Mayoral memorabilia and continuing tradition come at a cost

DUNEDIN has an art gallery visited by very few. Some call it Rogues’ Gallery or the Chamber of Horrors but the official name is the Municipal Chambers where the walls are splattered with portraits of past mayors of the city.

Recently, councillors voted to spend ratepayers’ money on a painting of the outgoing worshipfulness David James Cull, JP. Quite rightly, Mr Cull absented himself from the voting on the matter, but kindly indicated that should the councillors wish to have a portrait painted he would make time in his busy schedule as, while he hoped to be a member of the overworked Southern District Health Board, he would return for sittings as the artist captured his likeness. (Past mayor Sir Donald Cameron sat for five hours a day, six days a week, for about three weeks).

Previous mayor Peter Chin made a similar sacrifice for a picture which cost the city $23,000 but before that Sukhi Turner had declined and suggested a photo would do for

her. Citywatchers of the time approved, noting that even a grainy Polaroid snapshot of Ms Turner would be more attractive than the existing oil paintings.

The present council members voted for something in oils, trumpeting their determination to continue a great tradition despite the cost, but perhaps really hoping be immortalised in a future masterpiece in oils. Lee Vandervis, Jim O’Malley and Christine Garey all voted for paintings, with only the lastnamed having the potential to bring some glamour to the gallery.

The notion that a great tradition is being preserved may be on shaky ground. Before Mr Cull there have been 56 mayors of Dunedin and, a visit to the Municipal Chambers being beyond my means just now, I’m taking a punt and (remembering that Sukhi Turner is an exception) suggesting that there are far fewer than 55 portraits in oils decorating the place.

All the mayors have also made an addition to the mayoral chain but present councillors did not agree with a staff recommendation that the council pay for this from now on. It means that Mr Cull will have to find $2400 from his hardearned $158,000 salary to be perpetuated on the growing monstrosity which will one day strangle our civic leader.

The chain itself was presented to the city in 1909 by the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce and was described then as ‘‘a very fine piece of work, claimed to be equal to anything of a similar nature in the southern hemisphere.

‘‘It consists of 19 links and their appurtenances, with a heavy centre medallion. Each link bears the name of the contributing exmayor and is joined to its neighbouring link by an ornamental ‘D’, the initial letter of the name Dunedin.’’

This was the era noted for a surge of interest in preserving portraits of our great leaders. In 1901 the first portrait of a mayor, that of Robert Chisholm, was presented to the city at a function during which thenmayor George Denniston announced: ‘‘it would be hung in the hall and he hoped it would remain for generations to come.’’

Of course, there are those who rubbish the pretentiousness of mayoral portraits and chains but they are soulless drabs who fail to appreciate that local body politics is a barren wasteland which needs all the gallifrumpery it can get. Just imagine the television coverage on the day the election results are announced. The excitement as the cameras cut to the shot of the engraver standing by, mayoral chain at the ready, as he awaits news of the name to be inscribed. Exactly like the last minutes of the Rugby World Cup final.

Picture, too, the famous artist seated at the easel, brush poised to make the first stroke of the new portrait. He will join artists like Archibald Nicoll who, even though he was from Christchurch, was chosen to paint the portrait of Sir Donald Cameron, Dunedin’s mayor from 1944 to 1950. Nicoll had lost his right leg at the Somme but this did not affect his painting ability.

The idea for a portrait came from antique dealer and chairman of the Otago High Schools’ Board George Stratton and the ratepayers did not have to pay a penny for Sir Donald’s portrait as it was a gift to the city from James and Barbara Brown. James was a wellknown pastry cook who had sold enough delicacies to become a highly respected businessman.

Perhaps today there is a local pie maker with a spare $24,000 to fund a portrait of Mr Cull?

Better still, let’s save $24,000 and use an excellent likeness already available (pictured right) and which the Otago Daily

is happy to donate to the city, if artist Murray Webb agrees.

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