His estimates of receipts and expenditure have been chiefly remarkable for their monumental inaccuracy, and on more than one occasion he has proved a source of serious embarrassment to his colleagues. It is as Minister for Education, however, that he excels himself. A Minister for Education who regards a public library as a luxury and a museum as a toy must be without parallel in any British community.

It is not necessary to deal at any great length with the merits of the request made by the deputation which waited upon Mr. Illingworth on behalf of the Public Library, Museum, and Art Gallery. They asked for nothing more than the fulfillment of a promise, but they found it necessary to remind the Minister that they performed their duties gratuitously and for the benefit of the public before they could obtain even a courteous hearing of their case.

It will be remembered that when the Duke of York was here he was prevailed upon to lay the foundation-stone of the new wing of the Public Library, having been first assured by Sir Arthur Lawley that it was intended to proceed with the erection of the building. Money for the purpose had been promised by the Throssell Government, and the Leake Government had plans for the work, so that the deputation may reasonably have felt some little comfort in approaching the Minister.

They were able to show that the additional space was urgently needed—that for lack of it many books for the Library, pictures for the Gallery, and collections for the Museum had to be stored away in the basement. The medical men who accompanied the deputation also pointed out that the reading-room was frequently crowded to such an extent as to be prejudicial to health. In addition to having a good case, the deputation were strengthened by the inclusion among their numbers of a Minister of the Crown, and in the circumstances they may well have felt assured of a sympathetic hearing.

Instead of receiving this, however, the speakers were subjected to rude interruptions by the Minister, and they were treated as though they were trying to get something out of the public Treasury for their own personal advantage. The question of whether the condition of the State finances justified the granting of the request fades into insignificance beside the extraordinary stand taken up by the Minister for Education, and the peculiar views he announced as to the educational value of libraries, art galleries and the like.

Apparently Mr. Illingworth looks upon a public library merely as a counter-attraction to the hotels. In so far as it is likely to assist the temperance cause it has his sympathy, but beyond that he considers it a luxury and a toy. His reason for sending the deputation to another Minister is not very clear. As Treasurer and Minister for Education the matter came entirely within his jurisdiction. The Public Works Department, as Mr. Rason pointed out, has nothing to do with the question of the policy of erecting such buildings. Their duty is merely to carry out the work resolved upon by Cabinet and approved by Parliament.

From the attitude of Dr. Jameson and Mr. Rason, there is reason to hope that the request of the deputation will receive fair consideration at the hands of the Government, the Minister for Education’s opposition notwithstanding.

Mr. Illingworth declares that for every one person, who goes to the Museum to study hundreds go there for mere pleasure. Without admitting the accuracy of this, it may be asked whether it is not the duty of the Government to encourage people to indulge in such pleasure as this.

Though our Minister for Education will not admit it, it is hardly conceivable that any man can make a practice of visiting a well-appointed library and museum without becoming in consequence a better man and a more useful citizen. From Mr. Illingworth's point of view it is evidently an outrageous thing to spend money on the pleasures of the people, however beneficial those pleasures may be, but the ordinary taxpayer is likely to take up the position that he would rather subscribe to the maintenance of a good public library than pay the expenses of an over-manned Ministry, an over-manned Parliament, and an over-manned civil service.

Now that federation has been brought about, there should be no need for six State Ministers, nor for eighty members of the State Parliament, and the salaries of these superfluous administrators and legislators for a single year would be more than sufficient to meet the requirements of yesterday's deputation.

The number of visitors to the Public Library is between 40,000 and 50,000 per annum, and this total would be greatly increased if additional facilities were afforded. Strangers in the city, and even local residents, find considerable difficulty in profitably employing their hours of leisure, and it is safe to say that there is not a city in Australia where a thoroughly-equipped public reading-room is more urgently required than in Perth.

Mr. Illingworth's open hostility to institutions of this character is not likely to be overlooked when Parliament meets. It quite unfits him for the office of Minister for Education, and furnishes another argument in favor of a change in the Government. It has often been said that a city and its people are judged in a great measure by the standards they set up in their libraries, art galleries, and museums, and it will not reflect to the credit of Western Australia that her capital is deficient in these requirements, and that her Minister for Education regards them as needless luxuries and toys....

