At a meeting of the Art Gallery trustees held on Wednesday afternoon, Messrs W. G. Somerville and Frank Barron reported that they had collected some £50 from a number of public-spirited Dunedin citizens for the purpose of purchasing two or three of the pictures in Miss Frances Hodgkin's collection of water colours which were on exhibition here, these pictures to be hung in the gallery.
The chairman of the trustees warmly congratulated Messrs Barron and Somerville on the result of their efforts, and said the society would be prepared to supplement the amount collected by 30, bringing the total sum available up to 80. Miss Wimperis, Dr Scott, and Messr's Barron, Somerville, and Theomin, were appointed a committee to make a selection of pictures from the exhibition.
This has been done, and the principal painting, ''Dordrecht'', which has been selected will, we feel sure, give great pleasure to the public in general. It is a fine, bold treatment of a quaint Dutch city. The picture ''Summer'' will possibly cause some discussion, but those most qualified to judge are of opinion that this picture adds largely to the value of the collection in the gallery, in as much as positive genius was required to produce the impression of lightness and life conveyed by the wonderful brushwork of the artist.
The third picture, ''Evening in Concarneau'', is a charming study, quite different in character from either of the other two, and many lovers of water colours will often regret that they missed the chance of securing this delightful picture for their own homes.
The citizens as a whole are to be congratulated upon the latest acquisition to the public gallery, which is now so firmly established and of such growing importance.
• Two cablegrams within the past week have given accounts of episodes in the Mexican revolutionary war which possess a far more than local significance. They related to attacks that were made upon warships from aeroplanes, and one of them reported the complete destruction of a gunboat as the result of the dropping of bombs by an airman.
If the story of the destruction of the Tampico be correct, the occurrences may be regarded as of some historic interest, for it raises the question of how far the command of the sea is going to become dependent on the command of the air. The warship of today is a wonderful fighting-machine, but has not been designed to meet the kind of attack which the airship seems to be proving itself capable of delivering.
Possibly the exigencies of the situation which is being developed will lead to the evolution of a type of warship designed to possess a greater measure of immunity against aerial attack. In the meantime, however, records of the power of the ''Fourth Arm,'' as it is termed, continue to accumulate, and the evidence they offer with respect to the significance of the airship as a military factor carries conviction a considerable distance.
• The University Council decided at its meeting to advertise for applicants for the position of lecturer at the University in practical anatomy. These lectures will form part of the course of instruction in massage, which will shortly be commenced. So far no male students have offered themselves for enrolment so that it has not been found necessary to appoint a male instructor in massage.
Miss L. A. Armstrong has, however, been appointed to instruct female students. The course will cover 18 months' training, and candidates will be required to produce a medical certificate of physical fitness and evidence of a good general education. - ODT, 1.8.1913.
