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Extracts from a Report on Constitution Committee of Board of Trustees of Dominion Museum and National Art Gallery.
1. At a meeting of the Board of Trustees on July 20, 1956, the following resolution was carried.—
“In the light of twenty-five years' working experience, that a committee be set up to review the Act under which the Board is constituted and recommend any changes in constitution and policy as are considered necessary.”
“That the committee consist of two nominees of the Committee of Management of the National Art Gallery, one of the Carillon Management Committee, one of the Museum Management Committee, Mr. A. G. Harper (or his nominee) and Mr. H. C. McQueen (Convener).”
The Committee met for the first time on June 10, 1957 when the following resolution was carried —
“That the Board of Trustees give consideration to the practicability of altering the title of the Act under which it was constituted by inserting a change whereby it will be called.—
The National Art Gallery Dominion Museum and National Memorial Act and to the making of such changes in the original Act as may be considered necessary.”
The Chairman put forward proposals designed to give the three Management Committees a much greater degree of autonomy than they have at present. It was agreed that these be referred to the Management Committees.
The Committee met again on August 12, 1957, when the representatives of the Art Gallery indicated that they were quite unable to agree to the proposals put forward by the Chairman After a brief discussion the committee adjourned sine die.
At a meeting of the Management Committee of the Dominion Museum on August 6, 1957, the following resolution was carried:—
“That this Committee approves of a scheme of administration that will give it direct control of Museum finance and staff.
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That the committee approves of an arrangement whereby its Government Finance would be by way of an item in the vote for D.S.I.R.
That it recommends to the Constitution Committee that it seek ways of putting the foregoing resolutions into effect.”
This resolution was referred by the Board to the Constitution Committee on August 22, 1957.
The committee met on August 11, 1958.
Approval having been granted by the Governor-General in Council to change the name of the Wellington War Memorial Carillon Society to National War Memorial Carillon Society, the committee recommends that the Board of Trustees approve the change in name and the making of such changes in the original Act as may seem desirable.
Mr. indicated that he could not as representing the National Art Gallery Committee of Management, agree to the ideas in the Museum Committee resolution. Mr. was concerned only with the matter of the change of title. It was agreed that in view of the opposing views taken by the Committee of Management of the Museum and Art Gallery that the committee's report to the Board would be that it had no recommendation to make on the matter.
Board of Trustees, National Art Gallery and Dominion Museum: Dr. Fleming, in speaking to the report submitted by Mr. H. C. McQueen, said that a meeting of the Board of Trustees had been held just prior to this meeting of the Council and he could now report that the resolution put forward by the Management Committee for greater autonomy and for payment of the Government Grant through the D.S.I.R. had been placed before the Board of Trustees and had been carried. The Museum Management Committee had been asked to draw up a scheme whereby the resolution could be implemented. The report was received and satisfaction expressed at the result of the Society's representatives on the Board of Trustees.