we looked beneath these for the underlying principles which are beneath them all, and used them as a standard for our guidance and instruction. We should then soon learn to know what is true and what is false in the works of man, soon have a high appreciation of those which show a loving study of Nature’s laws, and be moved by them to a higher, nobler, aim of life. Those which are false would soon cease to be tolerated, and would be held in as great abhorrence as any acts which are not in harmony with honest, upright and truthful principles. It does not need that a work should be great, to be powerful or artistic— herein lies our only hope of the influence of art being felt here. Each line by an inspired writer is stamped with his genius, and an epigram often contains deep truths and useful teachings.

We can admire the skilful working out of an intricate plot through hundreds of pages, but oftentimes the evidence of concentrated pure and noble thought in a single line stirs within us deeper emotions, and leaves a more lasting impression on our minds. A single strain of classical music carries with it all the effects intended, and in all the arts it is seen that a single touch of the master is enough to make his influence felt. This is equally true of the works of Nature. It is only by the aid of the most poAverful microscope that we can discover the beauties which exist in minute specks and organisms.

All the qualities for which we value the diamond are found in a small piece; the additional value which we attach to such large gems as the Koh-i-noor simply arises from its commercial value, and those feelings which are roused by its expression of brilliant purity arc altogether quenched by the flood of emotions of a less noble nature, created by the knowledge of the price it would command in the world’s market. We need have no fear that because we arc unable to erect works of great magnitude the influence of art would be lost. The artistic value of any work is quite apart from its cost, and in fact oftentimes only exercises a beneficial influence on the beholders, in an inverse ratio to the amount expended on its production. Cost, then, is no hindrance to our progress in art and all its enobling qualities; study and thought are all that are required, both on the part of workers, and of those for whom we labour. There can be no advance on the part of artists, unless they become thoroughly imbued with a love for their art, and possess an earnest desire to do the very best they can, in whatever sphere they are called to work. But the effect of their advance is lost, and any further progress is impossible, unless the people are cultivated to sec and appreciate it. This they can only do by earnest strivings after truth in every relation of life; for this eternal principle is the very foundation of all pure and noble work. It is the spirit,- then, in which our forefathers laboured, rather than the mode in which they expressed themselves, that we should strive to imitate. It is within the power of us all to do this, if we only read as diligently as they read the ‘‘'Book of Nature.” If such a time arrive—and let us hope it —there will be but few among us who will'not feel and know what Art is and who are Artists.

Minutes of the Eleventh Annual Meeting of the New Zealand Institute of Architects (Incorporated), held at the Accountants’ Chambers, Johnston St., Wellington, on Wednesday, 29th November, 1916, at 10 o’clock in the Forenoon.

PRESENT: There were present; President, Mr. W. A. Gumming; Past Presidents, Messrs Chatfield, Atkins, Mountfort, and Wales. Vice-Presidents, Messrs Crichton and Walden. Elected Members, Messrs Allsop, Lawrence, Hurst Seager, Clarkson, Hooper, and Roberts. Together with Mr. Cray Young, Honorary Secretary, Mr. J. S. SAvan, Honorary Treasurer, and the Secretary. Mr. G. W. Gough of Dunedin Avas present as a visitor.

Before Commencing the business of the meeting, Mr. C. A. Lawrence, the Chairman of the Wellington District Branch, on behalf of his Branch, extended an invitation to the President and Members of Council to a lunch at the Grand Hotel at 1.15 p.m,, and to the theatre in the evening. The President on behalf of the members of the Council accepted the invitation with thanks, and in terms of appreciation. APOLOGIES: ,Apologies Avere offered and accepted on behalf of Messrs Hart, Salmond, Broderick, and E. R. Wilson.

