THE CARILLON

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 143, 21 June 1927, Page 10

THE CARILLON

COST OF THE BELLS

A correspondent writes to "The Post":—

"The citizens of Wellington last year •were invited to subscribe for the cost of bells for the Grand Carillon, and this invitation, it would be remembered, met ■with an exceedingly liberal response. Several citizens agreed to pay for individual bells, tho cost of which, it was assumed, was approximated. It is understood that tho committee has now under consideration the acceptance of a tender for tho supply and delivery of tho whole of the bells. What I "would like to know is whether or not the cost of these individual bells is below tho estimate of the committee, and, if so, will the committee be willing to refund to tho subscribers tho difference between tho actual and estimated coßt." The correspondent is of opinion that in common fairness this ought to be done, and suggests that perhaps the chairman, Mr. 11. D. Bennett, will bo good enpugh to advise what action he and those associated with him propose to take in this connection.

On being seen by a "Post" reporter, Mr. H. D. Bennett, chairman of the executive o£ the Wellington War Memorial Carillon Society, said the position was that tenders had been received from two of the world's leading bellfounders, and the executive was awaiting the receipt of further advice by mail from the High Commissioner before coming to a decision. Under these circumstances it would be unwise ill the interests of the donors and of the whole project to give an answer one •way or the other to the first portion of the correspondent's question, while as for the second issue all that could be said for the present was that the executive could bo relied upon to do tlio fair thing by the donors. 'Die executive, however, had first to accept a tender before it could say exactly where it was in regard to the carillon. It then had to fai'-u thy question of the erection of the bells, and lie-thought i(; was not unlikely thrit in the event of any surplus being realised in the actual carillon fund—a matter which was very questionable—the donors would Ije asked to allow such surplus to go to the campanile fund. In any case the correspondent could rest satisfied .that all decisions of the executive, as heretofore, would be made public.