The committee's report states :—

“We have much pleasure in reporting that H.R.H. the Duke of Cornwall and
York laid the foundation-stone of the eastern wing on July 24, 1901, but
regret to state that the building has not yet been commenced, although a
sum placed on the Estimates and voted by Parliament, in the year 1901, for
his purpose, and, moreover, a distinct promise was made to His Royal
Highness that the building should be erected at once, in order to obtain
his consent to preside at the ceremony. The wing is to contain an art
gallery on the first floor, and a geological gallery on the ground floor,
both of which are urgently needed, for at present the paintings are
temporarily hung in a part of the old gaol very inadequately lighted,
while a large proportion of the mineralogical and geological specimens are
packed away, although it is essential to the development of the State that
the exhibits of its natural resources should be well displayed.

The committee feel very deeply the importance of giving every facility for the
acquisition of technical education, and to this end, as reported last
year, added an arts and crafts section, and now, for want of the expected
additions, are unable to exhibit a large proportion of the specimens
acquired. Throughout the civilized world the urgency of such work is
recognised, owing to the fact that those nations that neglect technical
education fall behind in the struggle for existence. Everywhere museums
are being built and old ones enlarged. To quote two instances, the
Government of the United States have just appropriated over half a million
sterling for additions to the national museum, and the colony of Natal,
with its population of 61,000, has decided to spend £16,000 on building a
new museum in the capital of Pietermaritzburg. Suitable offices and store
rooms are greatly needed, for, as pointed out in the director’s report,
the annual expense of continually turning over the specimens stored, the
reserve, and duplicate collections, is very great, for the insect pests
are very numerous in the cells and outhouses of the old gaol. A condemned
cell is hardly suitable for the director of this museum, but no other
accommodation is available at present. The director, acting on the
instructions of the committee to be prepared for the opening of the new
galleries, has had mounted a great many specimens, which are daily
deteriorating owing to the nonfulfilment of the promise of the Minister.”

The director reports :—“The collections now contain 36,359 specimens,
which, with the cases, amount in value to over £34,000. The Museum and Art
Gallery are both, I regret to say, in a very unsatisfactory condition,
owing to the want of space, and the consequent overcrowding of the
specimens and paintings on view, which detracts from their usefulness ;
furthermore, a very large proportion of the art, as well as of the
ethnological and natural history specimens, are packed away, and as there
are no proper store-rooms, those entail a great deal of unreproductive
[sic] labor, and expense, in periodical examinations to prevent damage
from silverfish and other pests. The institution has been regularly
visited by teachers with their classes ; the attendance of the general
public has largely increased, especially on weekdays, although Sunday is
still a favorite time for visitors, as many coming on that afternoon as
during three whole week-days. The Sunday visitors in June totalled 1,838,
a number that could not be exceeded with safety, as the galleries are so
overcrowded and the gangways so blocked with cases. The genuine interest a
large proportion take in the specimens indicates that the privilege of
being able to study the collections on this day is much valued by a
considerable section of the public. On public holidays the number of
visitors exceeds 600 in the day. Some progress has been made with the work
of mounting and labelling specimens, but much remains in arrear, for, as
stated above, the specimens packed away occupy much time. Moreover,
although the collections have increased six fold since 1895, and the
annual additions have advanced from two thousand to upwards of four
thousand, yet the permanent staff has remained the same, viz., myself and
one clerk, if I except the extra assistance of a temporary clerk during a
small portion of the year. I beg to suggest that further regular
assistance be granted in the interest of the safe keeping of the
collection, to say nothing of the question of naming, for natural history
specimens usually arrive unnamed.

The specimens lent for exhibition in Paris and Glasgow are now being
returned, together with some valuable donations from the commissioners,
while in addition to these, which number many hundreds, about a thousands
fossils are daily expected from the British Museum which have been
presented by the trustees at the request of Dr. Henry Woodward. The Public
Works Department is supplying four of the cases requisitioned, which are
now almost finished, and will provide space for the exhibition of a few
hundreds out of the five thousand specimens stated in my last annual
report to be awaiting cases; but no provision has yet been made for the
display of the remainder, nor for those received this year, nor for those
specimens returned from Paris and Glasgow, for the places they formerly
occupied were filled immediately after their despatch to Europe.”