PROXIES: Proxies were lodged by Mr. J. L. Salmond in favour of Mr. Hooper, and by Mr. G. S. Goldsboro’ in favour of the President. MINUTES: The President moved, Mr. Atkins seconded, and it was agreed,— “That as the Minutes of the last Annual “Meeting have been printed and circulated “they be taken as read, and be confirmed.” PRESS: It was resolved on the motion of the President that the meeting be open to the press. ANNUAL REPORT OP COUNCIL; On the motion of the President it was resolved,—• “That the Annual Report and Statement of “Accounts having been printed and circulated “to all Members it be taken as read.” The President then moved the adoption of the Annual Report and Statement of Accounts and commented on the work of the past year. He also explained the accounts which were, for the first time, presented in a new form. There had been very heavy expenses this year which would be non-recur-ring and next year we could look forward to better financial results. Several members spoke to the motion after which the Report and Statement of Accounts were adopted. REPORTS OF DISTRICT BRANCHES: The reports of the several District Branches together with their statements of account were read to the meeting. The reports disclosed the fact that though the activities of the Branches had been in a great measure curtailed owing to the war, their usefulness still remained, and it was evident that good and substantial work had been done during the past year. On the motion of the President these reports were adopted. REPORT OF SPECIAL COMMITTEE: The Special Committee set up to enquire into a charge against a member in Wanganui, for a breach of the Regulations made its report; in that report the Committee exonerates him, and at the same time commends the complainants for having acted from a sense of public duty and loyalty to the Institute’s Regulations. It was resolved on the motion of Mr. Wales, seconded by Mr. Mountfort that the Report of the Special Committee be received and its contents communicated to the parties concerned. Further, that the Committee be thanked for their efforts in this matter. On the motion of Mr. Hurst Seager, seconded by Mr. Crichton, it was decided to refer the point as to whether a fixed salary can be termed a “retaining fee” to the Executive Committee to consider and advise for future guidance, CORRESPONDENCE: 1. Arrears. Two letters were received from members in arrear with their subscriptions, asking for the consideration of the Council by reason of the fact that they had at present little or no practice, and were unable to pay their dues. Both these cases being reported upon favourably it was resolved that the subscriptions of these members be permitted to remain in abeyance until such time as the members concerned are in a position to pay them. ,

2. Public Works Department re Competition. A* letter was lead from the Under Secretary Public Works Department declining the Institute request to hold a competition for the new Dunedin Post Office. On the motion of Mr. Hurst Seager, seconded by Mr. Crichton it was resolved, “That this Council expresses its regret that “the Government has not seen its way to ' ‘ carry out an agreement made some time ago “that all public buildings likely to cost “tition amongst Registered Architects.” It was further decided on the motion of Mr. Crichton that this resolution should be embodied in a letter to the Prime Minister, 3. N.Z. Shipping Co., re Competition. A letter was received from the N.Z. Shipping Company, Wellington, declining a competition under the Institute’s Regulations for its new building, and thanking the President for his services. The President explained how he had left the matter, and that he had every reason to believe that a successful competition would have resulted. As it appeared that some misunderstanding has subsequently occurred to cause the Shipping Company to retire from the position it had apparently taken up, Mr. Crichton moved, Mr. Hurst Seager seconded and it was resolved, “That the matter of this letter be referred to “the Committee of Practice and Discipline “for enquiry and report.” 4. Wellington Fire Underwriters’ Association. A letter was read from the Wellington Fire Underwriters’ Association enclosing a report upon causes of fires, and in this report it was made to appear that fire was caused by woodwork coming in contact with the circulating pipes of a hot water system. Members ridiculed this idea and held that where fires had occurred from defects in the circulatory system it was, in their opinion, almost invariably caused by defective brickwork permitting sparks from the furnace to come in contact with the felt packing with which pipes were sometimes surrounded; and that the remedy lay in better brickwork and in packing pipes with some asbestos material instead of the usual inflammable material. The letter was referred to the Executive Committee to frame and forward a suitable reply. 5. Applications. A group of three letters was read from practitioners seeking entry to this Institute and the Secretary read the reply he had sent in each case; which was briefly to the effect that no practitioner could now obtain admission to the Institute as the time limit for such applications had expired in November 1914, but that if he entered by examination prior to December 1917 he could proceed direct to the final examination without taking either the preliminary or intermediate. On a discussion taking place as to the position it was decided to exercise the powers conferred by Regulation No. 154, and set up a special examination to be held in 1917 only, to meet such cases as these now before the Council. It was therefore resolved on the motion of Mr. Hurst Seager, seconded by Mr. Lawrence, “ That it be an instruction to the incoming “Committee of Architectural Education to

