Report of Representatives on Board of Trustees of National Art Gallery and Dominion Museum

Your representatives feel that during the last twelve months some progress has been made in respect of the scientific staff of the Dominion Museum. The Board's attitude is entirely favourable to improvements in status and salary, and we hope that means may shortly be found to enable its wishes to be put into effect.

Some attention has been given during the year to the condition of the various reserve funds held by the Board. We noted with surprise that transfers from these reserves to meet current expenditure were being made without the authority of the Board, mainly because the annual budget for general expenses of the Museum was quite inadequate. Reserves were built up during the war years when the Museum was occupied by the Armed Forces, but no continuing provision had been made for replenishing reserves in the future. An examination of the position is now being made.

We have also been responsible for a change in the process of dealing with the annual estimates. Consequently, the Management Committee of the Museum was able to consider these for 1956–57 before March 31, 1956, and to make strong recommendations to the Board that proper provision be made for general expenses, an item of about £6,000.

As our experience on the Board extends, we are more and more impressed with the need for changes in the administration of the affairs of the Museum. Every problem that has to be faced turns out in the end to be an administrative one, and we often feel frustrated by the multiplicity of authorities that must be dealt with under the present arrangements. We have, therefore welcomed a move from another member of the Board to have the constitution of the Board examined and, presumably, revised. C. A. Fleming. H. C. McQueen.

Dr. Fleming presented the report of the two representatives, Mr. H. C. McQueen and himself on the Board of Trustees of the National Art Gallery and Dominion Museum.

In his report Dr. Fleming had referred to the need for changes in the administration of the affairs of the Museum, and in reply to questions from members of the Council, Dr. Fleming went into more detail regarding his statement. He pointed out that in the personnel of the Board of Trustees there were only two scientists. However, he remarked, though a minority, “perhaps a vociferous one”, their views were given every consideration by the Board of Trustees, but it was in the later stages, when Government Departments became involved, that the administration suffered by conflicting views of scientific and non-scientific people and bodies.

After further discussion and further amplification by Dr. Fleming, on the motion of Professor Richardson, seconded by Dr. Salmon, it was resolved: “That the Council of the Royal Society of New Zealand is concerned at the small representation of science on the Board of Trustees of the National Art Gallery and Dominion Museum, and urges that scientific representation be increased at the earliest possible opportunity.”