WELLINGTON CARILLON.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19812, 27 December 1929, Page 8

WELLINGTON CARILLON.

STATEMENT BY SECRETARY OF SOCIETY.

[THB PRESS Special B«nrtc«.]

AVELLJNGTON, December 96

Tn connexion with the cable message concerning the Wellington carillon and the stated appointment of Miss Gladys Watkins, a member of the executive of the Wellington War Memorial Carillon Society on being communicated with said that no appointment of earillonneur for the Wellington carillon had yet been made, and the Society did not contemplate making such an appointment ior some considerable time yet —not at any rate until after the bells were installed here The position regarding Miss Watkins was that the Society had made arrangements with her to continue her studies at the Malines School for carillonneurs under the tutorship of M. Denvn for a further period ot twelve months, and her services therefore would become available to the Society. . So far as the number of bells in use .was concerned, the facts were that the Wellington carillon comprised 49 bells, with provision in the framework, machinery and clavier for the addition of four bigger bells at a later date, making a total of 53. Of the 49 bells already cast 47 of these were installed at the Newcastle Exhibition, the two largest bells of the set (five tons and four and a half tons respectively) having already come to Wellington and being in store now. Tn order to bring the carillon at Hyde Park to 50 bells it will thus be necessary for three new and substitute bells to he installed.

OVATION FOR MISS WATKINS.

(ONITBD PKBBB ASSOCIATION—BY *L*CTRIC TJXEORAFH —COPYRIGHT.)

LONDON, December 26.

Miss Gladys Watkins, who gave a preliminary recital of the Wellington War Memorial carillon bells in Hyde Park, received a warm ovation from large crowds of Christmas shoppers last evening. The police had to clear a way for Miss Watkins through the mass of appreciative listeners.