CORRESPONDING SOCIETIES. 33 



specimens. But they were still wanting in a proper organisation of their 

 local museum for educational purposes, and the sentiments expressed at 

 that meeting would enable him to urge the matter with additional 

 emphasis before the Town Council. 



Mr. T. W. Shore stated that three years ago he had moved a resolu- 

 tion, at the Cambridge meeting of the Museums Association, pledging 

 the Association to do what it could to obtain aid for museums from 

 County Councils. He hoped that the gathering before him might be able 

 to aid the movement in some way. Mr. Peek had mentioned that the 

 clerks of many County Councils expressed doubts as to the legality of 

 grants to museums, but Mr. Cambridge had shown how the difficulty 

 might be overcome. It was clear that grants could be made by County 

 Councils to defray the expense of lectures and demonstrations in museums. 

 He would therefore suggest that circulars might be sent to County 

 Councils pointing out that, in the opinion of that meeting, grants in aid 

 of lectures and demonstrations in museums might be made with excellent 

 educational results and without any risk of going beyond the law. 



Mr. Sowerbutts remarked that, though County Councils might be 

 subject to the Government Auditor, County Borouglis were (he thought) 

 not so controlled. In Lancashire they did not trouble the auditors, but 

 when the councillors became extravagant they turned them out at the 

 next election. 



Mr. Kenward said that in Birmingham the Corporation had established 

 an excellent museum and an art gallery which were entirely supported by 

 the rates. They had never sought aid from the County Council. 



Mr. T. V. Holmes had in his hands a letter from Mr. William Cole, 

 Secretary to the Essex Field Club, who was intimately acquainted with 

 the system of technical education as it was carried out in Essex. Mr. 

 Cole lamented that nothing had been granted by the County Council to 

 aid museums, but thought that to do so was probably beyond their legal 

 powers, and hoped for an amendment of the Act. He would doubtless be 

 cheered by Mr. Peek's observations on that point, which showed that 

 grants to museums were by no means unquestionably illegal — to say the 

 least. Mr. Cole's experience had given him a very low notion of the 

 efficiency of mere lecturing, especially in rural districts. Of course a 

 lecturer usually brought specimens with him, but with the departure of 

 the lecturer the specimens also departed, and scarcely any real interest in 

 the subject was aroused. What was really wanted was a permanent central 

 museum which was continually sending forth loan collections to the remoter- 

 districts, and which allowed them to remain there for a certain time 

 after the lectures, illustrated by these collections, had been given. Mr. 

 Cole, however, did not think that museums should be entirely worked by 

 County Councils, as that would greatly weaken the interest taken in 

 museums by the naturalists and field clubs who had usually originated 

 them. But the funds of almost all societies of naturalists were so small 

 that the greatest hindrance to the development of a museum was a want 

 of money, which suggested a want of permanence. By a small grant 

 towards the expense of a curator, or for some similar purpose, obtainable 

 only while the museum remained efficient, a County Council might do 

 very much to render a museum permanent and efficient without diminish- 

 ing the interest of individual natui-alists in its development. 



Dr. Brett said that, in order to bring the matter to a practical 

 conclusion, he would like to propose that their Secretary should write to 

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