A GIFT OF £4000 REFUSED

Hokitika Guardian, 19 July 1926, Page 1

A GIFT OF £4OOO REFUSED

EXHIBITION ART GALLERY. DUNEDIN, July 15. Tho Dunedin City Council, at its meeting to-night, decided hy six votes to five votes to reject the recommendation of a special committee that the council should accept the offer of Miami Mrs P. R. Sargood to purchase th c Exhibition art gallery, situated on Logan Park, and present it to the city. The gift 1 was of £4OOO. The City-Council already possesses an ai't 'gnllerv.yin the centre of the city, lmfc it is claimed that it is not a suitable building, and that it is sadly in need of repairs. The objectors to the acceptance of the gift maintained that the art gallery qlic Xogan Park ;'was too far away fro mV! he .’city.. aniVal.so that tho park wt.is primarily reclaimed for recreation and sports purposes, and for these alone. The Exhibition art gallery cost £12,000, and Councillor Wilkon stated last night that if no use could be made of it parts of it would have to be blown up if it had to he demolished. The town clerk, in a- minute, stated t!<at the council would have to pay the Exhibition directors £3500 for the building, and that other alcrations and repairs would cost £4500, or £BOOO in all. He pointed out, however, that £4OOO could he obtained for the old city art gallery and site, and that with the Sargoods’ gift of £4OOO the outgo and money Available* would balance. Tho City Council, however, has taken the rather unusual course of rejecting an offer of a gift of £4OOO, and it now remains to lie seen what will he the fate of the Exhibition art gallery.