NATIONAL MUSEUM AND ART GALLERY

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 50, 23 November 1926, Page 3

NATIONAL MUSEUM AND ART GALLERY

The. question cf the site of the proposed national memorial museum and art gallery was dismissed at the meeting of the Technical College Board last night. The following reference to the matter was made in the directors reV "The proposal has been made that a portion of the Mount Cook site should be set aside for this purpose. I think it may be well that the attitude of the Technical College on this important niatter should be made clear. It. is true that the election of a big block rf buildings on the front of this site would take away all the best of our new, but that is of small importance when the matter is looked at from a broad standpoint. The Mount Cook site is Ihe centre of the population of Wellington, and is always likelv to remain so. If the national museum and the national art gallery arc situated on a central site it is obvious that they will be much more used than if placed elsewhere. In this position they will be adjacent to what will be three very large secondary schools, and not far from four large primary schools. Our art school, which 'erves the whole of Wellington province, will, within a few years at least, be removed to the Mount Cook site as a permanent location. and it would clearly be of very great advantage to the students who are to be trained there to - have such ready access to the treasures which the art gallery and the tnusea n will contain if a distinctive national art is to be developed in New Zealand. From an educational standpoint therefo-e, it is obvious that the Mount Cook site is the most desirable for the home of the national museum and art gallery." A motion calling the attention of the authorities concerned to the great suitability of the Mount Cook site for the proposed memorial and art , allcry was agreed to. The opinion was also expressed that the building erected many years ago as a central prison should be removed.