MINISTRY OF FINE ARTS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 204, 14 September 1937, Page 7

MINISTRY OF FINE ARTS

Establishment In Dominion Advocated DEVELOPMENT OF CULTURE That a Ministry of Pine Arts should be established in New Zealand to improve the culture of the country and ensure iinancial assistance to the museums of the four centres in the matter of purchases was suggested by Captain G. A. Humphreys-Davies, at a luncheon meeting of the Auckland Society of Arts. He added that such a Ministry might also organise more frequent loan exhibitions, and arrange for authoritative lecturers from abroad to pay long visits to the Dominion. ' ' The suggestions I make would iremedy many of the faults I have discovered in my long association with New Zealand museums as well as art galleries,' ' said Captain HumphrcvsDavios. "People would be made more museum-minded, and through a succession of loan exhibitions and the visits of qualilied lecturers a better appreeiation of art, drama and architecturo would be created. The present drawbaeks would disappear, and in the course of a generation we woyld have men in New Zealand qualilied to give their country just what is required." More Interest.Desirable Captain Humphreys-Davies said it was not too much to hope in days when "millions are dealt in for us" that a sum of perhaps £10,000 could be set aside each year for the assistance of general museums. Successful merchants and business men might be interestcd more in art, and could certainly help, as was done in Dunedin, which was the only centre whose museum knew where its next £100 was coming from. Discussing the merita of New Zealand museums, Captain HumphreysDavies said Auckland had one of the world ;s finest museums. Like the National Museum in Wellington, however, it had fallen between two stools, owing to the confusion aroused at the time of building as to whether it should bs a memorial or a museum. A compromise was made, and the building was placed in a very undesirable position. Wellington 's TJhhappy Site "In Wellington's case a very ffnc building is situated in most appalling slums at the top of an extremely steep hill, with no tram service within 300 yards or 400 yards," continued Captain Humphreys-Davies. "The Tesult I- ' have found is that attendances at the Auckland and Wellington museums fall i'ar short of what they should be, particulailv on wet days when they should be filled." Of Auekla,nd's collection, Captain Humphreys-Davies said there was an admirable display of ethnological interest, which compared more than favourably with a similar one in the British Museum. Auckland was for- ! tunate in having an officer of absolute genius for pattern and display. Being a general museum it had iuherited many tliings, few of which were really bad. "There is a heterogeneous collection pf articles in one section of the Wellington museum, and it eonstitutes tho worst, exhibit of any museum in the world," said. Captain HumphreysDavies. "The objects come into the realm of curios, and their exhibition forcibly shows that no museum should accept collections on condition that they are displayed en masse. i Christchurch "Jumble Heap" " Christchurch 's museum is a jumble heap. There are four times as many exhibits as there is space, and it would Tequire a superhuman effort to instal order in the building, which dates backi to the 'sixties. It is really a terribloi building. " Dunedin was fortunate in having' benefactors such as Mr Willi Eels, who,, with the assistance pf other prominent| eitizens, raised £30,000 for the provis-j ion of a new wing some years ago.i Moreover, a fund of £10,000 had beejij granted to this musoum, which was nO| longer worried in the matter of pur-! chases. "We are fortunate in New Zealandi in obtaining assistance — more largelyl than most persons are aware of — frowl the Carnegie Fund," Captain Humph-j xeys-Davies concluded. ' 1 Govemment. assistance is also desirable, however,, and I trust what I have said "will not be regarded as off ensive, but will rather produce results to the satisfaction of all natural history and art lovers."- i'