THE CLOCK TOWER.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19734, 26 September 1929, Page 8

THE CLOCK TOWER.

ITS EARLY HISTORY. "The old Clock Tower at the eorner of Manchester and High streets was originally imported from a design submitted by Mr Mountfort, arohitect of the old Provincial Building, with a view to its being placed somewhere on the top of that building," said an old resident of Christchurch to a repre sent tive of Thk Ptuess yesterday, when asked if he could say anything regarding the history of the tower. ''With the abolition of the Provincial Government the tower was deposited in the old City Council yard, which occupied the section on which the Scott statue now stands, and remained there for two or three years. A request was subsequently made to the General Government to band over the structure to the City, so that it could be erected to commemorate the Jubilee of the late Queen Victoria as a clock tower, where it now stands. I believe that Sir George Grey was Prime Minister at the time, and I remember that there was a great deal of trouble in getting the structure back from the Government."

The ironwork of the structure, he went on, was in keeping with that adorning the top of the old Provincial Government Building, and was, in his opinion, a beautiful piece of work. He considered that, as the ironwork was at present, it was spoiled by being painted in an unsuitable colour, and felt sure that if it were given a coat of a dull blue and gilded, its beauty would be manifest. When the tower was placed on its present site the base, which was of local stone, probably Hals ..ell stone, was designed by the late Mr Stroutts, a well-known architect who was responsible for the erection of many old buildings Btanding in the City to-day. Mr Stroutts was instructed to provide plans far the base so as to come within the amount of money provided for the purpose.