SPIKED AND FORGOTTEN.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 279, 18 August 1908, Page 5

SPIKED AND FORGOTTEN.

THE CUN ON THE HILL. There lies, spiked and forgotten, in the vicinity of tho Signal Station, on Mount Victoria, an old carronade, which, away ' back in 1576, served as tho official herald of noon. It may have had other functions, but its primary purpose was to hold tho citizens in the tbwn below to somo unanimity of agreement as to the "right time." Nowadays, when a citizen wishes to boast of the accuracy of his chronometer, lie says, "My watch is right—Post Office time." 6no could easily imagino what would happen : if something went wrong with the works up in the Post Office tower, and the big clock either lost o;\ gained. Hundreds of watches /would lose their, reputations, and the-business portion of the community would either arrivo at its offices too late, which would be awkward,, or too early, which would bo frightful. But in thoso far off days the standard of good behaviour' in timepieces was measured by the pompous little cannonade which barked tho .official hour of noon. Then a man would pull out his watch and observe, "There you are — gun time." It was no easy matter getting that 24- , pounder up tho steep slopes of Mount Vic'toria, and the Volunteer Artillerymen of tho D Battery, who-wero ordered to got it up, and mount' it in position spent a strenuous summer week over the task. The Battery at that time was in cliargo of Lieutenant Fox, and tho working party detailed to see that tho gun reached tho top safely, was under Sergoant W. R. Bock. Lieutenant Fox and Sergeant Bock are still in Wellington—vetoran ex-Vohlnteers. Tho men usually worked early mornings and evenings at the task, and with drag-poles and a heavy catch-anchor to hold tho unwilling little monster in position between spells. What would have happened had tho anchor cables given way atul tho 24-poundor rtfn amok down ■I,ill can bo bettor imagined than described. However, it was finally fixed in position, and straightway entered upon its mission. But it had a very short reign. Every noonday for about three weeks, its "boom!" gavo out tho hour, and then tho Department, aghast at .tho unseemly wasto of powder, ruled it out of action. It . was allowed to lemain there, its black- muzzle pointing disconsolately ' across the harbour, until it fell upon ovil days. ' Tho bad boys of the town, having resisted temptation until they could resist it no longer, took to firing tho gun at Irregular intervals. Then tho authorities decided that thero would bo no pcace in the community until' tho guii was tendered useless altogether. . So it was spiked, and its degradation completed.