THE MUSEUM.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1542, 11 September 1912, Page 7

THE MUSEUM.

NO MONEYS TO SPARE NOW, TROPHIES TO BE STORED. NEEDS OF THE BACK-BLOCKS. Tho proposed establishment of a I national museum and a national art gallery in AVollington formed.the subject nf id lengthy debute in (he Ifouso of Representatives yesterday afternoon. Tho dobate arose upon tho pri'seuiation of u report of the Museum and Scientific Beparlments Committee by its chairman, ilr ;. t>. M. Thomson (Dunedin North). iho following recommendations were unanimously made by tho committee-.— (1) That a scientific board of ndvico bo set up to which (he publication of all scientific and historical work undertaken by Government Departments should be re)erred. (2) That tho hoard consist of the Minister for Internal Affairs cx-officio, tlireo members to bo nominated by the Governor and three members to be elected annually by the Hoard of Governors of tho Now Zealand Institute. (3) That the, scientific and historical publications include the transactions and proceedings of (he New Zealand Institute, the bulletins of the Geological Survev, tlio annual reports of all tho scientific branches of tho Government Departments, and such scientific and historical works as tho Government may, on the recommendation of the board, from time to time order to bo printed. (I) That these publications bo brought out in certain uniform .sizes to be agreed upon by the board. (5) That tho Dominion Museum contimio under the Minister for Internal Affairs. ((!) That tho proposed national gallery of art bo a department of tho museum. (7) That there be established in connection with the museum a national library of scientific works within which should bo gathered all scientific literature available now belonging to Government Departments, and also, if possible, that of tho Now Zealand Institute. (8) Thnt a board of advice and control bo established for the combined institution of which the Minister for Internal Affairs should ho (he president, and upon which nine other members should be appointed, including the Mayor of Wellington, tho president of tho New Zealand Institute, and such other persons as may be nominated by tho Governor. All resolutions of the board to be subject to the veto of the Minister, who shall l>e responsible to Parliament for the ndministra-' tion. (9) That the Government bo requested to promote legislation, (if necessary) to give eft'oct to the abovo recommendations. (10) That the committeo regards the erection of a new museum as a matter of great urgency. i Subsidies for Other Places. 1 Mr. A. S. Malcolm asked whether it was the intention of the Government to subsidise a national art gallery in Wellington to tho exclusion of art galleries in other centres. For his part, ho thought Wellington should not have this special advantage. Sir Joseph Ward said thcro was a very important principle involved, and the Government ought to take time to consider the proposals beforo giving effect to them. Tho scheme for handing over the control .of tho museum to an outside body was no now idea. It had been beforo him on a previous occasion, and he had hesitated to go on', with any schemo of the kind, lie hoped nothing could bo dono (his session at any rate. He was pretty confident that what it was proposed to do for Wellington would have to be done for similar institutions in tho other centres. Ho was in agreement with tho member for Clutha on this point, but he admitted that it was well enough to make provision in the new museum building for an art gallery. , ■ Mr. T. K. Sidey said the report was of two parts. One was for the setting up of a board of control to supervise tho printing of scientific publications, and tho other was concerning the setting up of a board of control for the museum. About the first the committeo had been unanimous. On the second point, there had been some difference of opinion, but the committee had been unanimous on the report brought down. There appeared to have been a good -deal of apathy in connection with the control of tho museum in the past. The Minister seemed to have bothered very little about it, and that was evidenced by tho fact that there never had been nn annual report submitted to Parliament. Ho pointed out that tho interests of the Government would bo adequately . conserved by making provision for the exeTcise of veto powers by the Minister for Internal Affairs. He v.rgcd that provision should as soon os po'-siblo be made for a new building for the'museum. Tho Government'should make up its mind where it was going to put the now building; plans should be prepared, and so much of tho new building should bo at once erected as would enable the valuable exhibits that could not be replied to be put into ?afe storage. Mr. J. Craigio (Timaru) said ho was in accord with the member for Clutha in his objection to subsidising an art gallery in Wellington. If that were done, it would be necessary to subsidise art galleries not only in the large centres, but in towns like Timaru, and especially in Timaru. Mr. A. S. Malcolm asked whether movision had been made for a New Zealand library in the museum, meaning by a New Zealand library a collection of books written by New Zealanders, and books published about New Zealand.

