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ANNUAL REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1947 The report for the year ended 31st March, 1947, is presented herewith. Changes in Personnel Following his appointment to the Commission on Local Bodies, Mr. J. W. Andrews retired from the position of Mayor of the City of Lower Hutt, which automatically ended his membership of the Board of Trustees. The Board desires to record its appreciation of the valuable services rendered by Mr. Andrews during his period of office. Mr. E. P. Hay, who succeeded Mr. Andrews as Mayor of the City of Lower Hutt, became a member of the Board by virtue of that office as representative of local bodies other than the City of Wellington and the Wellington Harbour Board. Management Committees The death of Sir John Rankine Brown, formerly Chairman of the Museum Management Committee, on 25th October, 1946, is recorded with much regret. The Board records its appreciation of the very valuable services rendered by him during his long period of office as Chairman and member of that Committee. Mr. Robert N. Field (Auckland) was appointed to the National Art Gallery Management Committee on the nomination of the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts, and Dr. E. Beaglehole (Wellington) and Dr. W. R. B. Oliver (Wellington) were appointed to the Dominion Museum Management Committee on the nomination of the Royal Society of New Zealand. Director of the Dominion Museum Dr. W. R. B. Oliver retired from the position of Director of the Dominion Museum on the 31st March, 1947, after a period of service of over seventeen years. The Board records its appreciation of the valuable services rendered by him and of his continued interest in the Museum activities, evidenced by his acceptance of membership of the Museum Management Committee. Dr. R. A. Falla, M.A. (Ed.), D.Sc., Curator of the Canterbury Museum, Christchurch, has been appointed Director of the Dominion Museum in succession to Dr. Oliver. General The reports of the three Management Committees are appended hereto and indicate continued activity in their respective spheres. It is gratifying to record that a commencement has been made of the work of restoration of the Art Gallery and Museum building in Buckle Street following the end of the occupancy by sections of the Defence Forces. The Lecture Hall and the Royal Society's rooms have been restored, and work of restoration of the Art Gallery and balance of the Museum section is now in progress. There is still a good deal to be done, but it is hoped that full reoccupation of the building will take place by the end of the current financial year. The Art Gallery has continued to function in the temporary location in the D.I.C. Building and several special art exhibitions have been held there. The valuable educational work of both the Art Gallery and the Museum has been continued during the year under review. A number of pictures have been purchased for the National Art Gallery from the Board's funds, and both the Art Gallery and the Museum have received gifts and bequests of pictures and exhibits, for which the Board records its grateful appreciation and thanks.

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