ART GALLERY. 69 



tion free of charge. The Curator is gratified to notice a marked 

 improvement in the appreciation shown by (hose juvenile visitors 



since the opening of the Gallery. This is particularly noticeable 

 among the School Hoard children and others of the poorer classes, 

 whose conduct reflects the utmost credit upon those who have charge 

 of their education. 



Perhaps the most gratifying feature of the operations of the 

 Gallery has been in forming and improving the public taste in art. 

 Since the opening of the Gallery 5,815 works have been sold at the 

 Autumn Exhibitions, and the purchases made by the public show 

 that thev have exercised good judgment in their selections. The 

 same may be claimed for the Committees who have from time to 

 time made purchases for the Permanent Collection. 126 Gallery 

 pictures have been bought from the Autumn Exhibitions, and 

 although some of them have been adversely criticised, the result has 

 proved that laymen of artistic taste are as well fitted to jxidge of 

 works of art as experts, who are at times narrow and limited in 

 their views. 



The hanging space in the Gallery is quite inadequate for the 

 proper display of the Collection, and it is to be hoped that an 

 enlargement of the building will soon be made such as will enable 

 the City Art treasures to be seen to advantage. 



CHARLES DYALL, 



Curator. 



