LOST ART GALLERY

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1791, 2 July 1913, Page 6

LOST ART GALLERY

•£IO,OOO WORTH OP PICTURES. Has anyoiuo scon a missing art gallery— tho one iiat was to bo created for the nation by Sir Joseph Ward; which was next to Ijo attended to by tho Hon. Thomas Mackenzie, who, after a political checkmate, left it behind as a legacy to tho present Prime Minister? Tliis is what local patrons of tho fino arts are asking. At this time last year there mi a great deal being said about tho National Art Gallery, and as a. direct result bl the enthusiasm encouraged by tho anticipation of a well-equipped storehouse of art treasures, the publio of . Wellington rose to the occasion and spent much munoy with a vendor of pictures who was in Wellington to see about the furnish- - ing of this Art Gallery. Probably wo have now pictures worth approximately .£IO,OOO in "cold store." At all events they are, packed away in the Academy's littlo building in Whitmoro Street until there is a proper place for them, It was his Worship the Mayor (Mr. J. P.' Luke) who revived tho matter of tho muchpromised Art Gallery, by stating that ho had had a, consultation on tho subject yesterday with tho president of tho Academy (Mr. H. M. Goro). "1 wanted to find out what was being donev' said his Worship, "in order to ascertain if wo could advance tho matter froin a civic point of view. Mr. Gore had nothing to report—everything had been left in abeyance, pending the Government's building scheme, which was to contain provision for an Art Gallery in the new Museum, but apparently had been shelved for the present. Wo are both to interview tho Minister (the Hon. H. D. Bell) at an early dato to see if something cannot bo done. The pictures tire now stored in tho Academy. They are watched by, a custodian, in the daytime, and by one of the Government nightwatohmen (whose duties are regulated by a tell-talo clock) during fiw night."