“at once frame a suitable syllabus for such “special examination or examinations to be “held as may be required during the year “1917.” The action of the Secretary in replying to the above letters was confirmed. 6. Registered Architects. A letter was read from the Deputy Chief Health Officer re the use of the term “Registered Architects” by an Architectural firm, one of whose members was not registered. The Secretary explained that he had written to the firm in question pointing out the irregularity and stating that if the non-registered member was to be admitted as a member of the firm, application for permission would have to be made to the Council. Our regulations permit partnerships between members of allied professions but such members must not be included in the term “Registered Architect.” The senior partner of the firm in question wrote an explanatory letter and expressed regret for the misdescription which he claimed was unintentional. On the motion of the President it was resolved, — “That the action of the Secretary be approved, and the explanation of the member “in question be accepted as satisfactory.” 8. Regulations for Architectural Competitions. The Canterbury District Branch wrote suggesting an amendment to Clause 7 of the Institute’s Regulations for Architectural Competitions. The suggested amendment was ordered to be filed for future reference when considering amendments to the Regulations. 9. Mr. Charlesworth. .Mr. Lawrence drew attention to the fact that Mr. Charlesworth, a Wellington Councillor, was absent through serious illness, and it was therefore resolved on his motion, seconded by Mr; Chat-field,-“That this Council much regrets to learn of “Mr. Charlesworth’s indisposition and hopes “that he will speedily be restored to complete “health.” 10. Complaints. Complaints as to breaches of the regulations were received from different members, and these complaints were referred to the Committee of Practice and Discipline for enquiry and report. It was resolved that it bo a general direction to the Secretary to refer all complaints direct to the Committee concerned, without Availing for direction of Council, so that the Committee may prepare the case for report to the CouncilRe Pupil. Mr. Wales asked for a ruling of the Council on the following matter;—A pupil who is in the service of a member in Dunedin, and has approximately 18 months more of his service to run. Can he be admitted a member of the Institute being of the age of 23 and having served three years and over as an apprentice? The Council ruled that Section 8, Sub-section F, of the Act governed this case, whereby any person over the age of 21 years who had served three years’ apprenticeship and who satisfied the Council of due diligence during that time had an absolute right to be admitted; and it would appear that provided the pupil’s application was in order it -could be dealt with at the next meeting of the Council.

NEW MEMBERS; The following new members were then admitted, their papers being in order; — Mr. A. B. Miller, recommended by Mr. Chilwell and others. Mr. K. T. Cowan, recommended by Mr. Midlions and others. Mr. C. A. James, recommended by Mr. Lawrence and others. Mr. Gordon Reed, recommended by Mr. Waldon and others. As all these new members arc already serving with various reinforcements or are now in camp their subscriptions will remain in abeyance until they return to civil life. They were all admitted under Section 8 (1) (h) of the Act. The Council here adjourned for lunch until 2.30 p.m. GENERAL; 1. Members on Active Service. On the motion of Mr. C. A. Lawrence it was decided, where possible, to send the Season’s Greetings from the Council to every member on Active Service, 2. Re Code of Ethics, Section 5. Mr. Crichton drew the attention of the Council to what appeared to be a breach of the Code of Ethics on the part of a Wellington linn. On the motion of Mr. Hurst Seagcr, Mr Crichton was asked to lay the details of the case before the Committee of Practice and Discipline. 3. Re Journal. Mr. Roberts raised a question as to an improvement in the method of showing Plans in “Progress.” It was finally decided that it be a recommendation to the Editor to endeavour to arrange for larger scale plans to be shown where possible. 4. Re Moieties. Mr. Roberts raised the question of the payment of the moieties of subscription to the Branches. The present rule is that no moieties are payable until all subscriptions due have been paid. As this rule is found to be inoperative a practice has arisen of paying over the moieties at the last possible moment after it is found that no further subscriptions can be collected within the financial period. It was therefore resolved that the question of paying the moieties quarterly or half-yearly, as may be most convenient, be referred to the Finance Committee for consideration and action. 5. Fees. A firm in Auckland asked the guidance of the Council on a question of charges for supervision of extensive and continuous work for regular clients, for inspecting and passing plans, making visits of supervision, more especially in the case of buildings to the design of other Registered Architects. Mr. Crichton moved, Mr. Hurst Seager seconded, and it was resolved, — That it be suggested to this firm, in reply to “their letter of the 10th November, that the “expenditure in the estate quoted by them be “treated as one sum ‘and that charges for “valuations, inspections, etc., be made by “special arrangement as laid down in the last “sentence of Clause 22 of Appendix “K.” 6. Subscriptions in Arrears. The list of arrears of subscriptions submitted by the Secretary was then gone into in detail. In certain cases the subscriptions were ordered to be held over; in others to be written off, and others to be sued for payment.