The financial statement shows that the balance in the West Australian Bank
is £243 10s. 3d. ; liabilities, £402 7s. 9d. ; deficit, £158 17s. 6d. The
number of visitors to the institution during the year was 42,276, as
compared with 37,093 during the previous twelve months. The additions to
the collection total 4,668, made up as follows :—1,957 donations, 1,267
exchanges, and 1,444 purchases.

Mr. John T. Tunney, who was appointed collector in 1895, has during the
twelve months been collecting in the North-West and North and is now
proceeding across country to the Alligator River, in the Northern
Territory. He has during the time sent down 108 mammals, 391 birds, 10
boxes of insects and reptiles, and 154 ethnological specimens. The greater
number of these belong to the Hon. Walter Rothschild, who pays the larger
part of the collector’s expenses.

When our representatives visited the Art Gallery yesterday afternoon, Mr. Woodward and his assistant were hanging the newly-arrived pictures. Some of them were already on the walls, but Mr. Woodward explained that the Gallery would not be open to the public until Tuesday next.

The first painting to be viewed was “A Portrait,” by Sir James Lawrence, who in the beginning of the century was at the zenith of his fame as a portrait painter. In the year 1820 he was elected president of the Royal Academy. The picture shows the head and bust of a lady of the time, and is executed in the manner which one would expect from so great a master. The price paid for the painting was 250 guineas.

“Lake Lugarno,” [sic] by R. P. Bonington, is a charming little picture, and gives one a clear indication of the great name the artist would have made for himself had he lived longer. He died in 1828, at the early age of 28 years.

The picture which is certain to attract the most attention and admiration is “Low Tide at Guernsey,” by Arnold Helcké. The atmospheric effects are beautifully caught, while the merest detail has been so carefully attended to by the artist that it is greatly assisted in making a pronounced success of the whole. It is the sort of picture of which one would never tire, for there is always something new to be seen and appreciated in it. It is a fine large canvas, and is hung in a prominent place.

“Royal Windsor,” is the only water-color of the group, and it can well hold its own with those in oils, for it is the work of that great artist, E. H. Fahey, R.I., the modern painter who is renowned for his water-colors and landscapes. It is a painting of Windsor, taken from the northern side of the Thames. In foreground is the river, while in the background is the magnificent regal pile, with its dark battlements standing out distinctly. The perspective is splendid, and one seems to see every inch of the space intervening between the river and the castle.

“On the Road to Dromana” is a typical Australian scene painted by Louis Buvelôt, of Melbourne.

The general effect of “The Lizard Point, Cornwall,” by William Mellbye, R.A., of Copenhagen, is good, but, on a more minute examination being made, it strikes one as peculiar that a barque under full sail should be sailing along on the next wave to the breakers with a heavy breeze blowing on to a lee shore.

“Down on his Luck,” by Fredk. M‘Cubbin, a leading Melbourne painter, is sure to meet with much attention and sympathy. It shows a bushman seated on a stone in the bush over a small fire, evidently down on his luck, as the title denotes. All the main points are capitally brought out, and the picture is essentially realistic.

The eighth and last painting is “The Little Fruit Girl.”

of this institution, and, with that object in view, they have purchased
one of the most valuable paintings exhibited at the Royal Academy,
Burlington-house, London, last season, at a cost of over £600. It was
considered wiser to secure one high-class work by a representative artist
than to purchase a number of smaller and less important ones.

