REASON ASKED

Hokitika Guardian, 27 April 1933, Page 2

REASON ASKED

GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSED PLAN TO BUY KAURI GUM COLLECTION AUCKLAND, April 24. Th e Auckland -Star in an editorial note expresses surprise that the Government has approved of the purchase of the Peat- collection of kauri gum and Maori ciu-ios, at the price of £3OOO, under present day circumstances. “Many of our readers nnifft have fbeien lastoundejd to road that in

a time of acute national stringency the Government has been abl t , to find £3OOO to present the Peat collection of kauri gum and Maori curios to the Dominion Museum in Wellington, ’ says the Star. “We publish a letter from Mr H. E. Yaile which throws some light on the transaction, but calls for more information. Kauri gum is a substance confined to the Auckland Province, and the collection is an Auckland one, ' ! sb ’that, it he proper placy. for it i s the Auckland War Memorial Museum. Indeed, this museum tried to secure it, but, could got no help from the Government, yet two Auckland member’s of the Government go past this institution and buy the ! collection for the Dominion Museum at a price that is apparently much higher than that for which it co-aid have been bought for Auckland.

“It is stated that there was a danger of the collection leaving the country and that Mr Peat was prepared to take less than he was offered from America, in order to keep it in New Zealand. Mr Vaile, however, mentions

£2OOO as the figure for which the coL ledtion mould have been bought for Auckland, and the Government gave £3OOO. Why was the price raised to this extent?

■‘lt is an extraordinary trans'ction, especially when the needs of the times are considered. Fo r example, the Cawthroji Institute, the most valuable scientific research institution in Xew Zealand, which is (Joins; most important work for our industries, is feci’.Uig the financial pinch ,so seriously that there jr talk of it having to close. Its closing would be an absolute scandal, made all the worse by reason of the provision by the Government of £3OOO out of art union profits for a collection largely consisting of kau-i gum.”