CANTERBURY SOCIETY OF ARTS.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2637, 19 September 1882, Page 3

CANTERBURY SOCIETY OF ARTS.

The second annual meeting of the above sooiety was held yesterday at 6 p.m. in the Publio Library. Present—Measrs H. J. Tancrod (in the chair), H. P. Lanoe, 3. K. Parker, J. Gibb, B. W. Mountfort, L. Harper, Dr. Haast, B. Main waring, G. Turner, T. S. Lambert, and others. Captain Temple read the report of the past year and also the balance sheet, by whioh it appeared the sooiety had a balance in hand of £36. Mr H. P, Lanoe moved, and it was unanimously agreed—" That the report and balance sheet be adopted." The election of officers resulted as follows : —President, Mr G. Gould ; vioe-president, Mr H. P. Lanoe; secretory, Mr Blair; treasurer, Mr B. W. Mountfort; council, Messrs Tanored, Wynn Williams, Dr. Haast, Cousins, J. Gibbe, Professors Cook and Hutton, Parker, Lambert, Beetham, Scott, and Atoherley, It was agreed—" That the next exhibition be held about the middle of February next, and that its looality be fixed by the oounoil." It was also resolved— *' That the report and a list of the members of the sooiety be printed and a copy sent to each of the members." Mr Mainwaring moved, and Mr Lambert seconded—" That it be an instruction to the Oounoil that the rams available for buying works for the sooiety be, as far as possible, expended in the purchase of works, either foreign or New Zealand, illustrative of the various methods of treatment." Mr Mainwaring, in speaking to the motion, said that hitherto the prinoipie had obtained that the works of New Zealand artists alone were bought. He held that the main objeot of the sooiety in purchasing piotures should be to obtain a collection whioh was more or less educational in charaoter. If they were a literary society they would not confine them* selves to the buying of books written by men in New Zealand. They would obtain those whioh would best illustrate the various subjects to be studied. Mr Parker thought the matter should be deferred. It was a m tter that required considerable thought. Dr. Yon Haast thought that if it got abroad that the Oounoil were not prepared to purchase works by New Zealand artists they would find that artists would not exhibit as freely as they might do. Mr Mainwaring held that this would not bo the case. Artists relied on the patronage of the publio. Besides the motion did not prevent the Council from buying New Zealand works. If a picture illustrated an instructive method of treating a New Zealand subject it was quite open for the Council to purohase it. It was the general prinoipie he was advocating. The motion was then passed, and the meet* ing terminated.