The selection of the picture was entrusted to Sir Edward J. Poynter,
president of the Royal Academy, and his choice fell upon Mr. Alfred
Parsons’s painting, entitled “The Green Punt,” a painting which had been
greatly admired by visitors to the Academy, and had been generally
described as one of the best of the season. The work arrived from London
on Monday, and is now on view, although as yet not hung. It is a superb
production, and justifies all the good reports that had preceded it. It
has already been much admired by visitors to the gallery, and will,
doubtless, prove a strong attraction for a long time to come. The artist’s
chief object has been, undoubtedly, the green-hued punt, which is seen
moored in the tranquil shade of a bend in one of the in many backwaters on
the River Thames. The boat is occupied by two devotees of Izaaak Walton,
one, a young fellow bending over his line, the other, an elderly man of a
decidedly rustic type, in the act of waiting for a bite. His crimson float
is seen lazily topping the water. He has one hand thrust in his trousers
pocket, and upon his face is that stoical look associated with confirmed
anglers, when bites are few and catches fewer. In the stern of the punt is
to be seen a tell-tale brown stone bottle. Long, cool shadows fall around
the anglers from the many trees banking the river, and a gentle summer
zephyr has passed over a portion of the river, causing just the faintest
ripple. The depth and clearness of the shadows beneath the trees in the
middle-distance of the picture are splendidly executed. In the immediate
foreground is to be seen a luxuriant growth of herbage, giving to the work
that touch of color necessary for its completion. To the left one catches
a glimpse of an old farm, nestling in the shade of trees, and surrounded
by meadows of a bright-green hue, whereon cattle are grazing. The whole
work is redolent of summertime, and one can almost scent the cowslip and
the honeysuckle and feel the soft breezes that play over the river. The
picture is one that reveals new charms the longer one contemplates it. It
is a work that will greatly add to the attractiveness of the gallery.

NOTES OF THE ARTIST.

Alfred William Parsons, the distinguished painter of “The Green Punt,” was
born at Beckington, in Somersetshire, on December 2, 1847. He was educated
at private schools, and in 1865 entered the civil service as a clerk in
the General Post-office, taking drawing lessons in the evenings at
Heatherley’s studio and the South Kensington Art Schools. In 1867 he left
the civil service, and devoted his time to art, studying from nature,
without masters. He exhibited his first picture in the Royal Academy in
1871, since which time he has been a frequent exhibitor at this famous
gallery. His principal works have been “Fallen,” “The Ending of Summer,”
“The Gathering Swallows,” “The Road to the Farm,” “The First Frost” (which
afterwards obtained a “mention honorable” in the Paris Salon), “The
Gladness of May,” “After Work,” “In a Cider Country,” and “When Nature
Painted All Things Gay,” the last-mentioned painting being purchased by
the Council of the Royal Academy under the terms of the Chantrey bequest.
He was awarded a gold medal for water-color and a silver medal for oil
paintings at the Paris Exposition of 1889, and was successful at the Paris
Exposition of last year, two medals for oil and water-color paintings at
the Chicago International Exhibition of 1893, and a gold medal at the
International Exhibition of Pictures in Munich in the same year. Mr.
Parsons has also been eminently successful in executing illustrations for
magazines, newspapers, and books. He was created an Associate of the Royal
Academy in 1897.

cleaning. In 1898 it was further opened on Sunday afternoons, and since
last June it has been opened daily, Sundays included, one portion only
being closed from time to time for cleaning and alterations. The Picture
Gallery has been inspected by 40091 visitors during the past five months
without a single day’s closure, and in consequence requires a thorough
cleaning. This will be commenced on Tuesday, November 3. It will be re-
opened on Saturday, and after that it will be open daily for an extra half-
hour up to 5.30 p.m. until further notice.

Gallery, London, and was copied by Mrs. Percy Arnold, a sister of Mr. A.
F. Grace, who painted “Back to the Old Home,” for which the Gallery was
two years ago indebted to the same generous donor. The copyright in
“Harmony” is the property of Messrs. Thos. Agnew and Sons, who have kindly
allowed this copy to be hung, on condition that it be neither copied nor
photographed. It does not appear to be sufficiently well known that anyone
may draw or paint in the Art Galleries from any of the works that are not
copyright, on the condition customary in all the important art galleries
in the world. Application for permission should be sent in writing to the
director.

