DETAILS WRONG

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27387, 12 May 1950, Page 6

DETAILS WRONG

Port Chalmers Band Rotunda DOCUMENT IN CAVITY Some historical documents are seemingly not to be relied upon for their veracity. When the Port Chalmers Band rotunda was removed some years ago, a document was recovered from a cavity in the foundation stone which is historically inaccurate. The document stated that the stone was laid with Masonic honours on Thursday, June 20 1902. “ in the presence of John Thomson, Esq., Mayor of Port Chalmers, with members and officers of the Borough Council and the assembled citizens, in honour of the coronation of his Most Gracious Majesty King Edward the Seventh.” The document is signed by the Mayor and all the councillors, including the town clerk of that day, and carries the seal of the borough. Actually the illness of King Edward VII caused a postponement of the coronation and the foundation stone was not laid until Saturday, August 9, 1902. The newspaper reports of the function state that the Mayor was unavoidably absent and that Cr Inverarity presided. Apparently the certificate prepared for the original date was deemed near enough or it may already have been lodged in the cavity in preparation for the event and no one thought of altering it.