ART SOCIETY FUNCTION

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 353, 14 May 1928, Page 13

ART SOCIETY FUNCTION

MR. PAGE ROWE LEAVES FOR ENGLAND , Members of the council of the Auckland Society of Arts, and other friends, assembled this morning at the invitation of the president, Mr. A. S. Boyd, and Mrs. Stewart Boyd, to farewell Mr. W. Page Rowe and Mrs. Rowe, on the eve of their departure for England. Mr. Rowe, who has just resigned from the council of the society, has completed a monumental work on Maori art for the Board of Ethnological Research, a work which Mr. Alexander Geddes, an ex-president of the society, characterised to-day as likely to give him access “to any society of men of worth in any part of the world.” He was the originator of the Sketch Club in conjunction with the Arts Society, which he launched successfully. Mr. Rowe was also appointed by the Government a member of the Maori Arts Board, a position which he still retains. The president paid tribute to Mr. Rowe’s “industry and energy” during his seven years’ residence in Auckland, and emphasised his stimulating influenoe in all matters artistic. On behalf of his colleagues and wellwishers, Mr. Boyd presented Mr. Rowe ivith a purse of sovereigns, “designed by our good friend, Sir Bertram McKennal.” (Applause.) Replying, Mr. Rowe said: “If I have been able to help along the cause of art in this city—and Ido not flatter myself that I have been able to do much —it has only been possible because of the friendly co-operation and help of members of the council. It could not have been accomplished otherwise.” Others present included Mr. and Mrs. R. Proctor, Mr. C. Trevithick, Mr. A. Geddes, Mr. W. H. Gummer, Mr. R. O. Gross, Mr. R. A. Abbott, Mr. W. J. A. Thomson, secretary Society of Arts, Mr. E. S. Kohn, Mr. C. R. Ford, Mr. A. J. Brown, Mr. F. Watson and Mr. H. E. Vaile.