damaging the exhibits. It is now learnt that a very large portion of the
ceiling—that portion immediately underneath the room in which the series
of public lectures are being given—fell down about two weeks ago, and
plasterers working on scaffolding are now busy in repairing it. It
appears, further, that the defective work is not confined to the space
indicated, but that the ceiling has become loose all over the court, and
authority has been given to replace it with new work. This will be a
costly job, and as the work was carried out with loan money there will be
some difficulty in obtaining further Parliamentary authorisation should a
fresh sum require to be voted. Unless, therefore, a substantial balance
remain over from the allotted sum voted it will be necessary for the
trustees and the Minister to find the money out of the annual grant from
revenue—not an easy matter in these times of deficit. To what cause the
failure of the ceiling is due has not been officially allowed to transpire.

them have merited the recognition which their audiences have accorded
them. Perth is the happy hunting-ground of the public lecturer, and some
of the specialists engaged from over the sea delivered lectures no more
interesting than these. There was, as usual, a good attendance in the end
gallery last night, to listen to an address on “The Aborigines,” delivered
by Mr. W. H. Timperley, I.S.O., and illustrated by lantern slides. Dr. J.
W. Hackett, M.L.C., presided.

that within its walls are gathered a large number of objects of curiosity
and of interest. It is here that the naturalist arranges the animal
kingdom in the order of classification. The minerals with which the earth
is teeming are brought to light, the various specimens being arranged in
cases with cards attached, giving the names and other particulars. Fossil
remains, met with by the miner in the of the bowls [sic] of the earth, are
identified, throwing a flood of light on the character of animals which
existed on the earth ages ago, and these too, cannot escape the publicity
of the modern museum. It would take too long to attempt even to summarise
the objects to be found in any modern museum, and one cannot do more than
pass them over in brief review.

The Perth Museum was formally opened on September 9, 1891, by Sir William
Robinson, who was then Governor of the colony. The beginning was a humble
one, as the curator had very few cases in his charge, but in the following
year the Government purchased the Museum of the Mechanics’ Institute, and
the public Museum began to assume respectable proportions. A new gallery
was soon afterwards started, and this was opened on July 31, 1895, by Sir
Alexander Onslow. The work of extension still went on, and the handsome
building which now faces James-street was put in hand. This has now been
finished, but the first floor is being used as a library for the time
being, and the authorities will have to be content with the possession of
the top floor of the new building until the proper quarters for the
library are erected. The Art Gallery is also to be found in the Museum
building, but the position is not a favorable one for the purpose, and
another will be secured as soon as possible.

In 1895 the control the Museum transferred to a committee, consisting of
the following gentlemen :—Sir Jas. Lee-Steere (chairman), Sir George
Shenton, Mr. Justice Stone, Dr. Harvey, and Messrs. J. W. Hackett, M.L.C.,
Chas. Harper, M.L.A., M. F. A. Canning, and J. C. H. James. Mr. B. H.
Woodward, F.G.S., was appointed curator in January, 1891, and has retained
the position ever since. The institution has been well patronised by the
public, the last annual report showing that for the year ended June 30,
1898, the total attendance of visitors was 37,402. Of these 11,067 visited
the institution on Sunday afternoons.

The first thing which claims attention on entering the Museum is the fine
collection of animals, Order 1, of which comprises the Primate, and Order
2 the Carnivora. Among the best specimens are a splendid ant-eater from
Guiana, a beaver from Maine, some Russian wolves and a chimpanzee from the
west coast of Africa. There are some large animals in the central cases, a
bison from Nebraska taking pride of place in the matter of bulk. A grizzly
bear from the Rocky Mountains is a veritable type of strength and
shagginess, while the two leading families of the carnivora are
represented by a South African lion and an Indian tiger. There are fine
Norwegian elk, a red deer from Scotland, and a Selous antelope from
Mashonaland.

The marsupials are of especial interest to Australians, and of these there
is a large and representative collection. A good idea has been carried out
for the purpose of showing at a glance the geographical distribution of
the animals, birds, etc. A small map of the world is placed with every
species, and that portion which is inhabited by the exhibit to which it is
attached is colored red. These little maps show at once that the
marsupials are confined almost entirely to Australasia. A few exist in
South America, but specimens of these have not yet been secured by the
museum authorities. A family of dingoes at once commands the attention of
the visitor, there being two old ones and six pups. These exhibits were
obtained from York and Broomehill, and the animals have been very
effectively mounted. Close by is another case in which are to be seen some
emus, which were captured in the Geraldton district.

