MEMORIAL CARILLON.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21167, 27 April 1932, Page 12

MEMORIAL CARILLON.

MESSAGE OF THE BELLS. DOMINION'S FINE RECORD. TRIBUTE BY LORD BLEDISLOE. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT. ] WELL!NGTON, Tuesday. A warm tribute to Now Zealand's part in the Great War was paid by tho Gov-ernor-General, Lord Bledisloe, when opening tlio National War Memorial Carillon on Mount Cook yesterday afternoon. Lord Bledisloe mentioned tlio fact that, in view of tlio prevailing economic depression tlio erection of a National Art Gallery and Dominion Museum, which would eventually complete the architectural scheme of this memorial, had regretfully boon postponed, but it was an objective which, when prosperity returned, should bo steadfastly pursued and thus complete what gave promise of being a war monument which in impressive dignity and artistic achievement would bear comparison with any in tlio world. "Of tlio 99,500 men of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force who went to the war—an almost incredible proportion of tho total manhood of this Dominion — no fewer than 17,317 lost their lives, and a further 41,317 were wounded," said tho Governor-General. "Judged by numbers, no country in tho Empire lias shown a finer record of patriotic sacrifice, although it was furthest from tho theatres of war—or, if judged by achievement, in gallantry on many battlefields. You New Zealanders have every reason to be proud of your country's war record. " Thankfulness and Pride." "It is, I trust, in a spirit of gladness, thankfulness, pride and hope that you all take part in today's ceremony. Any other attitude would surely bo out of harmony with tho happily-conceived form which this war memorial takes—a beautiful campanilo and a peal of joy-bells. Bells throughout tho world's history have tolled for sorrow and have pealed for gladness. At least 13 years ago the passing bell was tolled for those brave men who earned immortality and undying famo by laying down their lives for their fel-low-men. "If tho victory which crowned their efforts and that of thousands still living who faced death on tho battlefields of Gallipoli, France, Palestine and elsewhere was worth while; if, as we must assuredly believe, it has saved the civilised world from thraldom and decay, our hearts should rejoice to day when for the first time there peals forth from this noble tower above us hymns of thankfulness and praiso." The History of Bells. The science of campanology or the founding and ringing of bells was one of the oldest in the world, dating from tho sixth century, continued Lord Bledisloe, and had taken two forms, that of the hand-ringing of swinging bells, and that of the "carillon" or clock, with a clavier or keyboard causing hammers to strike bells that were fixed immovably in a frame. This system had been developed to tho highest pitch of perfection in Belgium. It was at the famous Carillon School at Malines in that country that tho most expert British carilloneur, Mr. Clifford Ball, of Bournville Garden City, who was to play tho bells that day, received his training, and where Miss Gladys Watkins, a New Zealander, had recently been studying with a view to her playing these carillon bells. It was interesting to note not only that the aft of bell-founding had reached the highest pitch of perfection in England, its main exponents being Messrs. Gillett and Johnston, of Croydon, who manufactured this carillon, as well as the largest existing bell in tho world, but also that tho finest and most scientificallytuned carillons in tho world existed in English-speaking cities, namely, New York, Ottawa, Sydney and Wellington. -It was also worthy of mention that it was this Wellington carillon ■which first made the millions of London's inhabitants acquainted with carillon music and brought many thousands into Hyde Park in tho spring of 1930 to listen to it. No musical programmes had ever been listened to in London by such a vast concourse of people as those which New Zealand's War Memorial provided. Its 49 bells weigh 31£ tons, the largest being 5 tons and the smallest 91b. The March to Victory. Every bell had been given by some New Zealander or group of New Zealanders, said Ilis Excellency, and each had engraved on it in clear letters an inscription, carrying the namo of some battle or engagement of the war. It would need no opening of a history book to remind posterity of the part which New Zealand played in the Great War. Concluding, Lord Bledisloe said: "Let us invoke these bells, fortified bv God s blessing and the courage of a good conscience. not merely to cheer our sometimes flagging spirits and banish sorrow l'roni our minds, but also to give spur to our determination to play our part in banishing for ever the discords which separate nation from nation and class from class in redressing the wrongs of mankind, and in extirpating those old shapes of foul disease which continue to cripple our manhood and hamper its efficiency. "With our minds thus made more receptive of the love of truth and right which has ever characterised our race, wo shall confidently march forward to our future battles, fought not with our fel-low-men but with all that makes for the death of the spirit, to the continuous victory for civilisation for which all good men and women throughout the world are to-day most fervently praying."