Mr. Bankart Leaves the Public to Judge

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 706, 4 July 1929, Page 11

Mr. Bankart Leaves the Public to Judge

MUSEUM DISPUTE COMMENTS BY MR. VAiLE Claiming that the responsibility for the “extras” at the Auckland War Memorial Museum could be judged by the public if all correspondence on the question is published, Mr. A. S. Bankart, chairman of the Citizens’ War Memorial Committee, has forwarded to THE SUN as his prombised and considered reply to Mr. H. E. Vaile, president of the Auckland Institute and Museum, the following letter: “My attention lias been drawn to the issue of your paper dated July 2. wherein reference Is made to matters connected with the War Memorial Museum. As extracts from letters written by me have been printed by you. I suggest, in fairness to me, that the whole correspondence which Mr. Vaile is stated to have handed to you, including the architect's letter of May 2.2 last should be quoted in full, when the position may be left to the judgment of the public.”

With the exception of the text of one or two formal letters of inquiryand acknowledgment, practically the whole of the detailed correspondence between Mr. Vaile and Mr. Bankart was published in The Sun. Being much too lengthy for publication in full, -Mr. Bankart’s letters were summarised Impartially, no relative or important statement of his being omitted The architect’s letter, publication of which has been requested by Mr Bankart, refers in detail to general variations of the original plans, made as a result of instructions and representations by Mr. Archey; these, including the lowering of the Maori court, floor and extension of the rear of the building, alterations of the special exhibit cases, floors, the herbarium, the ethnology hall, the ethnology windows, the marble skirtings, bases to cases, the fire fighting appliances, temporary storage of exhibits and the water main. Dealing with the library, including the biograph room, stage and retiring rooms, the architect states: "Before the contract was let the position planned for the library was criticised, along with other matters, in a report furnished by Mr. Archey. to the chairman of your committee. Your chairman handed us a copy of this report, but it was decided that the matters contained therein be held in abeyance until the contract was under way.

"Subsequently the deletion of the roll of honour by the committee left the Hall of Memories without a clearly defined memorial purpose.

"The Museum authorities later suggested locating the library in this hall and Mr. Archey called on us and indicated his requirements, which we incorporated in draft plans and submitted to him. The stage, retiring rooms, biograph room, etc., were provided in accordance with these requirements. We understood that these requirements were supplied with the full knowledge and approval of .Mr. Vaile as president of the Institute Council and a prominent member of your committee.” Discussing the alteration in the war trophies hall to suit the special exhibit cases and to improve the lighting of the small exhibit cases, the architect proceeds:— “The special exhibit cases were constructed entirely in accordance with Mr. Archey’s requirements. With regard to the small exhibit cases, we were unaware at the commencement of the work what kind of exhibits were to be displayed, and when Mr. Archey informed us that small exhibit cases were to be used it was realised that the roof lighting planned would not suitably light such cases. It therefore became necessary to install a false ceiling with laylights to overcome the difficulty.” “The arrangement of the second slair from the top floor to the roof was adversely criticised by Mr. Archey, who pointed out that a fairly large room existed adjoining the elevator machinery space, which was accessible only by ascending a staircase leading on to the roof, crossing a portion of the roof, and'descending to this space by a small ladder way. TEA ROOM SUGGESTED “At the time the questiou was raised the Museum authorities also discussed the possibility of installing a small tea room in this position, and we actually did some scheming with a view to providing such accommodation. Mr. Archey was definite that in order to make the best use of this space for storage or other purposes further access was necessary. We. therefore, provided the staircase. "Unless this had been provided concurrent with the general construction, the cost of Riving access later would have been much greater. The staircase provided is the least expensive kind of access which could have been properly provided.’’

Commenting on the attitude being adopted by Mr. Bankart and Colonel Dawson. Mr. Vaile said today:—“ “i notice Mr. Bankart says ’for the Present 1 have no reply to make, if he is wise he will never reply. As tar as ‘inaccuracies’ are concerned I am prepared to wager a reasonable 9'im for the beenfit of the earthquake felief fund that my ‘inaccuracies’ are nothing compared to his own. “Colonel Dawson knows very little about it, but if his letter to me is a sample of what may be expected from him. the less he says the better. He make a true statement, however, when he says I was the only one who went hear the building during its erection, “either he nor the chairman of the citizens’ Committee can be accused of having shown anv interest in the business.”