34 REPORT— 1894. 



all the County Councils in Great Britain, urging upon them the importance 

 of giving aid to their own local museums. 



After some discussion, in which Dr, Brett, Sir Douglas Galton, Mr. 

 Gray, Sir John Evans, Mr. Gushing, and Mr. Whitaker took part, the 

 following resolution was proposed by Sir Douglas Galton, who remarked 

 that in his county it was held to be contrary to the law for a County 

 Council to give directly to a museum : 



' That in the opinion of this Conference it is desirable that local 

 natural history societies, and those in charge of local museums should 

 place themselves in communication with the technical instruction com- 

 mittee of the county or borough in which they are placed with the view 

 of obtaining pecuniary grants towards extending technical knowledge by 

 means of lectures or by demonstrations in museums.' 



Dr. Brett seconded the resolution. 



Mr. Coates stated that at Perth they were building a large addition 

 to their museum, and had applied for aid both from the Town Council 

 and the County Council. They had obtained a grant from the County 

 Council on the condition that they should provide specimens suitable for 

 agricultural teaching. These specimens would be used for lectures and 

 demonstrations. They had been advised that they could not otherwise 

 obtain the grant. 



Mr. Elworthy said that a difficulty under which many of them 

 laboured had not yet been touched upon. They needed the services of an 

 expert who would visit a museum, and, for a certain fee, pronounce with 

 authority ' this is rubbish ' in the case of worthless specimens. A 

 Secretary who would not venture to get rid of rubbish on his own re- 

 sponsibility would do so at once if backed by the opinion of a dis- 

 interested expert. 



Sir John Evans thought that the opinion of the Secretary ought to be 

 deemed sufficient. In answer to a suggestion that the word ' specimens ' 

 should be added to ' lectures and demonstrations ' in the i-esolution, he 

 remarked that County Council money could not be spent in acquiring 

 specimens. 



The Chairman then put the resolution to the meeting, and it was 

 unanimously adopted. He then asked if any delegates had other points 

 connected with museums to bring forward. 



Mr. Seward, as representing the County Borough Council of Cardiff, 

 was most anxious to learn, if possible, what things bought for a museum 

 with the view of making it more attractive and useful to the poorer 

 classes could be legally purchased under the Act. 



Sir John Evans replied that it seemed to him that the last resource in 

 these cases was the Science and Art Department at South Kensington. 

 If the Borough Committee wished to purchase specimens to illustrate 

 lectures for the advancement of technical education, the Clerk of the 

 Council should write to South Kensington to inquire as to the legality of 

 the proposed grant. If the specimens were required simply to increasn 

 the efficiency of the lectures, they would probably be regarded as part of 

 the lecture appai-atus, and the vote sanctioned. 



Mr. Gray remarked that at Belfast they always got assistance from 

 South Kensington in acquiring proper specimens for the museum. 



The Chairman thought that the Conference could not possibly attempt 

 to decide the point raised by Mr. Seward. He felt sure that they were 

 all most grateful to Mr. Peek for having introduced this discussion on 

 museums, which he believed would lead to most useful r^-sults. 



