purposes for which they were intendeil. Your Committee, after mature con- 

 sideration, are of opinion that tlie time is fully come for making an effort to 

 caiTy out the remaining department — the Gallery of Arts. The want of such 

 an Institution has long been felt, and is every year becoming more obvious. 

 Attempts have been made to provide a building by private enterprise, but 

 difficulties have arisen in that direction w^hich it is believed would not occur if 

 the question were taken up on behalf of the public. There are large numbers 

 of pictur^o and other art-treasures in the hands of private collectors, w^hich 

 would find a resting place in an Institution secured to the pul)lic by law, free 

 and open to all, and supported by the Municipality ; Avhilst the same confi- 

 dence could hardly be expected in an undertaking, however respectable, w^hich 

 was private property, and precarious in its means of support. 



The means of erecting and maintaining such a building with its necessary 

 expenses, it is believed already exist, Avithout the necessity of trenching on the 

 Borough funds or asking for any grant from the surplus income of the Corpora- 

 tion. They may be stated briefly as follows : — Under the Library and Museum 

 Act, power is given to borrow to the extent of £20,000 on the security of the 

 penny rate. The rate has l-.ilhcrto been held liable to the amount of £2,40(j 

 13s. 4d., remaining due en account of the purchase of the Eotanic Gardens. 

 Up to the present time the annual expenses (exclusive of special grants for 

 furnishing, fixtures, &c.,) have never exceeded the annual income. This in- 

 come is steadily increasing, the actual amount realized during the last complete 

 year being nearly £7,000. It is quite ti-ue, that owing to circumstances, witli 

 which the Committee had nothing to do, the Avliole of one year's rate and part 

 of another Avere entirely lost to the Institution. This deficiency having been 

 paid out of the corporate funds, stands to the debit of the Library and Museum 

 account, as a debt amounting to the sum of £7,4CG 13s. 4d. It must be obvious, 

 on the slightest consideration, that as this amount has been saved to the rate- 

 payers by being paid out of the corporate fund, there can be no more reason 

 for treating it as a burden on the Museum rate than the similar payments made 

 every year towards the "Watch and Lighting rate out of the corporate income. 

 Your Committee, therefore, recommend that this amount shall be written off 

 and cancelled. This would involve no further payment, but would leave the 

 institution free to pursue its future course of usefulness unfettered. 



Tliis having been done, it is recommend'ed that such a sum as may be ne- 

 cessary be borrowed on the security of the rate, and that a suitable building be 

 erected on tlie vacant land on the East side of the Library, wliich has alwavs 

 been intended for tlie purpose, to combine galleries for painting and sculpture 

 with provision for a school of design, and, if the funds would admit, for an- 

 nual exhibitions of works of art. 



Your Committee commend this subject to the earnest consideration of the 

 Council and the public. They believe tluxt the object is one well worthy of 

 being entertained ; they consider that its accomplishment is easily attainable, and 

 they eonfidcntly reft.r to the success which has attended the establishment of the 

 Library and Museum as an augury of equal progress in tjic direction of art. 



