Library, Museum, And School Of Art.

Christchurch has good reason to be proud of its Public Library, which, in spite of many complaints, is, for its purpose, superior to anything else of the kind in New Zealand. The Wellington Parliamentary Library contains 50,000 volumes, but a large number of these are blue books of purely parliamentary interest. The Auckland Library, enriched by Sir George Grey's magnificent bequest, has a fine reference department, but its circulating section is immeasurably inferior to the Christchurch circulating department. The Wellington Public Library in its reference department has a more varied collection of books than are to be found in the Christchurch reference library. But, taking it all through, there is no library in New Zealand so well supplied with standard books of general interest as the Christchurch Library; and there is probably none better managed and arranged.

The Canterbury Public Library dates back to the early sixties, when a beginning in the way of a lending library was made by the Mechanics' Institute. But the financial arrangements were not a success, and at last, after some trouble, the library was taken over by the Provincial Government. It was started on its career again as a Public Library with a grant of £5000. Gradually there grew up in all the towns in the province local circulating libraries, which were largely assisted by the Provincial Government; in the year 1873, the total grants to these institutions reached £5000. In 1873 the Public Library was taken over by the newly constituted Canterbury College, and has been administered by the Governors of the College ever since. The building till lately in use was a substantial extension of the old Mechanics' Institute, and was erected in 1876; but in May, 1901, the Board of Governors entered into a contract for a still further extension on plans prepared by Messrs Collins and Harman, architects. The plans provided for handsome additions in brick and stone, and for further interior accommodation, including a public reading room sixty feet by thirty-six feet, a subscribers' reading room thirty-three by twenty-six feet, a librarian's room, a strong room, a large office for the clerks, and lavatories. Fresh floor space to the extent of 11,600

Canterbury Museum.

page 54 feet, including the galleries, is provided and the extension is in the Gothic style of architecture. The contract price was £4307. The funds from which the Library is maintained are chiefly derived from reserves, shared by the Library, Museum, and the School of Art. These funds have been considerably augmented at various times by donations; the most important being a legacy left by Mr. Gammack, of Springston, the interest from which is devoted to the purchase of new books.

The total number of books contained in the Library is 30,800; 18,431 being in the reference library, and 12,368 in the circulating department. A large number of magazines and newspapers is provided in the public reading room. The number of subscribers for 1900 was 1800, and the revenue from this source alone was over £900. The average daily attendance at the Library is from 700 to 800. The share of the Public Library income derived from the Museum, Library, and School of Art joint fund amounted in 1899 to £463; and from the interest of the Gammack fund £200 was received. About £230 was spent on new books for the circulating department, and about £167 on books and bindings for the reference library. The institution is financially very prosperous, and at present has a credit balance of over £450. These figures are a proof of the great popularity of the institution, and its high value as an educational factor.

The Canterbury Museum is a worthy source of provincial pride, for while it is said to rank thirteenth in order of scientific importance and magnitude among all the museums of the world, if far surpasses in variety and value of exhibits any other museum south of the line. The Museum owes its success, if not its existence, to its first curator, Sir Julius von Haast. In 1859–1860 this distinguished scientist had collected geological and zoological specimens in various parts of New Zealand while travelling with Dr. von Hochstetter, of the Novara expedition. In 1861 he formed these into the nucleus of a museum, and as provincial geologist, for many years he spent untold energy and enthusiasm in increasing his collection. It was located in the Provincial Buildings, and was first publicly exhibited in 1867. In 1866 a wonderful windfall came in the way of Dr. von Haast, in the shape of a great deposit of moa bones discovered on Glenmark Station in North Canterbury, and by the owner, Mr. G. H. Moore, presented to the Museum. The value of these relics as exchanges, was very great; and all the most famous museums in the world, in returns for portions, willingly contributed to the enlargement of Dr. von Haast's collection. The doctor was constantly urging upon the Provincial Council the necessity for a building worthy of the collection, and at last, in 1869, a grant was made of £1200, which was increased by private subscription to nearly £1700. The building was begun in 1869, and opened to the public in 1870. In 1870 a special Board of Trustees was appointed to manage the institution, the life members being Messrs T. H. Potts, A. C. Barker, J. D. Enys, J. von Haast, C. Fraser, and H. R. Webb. In 1874 these trustees were included in the Board of Governors of Canterbury College, and the Museum was then handed over to that body.

For a long time the Museum had to depend on casual grants of £100 or £200 for show cases, etc., from the Provincial Council. But in 1872 Dr. von Haast succeeded in getting the Council to set aside 5000 acres of land, from which a revenue might accrue. This far sighted policy has done even more than the great curator's personal energy for the prosperity of the Museum.

The original von Haast collection— the germ of the Museum—consisted of less than 500 geological specimens. By 1863 the doctor had added 1300 more specimens, and a grant of £100 from the Council produced 2600 more. When the Museum was first publicly opened in 1867, it contained nearly 8000 separate specimens; and in 1870, when the new building was finished, it contained in all over 25,000 specimens. Since then, the number has constantly increased, and necessary additions were made to the main building in 1872, 1876, and 1882. In 1887 the institution suffered a very heavy loss in the death of its indefatigable founder, who had already received the order of knighthood, which his enthusiastic services to science and to his adopted country well deserved. He was succeeded as curator by Mr. H. D. Forbes, who resigned in 1892; and the present curator, who has held office since then is Captain F. W. Hutton, late Professor of Natural Science at Canterbury College.

The funds from which the Museum revenue is derived are drawn from the “Museum, Library, and Technical Science” reserves of Canterbury College. For the financial year of 1900 the capital account of this fund showed a credit balance of £18,000. The total income of these institutions was £2827, being £2300 from rent of reserves, and £587 from interest on capital. Of this sum, £1225 was spent upon the Museum.

In addition to the ordinary exhibits, there is a fine collection of pictures by English and colonial artists, which, though small in numbers, are invaluable to the art students of the city. This collection, as well as other sections of the Museum, owes much to the munificence of the late Mr. George Gould.

The School of Art is one of the many institutions controlled by the Canterbury College Board of Governors. It was founded in 1882, and in 1900 was attended by more than 250 students Over 75 per cent, of these are young tradesmen engaged in industries in which a knowledge of the principles of art is valuable. Scholarships were established in 1898 by the Industrial Association to enable learners in certain industries to attend the school. In 1899 two more scholarships were endowed for a similar purpose by the Builders' Association, for apprentices in carpentry, masonry, and brickwork. In the same year the Master Painters' Association and the Painters' Union jointly started a class in painting and decorating at the school. Since 1897 the school has been affiliated to South Kensington, and its pupils have won high honours in the examinations of that institution. In 1900 £600 was derived from students' fees alone; and £600 of the school's income came from the “Museum, Library, and Technical Science Fund.”

The Art Gallery was founded by the Canterbury Society of Arts, but the site in Armagh Street, opposite the Provincial Buildings, was given by the Government. The Gallery contains one of the finest collections of European and local pictures to be seen in the colonies. The annual exhibitions of the Art Society are held in these rooms. The buildings themselves cost £3240. The permanent collection of pictures cost £1000. This sum was raised by profits out of the art exhibitions, and by subscriptions; page 55 and the total was augmented by gifts of pictures chiefly obtained through the energy of that enthusiastic art lover, Captain Garsia. In addition to the permanent collection, there are about forty pictures on loan, which still further increase the value of the Gallery as a training ground for artists.