Temporary Shelter •to Bo Built. Tlio Won. W. V. Massey «aid'; that it was already provided by legislation that copies of books published in New Zealand should be presented to tlio Parliamentary Library. The suggestion regarding tlio books 'published in England, could only come us a request from the Government, and so far as it was nossiblo to comply with the. request the Government would do so. The first recommendation of the committee ho could see no possible objection to, but the second part, of it, relating to the museum, w-as a, more serious matter. It could not. be given effect to this session. It would bo impossible for the Government, nut of the moneys they held in trust for the State, to spare any for (ho erection of a new museum, ns they were required urgently for other purposes. Ho hoped tlio position might be easier when the House met again. jrr. G. Laurenson urged that the fine examples of SJnovi art in the, museum should be taken out of tlio wooden buihlimr and lodged somewhere safe from fire. The Hon. \V. V. Sfasscy said flint the intention had been to lodge the trophies in tlio Stount Cook stores, but flu's had been found impracticable. What tlio Government proposed to do now was to erect, n small fire-proof building of iron in Sydney Street, which would bo sufficiently large to accommodate the more valuable exhibits.

National Museum and Art Gallery. Mr. G. W. Russell (Avon) said that tho report was a valuable one. Ho also commended tho suggestion of tho member/or Dunedin North that reports on scientific subjects should bo published and made accessible. This should apply not onlv to future reports, but to those which in the past had- been buried in the appendices of the House. In this country (here must bo a National Museum and National Art Gallery situated in the capital. Ho had heard with great regret that the Government did not intend to tackle the building of the Dominion Museum. The crv nbout the back-blocks would bo just as' loud ten or twenty years henco as now. An expenditure of about ten millions would be required to satisfy (ho needs of the back-blocks. 1 Mr. Wilson: No! Mr. Peorce: Tho cry would not be heard now if they had had n fair deal. Mr. Russell said that the clamour from the back-blocks would be just as insistent twenfv vears hence es now. Mr.'Wilson: A eood cry too! Mr. Russell said that ho would be very nleased indeed if the Rouse' affirmed that the erection of the Dominion Museum should be regarded ns a matter of ur?encv» <• Mr. ' A. H. Hindmarsh (Wellington South) ridiculed the proposal that British authors should be requested to furnish the Dominion with copies of books dealing with New Zealand. If the principle were extended nn nufltor whoso book dealt with all parts of the Empire, as some scientific books did, would have to publish a special edition of presentation copies. _ I Messrs. A. M. Myers and H. G. Ell commanded (lie report. The Hon. R. M'Kenr.ie (Motuokn) said .that any amount of money \va« available;

in the Public Works Fund. (Government smiles.) It was n penjiv-wiso-nnd-pound-foolish policy to delay tho erection of' 8 National Mutioum. Curios or Souls? Mr. E, V. Poarco (Patea) snid that it wus about lime that expenditure on buildings in tho towns should stop, and 1 hat money should,bo spent on tho back-block roads. 'J'ho member for Avon had said that tho cry from tho Kick-blocks would be as loud ten years henco as it was now. It would bo if tho past policy was continned of spending only one quarter of tlu money voted for roads in tho back-blocks but ho hoped that tho Ministry in powei now would sec that justico was done to the back-blocks. '.."'": '.^ Sir. C. K. Wilson (Tnumarunui) said' Hint ho was not opposed to a museum, but would suggest that these curios might 1m buried for a (imo instead of burying (h« souls of back-blocks settlers. Jt'was noi right of tho member for Avon (o say thai an expenditure of ten millions was required by tho back-blocks. Only a moderate expenditure was required. Mr. J. A; Young (Waikato) said that in recent years too much had Wen spent in creeling buildings in the cities «t tho ox]>onso of tho great agricultural industry, ilo protested against lavish expenditure in tho cities save of a character that would add to (ho productiveness of the country, Tho museum exhibits should 1* slowed meanlimo in tempoiurj accommodation. Mr. G. M, Thomson (Duncdin) deprecated tho introduction of tho crv of town versus country. This was a national question which should bo separated from parochial considerations, fie called tho attention of the Minister for Finance to tho fact that Mr,' Wilson had said that only a very smnll expenditure was roqliir.-' ed in (he Kick-blocks. As (o Mr. Wilson's remark about human souls, Mr. Thomson expressed a hope that human souls were far abovo the need of grants from this House. Emphasising the need for safo storage, Mr. Thompson said that,many of the relics in Wellington could never bo replaced if they were destroyed. If thev came to nnv harm, future generation's would soy that tho people of this generation had failed in their IniM. There was uo present suggestion to subsidise s national art gallery. ITc hoped that tb.il question also would be dealt; with in e national spirit. Large numbers of valuable scientific hooks were available if t central place could be found in which the' would bo accessible to the public. The report of tho committee was refer red to (he Government for favourable con sideration.