WAR PICTURES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 231, 18 June 1918, Page 4

WAR PICTURES

e CHANCE FOR NEW ZEALAND , ARTISTS. Some time ago an offor was received by the Government from an English artist, Mr. H. C. S. AA'right, to make battle pictures for New Zealand. The offer was considered, and tho decision of the Government at the tiiuo was that if this work was to bo dono at all it should ba • done by New Zealand artists, of whom there wore several in the forces, and some already returned to New Zealand. I The Minister of Internal Affairs (tho I Hon. G. AV. Russell) said yesterday that lie had been informed by the Director of the Dominion Museum that the Canadian Government had appointed thirty artists from their own country to paint war pictures. Dr. Thomson reported that Mr. Nugent Welsh, a New Zealand ' artist, who left with the Fourteenth Reinforcements, had been given special work at tho front to make -use for military purposes of his talents as a sketcber. Ho had developed into a good ride shot, and had been detailed as a sniper, but in his spare time ho used to decorate the walls of his dug-out with war pictures. These were noticed on one occasion by a staff officer of high rank, and tho soidier-ar-tist was conimandeored bv him and taken back to the base for theso other more important duties. Mr. Russell said that when the tims enmo for the painting of pictures for our collection, the Government would employ those of our own men who were competent to do the work.