CANTERBURY'S CENTENNIAL MEMORIAL

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22517, 27 September 1938, Page 15

CANTERBURY'S CENTENNIAL MEMORIAL

tO TMI BBITOm OF TKB PEEM. Sir—ls the museum project for the Canterbury Centennial Memorial to be j dropped just because a few of me ! smaller places in the provinre will give 1 1 S n °wiSld 0r iuttest that for such a worthy scheme, a city paper like .The Press" could give a splendid lead by 1 opening a public subscription list for there are enough big-hearted, far-see-ing citizens in Canterbury to help swell the funds by private subscriptions These added to contributions from local bodies and a Government subsidy, would surely give the required sum. It is a very painful thought that the South Island is "slipping"—we are losing our population, and so our Parliamentary seats. With this northern drift is going much of our cultural am--1 Auckland's Provincial Museum gives the returning NeW Zealander a thrill of pride, as the liner steams up tho harbour. For this imposing structure £200.000 was raised by the citizens. Why. one football match provided the sum of £IOOO towards that sum! Wellington has. erected another imposinir museum for which the citizens provided £IOO.OOO. These cultural centres must be a source of pride to both cities and are a fitting gift to posterity Christchurch seems to be the exception. No effort has been made since the sixties and seventies. Yet we have the best site of all four centres—at the entrance to the Botanic Gardens, within five minutes of Cathedral square, opposite the University, and

School of Art, near the Art Gallery, Library, and Training College.

Is it public knowledge that hun|dreds of our school children visit thr old museum daily? But - the splendir' educational work of the Carnegie Cor poration is hampered here because of unsuitable lighting, lack of space, lack of lecture hall, lack of heating (there is none at all, and in the severe winter children shivered when being instructed), and other modern appliances. Our museum rebuilt would remedy all the above faults and would be a gift these young enthusiasts, who are flocking there daily from all the schools would appreciate for years to come. I appeal to Christchurch citizens to awake and support this worthy project and help both their city and province by showing a public-spirited interest in a worthy scheme which has not been given the publicity it deserves. —Yours etc., CANTERBURY AWAKE! September 21. 1938.