The collection of birds is a very good one, especially as far as
Australian birds are concerned. There are numbers of gulls and other
seabirds from the vicinity of the Abrolhos Islands, and parrots and
cockatooes [sic] also form a goodly collection. There is one case which
contains birds of paradise, and the display of plumage is very beautiful.
Close by is a case of humming birds, which are well known to be among the
smallest of the feathered tribe. The humming birds are very pretty little
creatures, and as there are numbers of them in the case the effect is a
decidedly pleasing one. There is not a large number of fish, but the
invertebrates are well represented. The absence of a backbone is the
distinguishing characteristic of the invertebrates, of which there are six
sub-kingdoms. An excellent plan has been adopted in providing an index
case, in which there are typical forms of the various families belonging
to the order.

There are a great many specimens at the museum which are not yet ready for
exhibition, and included in these is the skeleton of a whale, some 85 ft.
in length. The animal was stranded at the Vasse during last year, but it
will be some time before the skeleton is fixed up for exhibition, as the
work will involve a certain expenditure of time and money. The weight
whale’s head alone is as much as a ton, and the weight of the whole
skeleton is of course something considerable.

The top floor of the new building is not yet open to the public. It will
be devoted to the accommodation of the recent invertebrates, as well as to
the reception of corals, sponges, etc. Many of the latter are already in
their cases, but the whole of the cases required have not yet been
finished. All the fossils will be placed in this room, the total number
being 5,000. The fossils which have been discovered in this colony have
been found in the coastal limestone, and in the carboniferous formations
which extend at intervals from the Irwin to the Gascoyne, and from the
latter place across country to Kimberley. The upper part of the skull of a
mastodon is on view in the new room, and gives some idea of the massive
size and enormous strength of many races of animals which long ago became
extinct. These are also represented by a number of casts of the large
saurians or fish-eating reptiles.

The most interesting exhibits in the ethnological gallery are the relics
of the Dutch ship Zeewyk, which was wrecked on Gun Island in the Abrolhos,
in the year 1727. There are cooking utensils, bottles, coins, pipes and
other articles, as well as two skeletons representing all that is left of
the adventurous Dutch after the catastrophe of 172 years ago. In this
gallery are samples of textile fabrics, including carpets from Persia and
Armenia, embroidered curtains and other fabrics from India, with a
quantity of metal work from the same country. There is also a good
collection of native weapons, implements, and other articles.

The mineral exhibits are, of course, not the least important items in a
country like Western Australia. In one set of cases the various minerals
are arranged in scientific order, while, in another, Western Australian
minerals are ranged according to their commercial interest. The latter
include specimens of gold, copper, iron, tin, and other ores. There is a
large mass of gold in quartz which was brought from the Orient mine at
Lake Austin, in 1892, the precious metal being plainly discernible in the
stone. There are specimens of Nullagine diamonds and Collie coal, two
products which are very dissimilar in appearance, but which are both
composed very largely of carbon.

At the entrance to the Museum is a gilt pyramid representing the
comparative gold production in the colony during the last eight or nine
years.

There are two large models in the Museum, namely, those of the Fremantle
harbor works, and the Merredin tank, on the Yilgarn railway. The
reproductions of the celebrated Moabite and Rosetta stones are very
interesting. There are also huge Assyrian bas-reliefs.

The Art Gallery is small, but contains some good pictures, and other works
of art. There is a collection of black and white drawings by British,
French, German, and American artists, including Charles Keene (who was at
one time on the “Punch” staff), Millais, Whistler, Burne-Jones, Leighton,
and Phil. May. Among the best of the paintings are “The End of a Long
Day,” by Mr. Clausen, A.R.A. ; “The Great Southern Ocean,” by J. Ford
Paterson, of Melbourne ; “Low Tide in Guernsey,” by Arnold Helcke ; and
“Lake Lugano,” by R. P. Bonington.