NATIVE ART

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 57, 1 December 1926, Page 10

NATIVE ART

WORK OF PRESERVATION “FRESH INTEREST INSPIRED” CONTROL BOARD APPOINTED , Legislation passed last session provided for the appointment of Maori schools of art and a board of control to foster the study and practice of Maori arts and crafts, Some interesting functions arc allotted the board, whose personnel was announced yesterday by the Minister of Internal Affairs (Hon, R. F. Bollard), under whose Department the board is to work.

The Minister stated that the Gover-nor-Geueral-in-Council had fixed the number of members of the board as eleven, and had appointed the following to be the personnel of the board: Chairman, the Minister of Internal Affairs.

Deputy-chairman, the Undcr-Secre-tarv. Department of Internal Affairs. The Hon. Sir Maui Pomare (Minister of Cook Islands; the Hon. A. T. Ngata (M.P. for the Eastern Maoris) ; Archdeacon H. W. Williams. (All three members to represent the Maori Purposes Fund Control Board). Dr. P. 11. Buck (Director of Maori Hygiene, Auckland). The Under-Secretary and Engineer-in-Chief, Public Works Department. Mr. J. McDonald .(Assistant Director, Dominion Museum, Wellington). Mr. W. Page-Rowe (au artist and member of the Anthropological Section of the Auckland branch of the New Zealand Institute). Mr. H. Hamilton (Dominion Museum) , who is to be the secretary of the board. Mr. Bollard added that the proposals in the legislation came originally from the Board of Maori Ethnological Research, a body which had done much valuable work. In furtherance, of its objects the board could establish one or more schools of Maori art or other institutions for the study and practice of the arts and crafts aS known to and practised by the Maori people, and could acquire land and buildings for that purpose. Other Duties. “The board,” proceeded the Minister, “is to manage and control any school or other institution established by it and may appoint and discharge instructors, teachers, and other officers or servants; provide equipment and material for such schools; fix fees to be paid by those attending the schools, or otherwise prescribe the terms and conditions on which instruction shall be given; and generally make rules for the conduct and management of the school or other institution. The board may also make grants to any schools or classes formed for the purpose of giving instructions in or encouraging the practice of Maori arts and crafts. It may purchase, acquire, or vend any carvings or other articles having distinctive' Maori characteristics either from or for such school of Maori art or otherwise; acquire books or publications connected with Maori arts and crafts; print or reprint any reference to Maori traditions, life or work considered worth}' of permanent record; and generally to take such other steps as may be considered necessary or expedient for. the purpose of giving effect to the provisions of the Act or of any of the regulations. Th: board is empowered to accept and undertake the custody and control of any Maori antiquities as defined by the Maori Antiquities Act, 1908, which may be the property or in the possession of the Crown or may be entrusted to its custody by any Court or person. “It is provided that for the purpose of enabling the board to carry out the objects of the Act, there shall be paid into the account of the board each year such sum as may from time to time be appropriated by Parliament for the purpose; the board may receive any sum of money paid to it by any person or body corporate for the purpose of assisting the activities of the board; the Arawa District Trust Board and the Maori Purposes Fund Control Board ar: authorised to pay into the account of the board out of their respective funds such sums as they shall think fit; and all moneys so paid into the account of the board may be expended for such purpose as the board shall from time to time direct.”

Preserving Native Arts.

In commenting on the decision of Cabinet, Mr. Bollard said that all New Zealanders with a love of the Maori race and its arts would join in appreciating the action of the Government in its efforts to try to preserve the Native arts which were admired in every country in the world. “Every overseas visitor to the Dominion—and most have delight in diving into the early history of the country,” remarked Mr. Bollard, “genuinely admired the carvings of the Maori,- which unhappily were becoming rare. But the enterprising board-set up by the Government will inspire fresh interest in the artists amongst the Maoris, and one can look forward to very keen progress being made in the future. That is the theme of the legislation.”