A NEGLECTED MUSEUM

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2482, 8 June 1915, Page 7

A NEGLECTED MUSEUM

SOUTH WELLINGTON PROGRES- . SIVE SOCIETY'S PROTEST. "Next to a coffin nail, I should say 1 that a museum is about the deadest ] thing in a live community," said an ' American writer with his finger on the ! pulse of life, and there are quite a ' number of people ivho would agree with him. Among those on the other side 1 may be numbered the three members { of the South Wellington Progressive ( Society, who called on the Libraries and ( Museum Committee of the Wellington • City Council yesterday afternoon, to ! protest about some things, and make a J number of suggestions about others. ' It appears that since the services of the curator of the Newtown Museum wero j dispensed with, the hours during which its doors are open to the public have ' been considerably curtailed, a fact that has roused the society into action. As 1 spokesman in chief, Mr. John Crewes ' stated that the- council was not doing ' the right thing by. the museum or tho ' public by keeping such a valuable col- ' lection of x natural history exhibits be- ' hind lockoH doors, and pointed out that tho museum was appreciated by the young people, who attended tho threo ' big State schools in the district. Mr. j Crowes advocated at some length that ' tlio council, in. association with the < Government, might consider securing ( the services of a taxidermist to eompleto ! the sets of animals' represented in the { museum: to secure a lecturer to accom- s pany parties over the museum and Zoo. who "hen not lecturing could devote his time to securing other animals. Another suggestion was that men fisiting the museum in uniform might be . given afternoon tea. "If the foregoing suggestions," concluded Mr. Crewes, "be deemed impracticable. could the Government bei urged ' to provide at Mount Cook (Barracks 1 block) a wing for the accommodation ' of the Petherick Museum. We think ' that the removal of the museum would i be a great injustice to Newtown, but we would rather submit to this than i allow the valuable collection of natural < history illustrations tc bo slighted, neclected, and ruined." < Mr. Crewes, who was accompanied by < Mr. A. A. George (president), and Mr. J J. Castles (secretary), was thanked for his suggestions. The chairman said ] they would receive consideration. .