H.—2l.

for a time as a member of the Art Gallery Management Committee. They rendered valuable services during their period of office. The honour of knighthood was conferred by His Majesty the King on Sir George A. Troup, largely in recognition of his services in connection with the establishment of the National Art Gallery and Dominion Museum. The thanks and appreciation of the Board are extended to the persons and bodies who have contributed to the Building Fund and have made gifts to the Art Gallery, Museum, and Carillon ; to the many persons who have assisted by devoting time and labour to the furtherance of the work of the institutions under control of the Board ; to the press for its support and publicity ; to the New Zealand Shipping Co., Ltd., and Union Steam Ship Co., Ltd., for carriage of pictures free of freight; and to the Railway Department and Wellington Harbour Board for concession in charges. The staff has rendered willing and valuable service. M. J. Savage, Chairman. F. H. Bass, Secretary.

NATIONAL ART GALLERY COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENT. Annual Report foe the Yeae ended 31st March, 1937. Eight meetings of the Committee were held during the twelve months under review in addition to a large number of meetings of sub-committees, which meet frequently as occasion arises. For the opening of the National Art Gallery in August, 1936, a special effort was made to bring together a collection of works of art that would be worthy of an occasion which marks a stage in the cultural development of New Zealand calculated to have far-reaching effects on the cultivation and appreciation of art in the Dominion. It may be said without fear of contradiction that the authorities of the National Gallery succeeded in their aim beyond expectations and that the works exhibited at the opening formed the finest and most comprehensive collection ever assembled in this country. The following collections were on exhibition : —• (1) The Collection of British Art lent by the National and Tate Galleries, London, the National Gallery of Scotland, and Private Owners in England.—This consisted of seventy-two works (eight pieces of sculpture, sixty-three oil paintings and one water-colour. Pictures by Reynolds, Constable, Turner, Crome, Raeburn, Gainsborough, Morland, Richard Wilson, Lawrence, and Sam Bough were included ; there were outstanding works by contemporary British artists, and a small section of sculpture which was of particular interest. The thanks of the Trustees are due to the authorities of the galleries and the private owners who so kindly lent works, and to the Empire Art Loan Collections Society which organized the exhibition. (2) The Murray Fuller Collection of British Contemporary Art brought to New Zealand bv Mrs. M Murray Fuller. This Gallery was fortunate in having the opportunity to exhibit at its opening such a well-selected and representative collection of British present-day art. The Trustees took the opportunity of purchasing two of the pictures for the national collection ; a number were presented to the Gallery by citizens ; and two were purchased with funds donated for the purpose by the Board of Governors of the Thomas George Macarthy Trust to the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts. (3) An Exhibition of New Zealand Architectural Designs organized by the New Zealand Institute of Architects. (4) The Annual Exhibition of the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts.—The Academy arranged for its annual exhibition to be held simultaneously with the opening of the Gallery. The thanks of the Trustees are clue to the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts for generously giving up their exhibition gallery at the opening so that the British Loan Collection could be hung there. The Academy exhibition was hung in another part of the Gallery, and this entailed a considerable sacrifice on the Academy's part, as it meant that it had to forego the whole of its admission takings for the 1936 annual exhibition. (5) Loan Retrospective Exhibition of New Zealand Art.—This exhibition was organized by the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts at the request of the Board of Trustees, the Trustees making a grant of £50 towards the expenses. An effort was made to show the historical development of New Zealand painting and to bring together the best available works of present-day New Zealand artists. The result was a collection of pictures and sculpture which demonstrated that, although we cannot yet claim to have developed a New Zealand School of Painting, the Dominion has produced some artists of outstanding ability. An appeal was made to New Zealand Art Galleries and private owners, resulting in a magnificent response. Every gallery in New Zealand lent pictures for the occasion. The Trustees wish to record their gratefulness to all those who kindly assisted by lending works of art. (6) A Selection of the National Permanent Collection was also shown. Other Exhibitions.—The opening exhibitions were followed in October by a collection of 150 pictures by Australian, British, and foreign artists generously lent by the Trustees of the National Gallery of New South Wales and a number of pictures sent by living Australian artists and New Zealand artists resident in Australia. This exhibition was the result of a visit to Australia by Mr. J. M. Ellis, a member of the Board of Trustees of the National Gallery at the time. The Trustees desire to record their appreciation of the generous action of the authorities of the Sydney Art Gallery in lending these works. The Auckland, Christchurch, and Wanganui Galleries made representations for permission to exhibit the collection in their centres, and the National Gallery undertook the arrangements for the extended itinerary of the collection.

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