G.P.O. CLOCK

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 39, 14 August 1942, Page 3

G.P.O. CLOCK

DISMANTLING JOB

SOME PERSONAL LINKS

With the demolition of the G.P.O. tower, Wellington, in hand in consequence of earthquake damage, only the, four dials, each' Bft 3in in diameter, of the clock now remain in position. The clock,. which, with its bells, has given, faithful service for 53 years, has been dismantled arid is now awaiting transport to, some suitable place where it can be stored until a decision is made as to its future location. The four Cambridge chime bells, varying in weight from about three hundredweight to ten hundredweight, and the big hour bell will be stored in the Corporation Yard.

The clock. will be reassembled lor storage and will require dry housing, but the bells, which have withstood the weather for over half a century, will come to no harm if left in the open. The lowering of the hour bell, which weighs nearly one and a half tons, was carried out yesterday, without incident. Its inscription endures, and reads, "Presented to the.City of Wellington by S. A. Rhodes in memory of her husband, the.' Hon., Win; Barnard Rhodes.' God be' merciful", and bless

us." Mr. W. B.; Rhodes was an uncle of the Hon. R. Heaton Rhodes, a subsequent Postmaster-General and Minister of Telegraphs. Today the bell passed through the city on a lorry to its lowly resting place. Its custodian on the lorry belaboured it at intervals with a stick, and the mournful resulting sound was in keeping with a chalked legend, R.1.P., which sprawls across the wider part of the great piece of bronze. Nevertheless, the storage will probably be only temporary.