CLOCK TOWER.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20021, 1 September 1930, Page 3

CLOCK TOWER.

FOUNDATION STONE RELAID. SATURDAY'S CEREMONY. The foundation stone of the Jubilee Clock Tower on the new site at the intersection of Victoria, Montreal, and Salisbury streets was re-laid by the Mayor (Mr J. K. Archer) on Saturday morning. Before performing the ceremony the Mayor deposited two bottles in the cavity—one containing the two morning newspapers of Saturday and the other the records and newspapers which were placed under the stone when it was, laid on the old site at the interflection of High, Manchester, and Lichfield streets. The names of the Mayor, City Councillors, Town Clerk (Mr J. 8. Neville), and City Engineer (Mr A. R. Galbraith) were also included. The ceremony was brief and simple and the attendance was fair.

Removal Regretted. I Councillor J. W. Beanland (chairman of the Works Committee of the City Council) said that everyone regretted that the Tower had had to be removed from its original site. There had been differences of opinion, but it was certain that the Tower could not remain in High street any longer. Several Biteß had been inspected and it had been decided that the Victoria street location was the best for many reasons. One was that people coming into the City from the north would have a clock facing them. Only four of the Councillors of .1897 j were alive to-day, said Or. Beanland. | They were Messrs C. D. Morris, of Christchurch, W. H. Cooper, who was at present in Australia, H. H. Loughnan (City Solicitor), and J. Stapleton, now a City Council employee. Mr S. Manning, who was a member of the original Clock Tower Committee, was prevented from attending by illness. "We have the assurance of the Council that a very good clock will be placed In the Tower," continued Cr. Beanland. "The old clock may be placed somewhere else, but the new one will be that which was intended for the Post Office tower. In the bottles to be deposited beneath the foundation stone are the two morning newspapers of December 9th, 1897, and of to-day, the old records, and a list of the names of the Mayor, Council, and chief officers of the present time. One new bottle has been required as the original has been worn away."'

Good Clock to be Installed. "I count it a privilege to be able to take part in this ceremony," said the Mayor. "There was talk at one time of the Tower being done away with altogether. However, other counsels prevailed, and I hope the Tower will now remain in position permanently. As Cr. Beanland has said a really good clock will be added." The Mayor congratulated the Council staff on the manner in which the Tower had been removed. All the chief stones had been numbered, he said, and were being replaced in a similar position. He expressed his pleasure at seeing a number of children in the gathering, and he gave them a little advice on the course to follow in becoming good citizens. Mr H. Holland, M.P., said, on behalf of that part of the district, that he was pleased that circumstances had necessitated the removal of the Tower. "We do not receive much attention from the Council," he said, "but this is gratifying." Recently, when summer-time was being discussed in the House, said Mr Holland, tho Hon. A. T. Ngata moved an amendment that the word "time" must be used by each speaker in referring to the Bill. One member looked up the word in the dictionary and found 15 pages devoted to its explanation. "So you see the importance of time," he added. "I hope that by the time the Tower is completed we will bo enjoying very prosperous times." When tfie Tower is completed a copper plate is to be incorporated, giving the date of the re-laying of the stone. The clock is being secured from Messrs Littlejohn and Co., Wellington, and will not be of the chiming variety on account of the chime possibly being a nuisance to nearby residents.