ELECTION OF COUNCIL: The Secretary reported that as onlya sufficient number of nominations had been received to fill the vacancies there would be no necessity for any election. The President therefore proceeded to declare the New Council to be as follows: Under Section 13. 1 (b). All the Past Presidents of the Institute. Under Section 13. 1 (c). The following as Vice-Presidents:Messrs Allsop (Auckland), Lawrence (Wellington), Clarkson (Canterbury), Gough (Otago), and Brodrick (Southland). Under Section 13. 1 (d). Messrs Gumming, Hunter and Warren (Auckland), Messrs Crichton, Dawson and Fielding (Wellington), Messrs Hurst Seager, Hart and Collins (Canterbury), Messrs Walden and Mandeno (Otago), Mr. C. H. Roberts (Southland), together with the Honorary Secretary and the Honorary Treasurer to be elected bv the new Council. PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS: The President then addressed the Council as follows, — Gentlemen, — Before T vacate the Presidential Chair to which you did me the honour to elect me in December last, 1 wish to briefly address you. During the year the work of the Council has been more important than extensive, the principal matters engaging attention being the conduct of Competitions and alleged breaches of our Code of Ethics. The failure to secure satisfactory conditions of competition for the New State Fire Insurance Buildings is to be regretted as also is the refusal of the Minister for Public Works to submit the Designs for the new Dunedin Post Office to competition amongst registered architects. These failures should not, however, discourage us in our efforts to secure the object aimed at, i.e., that the Government shall submit to competition among registered architects the designs for all public buildings estimated to cost £.10,000 and upwards. We should miss no opportunity to urge this matter so that we may attain ultimate success. Though the recent conference re a competition for the N.Z. Shipping Company’s new premises has not resulted as we would wish, the fact of the Institute being consulted is a step forward. The loyal adherence both of assessor and competitor to the ruling of the Council in the matter of the Cathedral Square Competition is a matter of congratulation as is also the Health Department’s communication re Registered Architects. As my immediate predecessor very forcibly pointed out in his address last year the need of members abiding loyally by the Rules, Regulations, and Code of Ethics cafinot be over emphasised, not only for the immediate benefit of those now engaged in practice but to set a standard for those who will follow. The members must realise that there is now a “Court of Appeal” against infringements of our Code of Ethics. The finding of the Committee in the case of “West v. Jorgenson” and the investigations in re the Hood” case supplies an assurance to members that the Council will give a full hearing and impartial judgment on matters submitted to it. It is hoped, however, that members themselves will

see that there is no cause for complaints to be made. From a perusal of the reports of the various Branches it is evident that with a slight exception the year’s work has been more of a routine or business character rather than the advancement of professional matters. While it must be acknowledged that the first is essential to the proper conduct of affairs I would take this opportunity of recommending that the Branch Committees should deal with routine matters and thus leave more time at the disposal of General Meetings for the reading of professional papers and the discussions thereon.

Thanks to the efforts of its founders the Institute may now be considered as being out of its swadling clothes. The year has of necessity been an expensive one and it is confidently hoped that as many of those expenses will be non-recurring more funds will be available for developing the usefulness and influence of the Institute, advancing the status of members, and the raising of our profession to the highest possible plane. This of course, depends on each individual member, therefore let each realise his own responsibility and as a natural result the Institute will progress towards the attainment of those high ideals laid down in our constitution.

The lamentable war in which the Empire is now engaged has had the effect of curtailing building operations to a very large extent and our members have suffered accordingly, but as we are so far removed from the scene of active operations we have fortunately not been affected to such an extent as our brethren in the Home Land where the war has reduced to serious straits over 1,400 architects. As many of these were unfit for Active Service, and the position was becoming serious, The Royal Institute took the matter up with the Government with a result that over 400 have been engaged on Civic Surveys and other work, while over 1,000 are being employed in munition, or other useful work. Happily no such need has arisen here, not even the necessity for the Government availing themselves of the honorary services tendered by the members at the beginning of the war.

Over 15 per cent, of Fellows and Associates of the R.1.8.A. are at the Front whilst here, amongst what might fairly be termed a more vigorous people, barely 11 per cent, of our Fellows and Associates have volunteered. It would seem to be a question if all our eligible members are doing their duty, have they any justification for holding back? Should not our profession be more largely represented? I leave these questions for each individual member to answer.

I cannot conclude without expressing my sincere thanks to the members of Council all of whom have so willingly assisted me in the conduct of the business, and also to our indefatiguable Secretary Mr. Beauchamp-Platts. They have all assisted in making my terra of office a pleasant one the memory of which I shall long cherish. I sincerely hope that my successor will relinquish office with similar feelings and, in addition, that it may fall to his lot to announce the close of the Avar and the restoration of peace upon earth and good-will to all men.

On the motion of Mr. Chatfield the President was accorded a hearty vote of thanks and congratulations upon his address. The meeting then terminated.