A MEMORABLE DAY

Evening Post, Issue 28, 1 August 1936, Page 10

A MEMORABLE DAY

PRIME MINISTER'S SPEECH

"I want1 to express my pleasure at being with you today on this memorable occasion," said the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage. " "And it is a memorable occasion not only lor Wellington but for New Zealand as a whole. This great- building provides the opportunity for the display in a graphic fashion of something of the history of the human race, past and present, and something of what we may expect in the future. "I am afraid that during bygone days museums have not had the assistance and appreciation they were entitled to expect. Some people thought they belonged to the moneyed classes. When it came' to art and science generally, I am afraid there has been a lack of appreciation, but for those wonderful men and women who have blazed the trail to where we are today we owe a deep debt of gratitude. "This great institution will provide a wonderful opportunity, not only for citizens of Wellington, but for visitors from all parts of the country and from abroad to develop a keener appreciation of history and everything that means to the people of the earth. After all, when we are looking upon the history of the human race and the history of the universe, we are face to face to a great extent with causes, and it is because of that that it is our bounden duty to appreciate causes, and to assist in the efforts of those who are responsible for giving us this opportunity today. THOSE WHO TACKLED THE JOB. "I want to pay a tribute," continued Mr. Savage, "to Mr. George Troup and others who have been associated with him in this great work. (Applause.) It :is only those who have tackled a job like this who can realise what it means. This vast building and everything that is attached tq it are the results of people who worked with him and we ase indebted to you people, too, for your wonderful response to their efforts, but it is to those who took the helm and who laid the foundation that we are most deeply indebted." Mr. Savage expressed the highest appreciation of the action of the Tate and National Galleries in London in making available to New Zealand the loan collection. "It is the spirit of co-operation such as this that is going to make a success not only of this institution but in art and progress generally the world over. This will give you some idea of the spirit that is abroad in the British Commonwealth —co-ordination, cooperation with each other, not only doing justice to political and economic questions but in putting our shoulders to the wheel in the interest of science and art. Some of us are looking for