THE CARILLON

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 115, 12 November 1930, Page 13

THE CARILLON

GOING TO BUENOS AIRES

ERECTION IN WELLINGTON

SOCIETY'S HOPES

A request that the Wellington War Memorial Carillon be lent as a contribution by New Zealand to the Empire Exhibition to be held at Buenos Aires early next year has been made to the Prime Minister, and the Carillon Society has agreed to place the bells at Mr. Forbes's disposal for that purpose. A special meeting of the society was held yesterday to deal with a cable message received from tho London committee of the British Empire Exhibition, in which the request was made that, subject to the consent of the New Zealand Government to certain proposals made to the Prime Minister in London,] the society agree to the dispatch of the carillon to South America. It was stated that the Exhibition, which is to take place in' March and April ■ next year at" Buenos Aires, was the first to be undertaken by Great Britain in any foreign, land, and was to be opened by the Prince -of Wales. The chairman, Mr. H. D. Bennett, presided, and, after explaining the nature of the request, he moved: —"That in connection with the request that the Carillon be loaned to the British Empire Exhibition to be held in Buenos •Aires in March and April of next year, the-Wellington War Memorial Carillon Society decides that the Prime Minister now in England be given f till authority to deal with the request in terms of the cable, and that the London committee be advised accordingOn the assurance being given that the diversion would not add to the delay in tho installation in Wellington, the motion was carried unanimously. INTEREST SUSTAINED. ' Mr. Bennett stated to-day that he thought it most gratifying to find that the interest in the Carillon seemed to be well sustained, despite the long wait for its installation. This he thought was largely due to the reports of the wonderful reception the Carillon, was receiving in England. The proposal that the bells should be lent to the British Empire Exhibition at Buenos Aires as a contribution by the New Zealand people was taken as giving a further opportunity to the Memorial Carillon to echo its message to more millions of humanity. For such an important matter, it was deemed proper that the office-bearers of the society should be consulted. The president, Sir Harold Beauehamp, and the vice-presidents, Messrs. G.: A. .Troup, S. Kirkcaldic, C. J. B. Norwood, Hope B. Gibbons, L. O. H. Tripp, G. Shirtcliffe, J. M. Goddis, and the Hon. T; S. Weston, concurred in the text of the resolution, and so another very important event in the history of the Wellington Carillon was added. REASONS FOR DELAY. Continuing, Mr. Bennett said that quite a number, of friends who were unfamiliar with the many obstacles in the way of rapid progress complained abotit the long delay. He wished to say that the society was- not to blame in any way. Legislation was necessary before the land at Mount Cook could be vested, and before a board of trustees could be appointed. Architects required time for competitions and judging, and English and Continental authorities had to -be consulted for various purposes. The acoustic properties of'the Campanile required careful consideration. It was necessary, he thought, to say that the diversion to Buenos Aires will not in- any way affect the local programme. The bells could be dismantled and delivered in- Wellington in ample time. He thought that the consulting architects would be ready to call for tenders before the holidays, and the Campanile should be ready to receive tho bells by Armistice Day next. The board of trustees, of which the Mayor, Mr. Troup, "was the acting-chairman, would waste no time as soon as the uecessarj' Order in Council was issued.