WAR MEMORIAL

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 47, 19 November 1925, Page 8

WAR MEMORIAL

CARILLON SOCIETY TO RE FORMED ENTHUSIASTIC MEETING AT TOWN HALL At the invitation of Mr. H. D. Bennett some forty people attended a meeting in No. 1 Committee-room in the Town Hall yesterday afternoon to forward the idea of providing a carillon as part of, or adjunct to, Wellington’s war memorial. Mr. H. D. Bennett was elected to the chair. He said he was glad to see so many present, and explained that the meeting was only, a preliminary one to forward the thing next their heart. He thought they should be careful, as they did not wish to offend anybody, and least of all those who had rendered valuable service to the community on the War Memorial Committee. Nevertheless, sharp differences of opinion had arisen, and there was no reason why those opinions should not be expressed. There were some who could not agree that a carillon with tower was a symbolic form of war memorial, and ventured to believe that only a silent one could be symbolical. Referring to the work ot the War Memorial Committee, lie said it was decided at the first meeting tbit a public meeting should be called. That meeting had never been called—everything had been done in committee. This was brought under the notice of the Citv Council, as the largest.contributor (£5000), and the council decided to call a public meeting. The committee then wrote to the council asking that bodv not to call a public meeting, as it would onlv cause a controversy; but the council adhered to its original resolution. He had taken up the matter, and it was to unload the burden from one pair of shoulders on to a committee that the present meeting had been called. ■ He strongly favoured the erection of a carillon and tower, which was something New Zealand would be very proud of-(applause)-and-declared that before they were done thev would vet a tower and carillon. (Applause.) He was going further than merely differing from or entering into a controversy with the War Memorial Committee. He had before him a letter from the Wellington Musicians’ Society, strongly favouring the erection of a canlion as a war memorial. He put it in- this form to the meeting:— . 1. To consider, and if thought advisable to set up carillon society in Weilington. . ’ 2. The objects and aims of such societv would be to direct public opinion in favour of erecting a tower and carillon on a suitable site within the city, preferably as part of the'proposed war memorial. . ~ . , 3. To urge upon the War Memorial Committee, the Citv Council, and the contributors to the war memorial fund the desirableness of a carillon as a war memorial. The chairman referred to a meeting of the War Memorial Committee held the previous evening, where sharp differences of opinion were aired, and ob. iected strongly to this meeting, having been called. Thev had resolved to go straight ahead without anv regard to anv other opinion. As the result _pf that decision, four of the members resigned at once. He declared that the resolutions passed 1 by the War Memorial Committee were contradictory. No one who had contributed to the fund had ever been pledged to a definite form of memorial, certainly not against one which would include a carillon. They, in any case, could be assured that all the bells would be presented. (Applause.) Some of the public bodies would be sure to contribute, and they could well imagine that many people who had lost someone near and dear to them might be only too pleased to present a bell.

Mr. E. S. Baldwin seconded the motion. It seemed to him that' many people were under the impression that they were foisting something new upon tlie public. That was not so. Carillons had been erected In many towns, including his own small town of Loughborough. and he considered it the sweetest and most charming form of memorial imaginable. He thought they could adopt the resolutions carried by the War Memorial Committee, for, after all, each one met their .views. Mr. E. C. Alderson, on behalf of the president of the Musicians’ Society (Mr. H. T. White), spoke strongly in favour of a carillon. He thought that they should invite the members of the War Memorial Committee, as, in connection with such a sacred thing, it would be unfortunate if there should be a difference.

\ Mr. T. Ward also approved the proposal. He could not understand how' anyone could think that a carillon was not a symbolic memorial. He. suggested the establishment of a list of subscribers.

Mr. S. Wilson said that Mr. J. P. Firth (chairman of the War Memorial Committee) had ruled that a carillon was a symbolic memorial; Mr. F. de J. Clere also supported the carillon idea. A tower without anything in it, he said, would be like a lighthouse' without a light. Mr. P. Crowther said he had been asked to attend the meeting to support anv resolution that favoured a carillon. Replying to a question, the chairman said that the War Memorial Committee having failed to call a public meeting, the Citv Council would do so. Mr. E.'A. R. Jones, representing the Lvall Bay Progressive Association, stated that his association had unanimously approved of a carillon as part of a war memorial, and also decided to contribute one of the bells.

The motions proposed bv the chairman were carried unanimously, with acclamation.

The following were appointed a committee to carry out the initiatory work in connection with the movement:— Messrs. H. D. Bennett, T. Ward, F. de T. Clere, E. S. Baldwin, Dr. G. Anderson. W. S. Wilson, G. Mitchell, E. E. Muir, D. I. McGowan, G. Ardrev. T. B. Thomas. E. A. R. Jones, 11. T. White, E. G. Pilcher, E. P. Crowther, H. Plimmcr, H. Nimmo, H. I. Graves, Mesdames Chatfield and Line, with power to add.

Mr. 11. C. Jenkins was appointed secretary, nro tern.