GIFT HANDED OVER.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20173, 27 February 1931, Page 15

GIFT HANDED OVER.

BOWKER FOUNTAIN PLAYS. CROWDS AT CEREMONY. When about 9.30 o'clock last night, following the opening of the switch controlling the water and lighting effects by the Mayoress (Mrs J. Archer), the Bowker electric fountain in Victoria square sent up a curtain of brilliant red spray, the assembled crowd, which numbered several thousands, showed unmistakable approval. The fountain is the gift Henry Layton Bowker to the City of Christchurch, and last night's ceremony was the formal conveyance of the gift to the City on whose behalf it was received by the Mayor (Mr J. Archer). u'or the purposes of the function a temporary platform was erected on the eastern side, of the square. On this were the Mayor and Mayoress, members of the City Council, members of the Bowker family, the representatives of the Chnstchurc Beautifying Association (Sir Arthur Dudley Dodsoii, and Mr R. B. /^ we JV > the deputy-Mayor of Lyttelton (Mr J. Miller) and others. In addition to the handing over of the fountain, tne

new lamps illuminating the s / 1 , u ' some of which were presented by tne Beautifying Association, were lighted.

The Giver's Career. The Mayor, addressing the crowd, asketd Mr F. W. Johnston, as an ola friend of the Bowker family, to Bay a /few words. . . Mr F. W. Johnston said that Christchurch recently held enjoyed its old privilege of criticism. The fountain had been criticised before it had befen seen in operation. Everything in Christchurch that was now was criticised, except a new religion. (Laugnter.) Their old friena, Mr James Young, when he came to the City_ was criticised for cutting down some of the willows in the parks and gardens, in order to shpw them up better; but it was now recognised that he worked on proper lines. When the citizens got to know the fountain they would like it and appreciate it. He wos speaking as a representative of the Bowker family—as an old friend of the present generation, and one whose father was an old friend or Mr Bowker for about sixty years. He could, perhaps, say something about the man himself which members of the family could not say. ; » Mr Bowker, the giver of the fountain, cam© of old yeoman stock fiom Huntingdonshire' he and his father before him had been farmers. Mr Bowker came to New Zealand With £IOO m his pocket and purchased a van With which he went sound the country selling goods, and thus laid the foundation of his fortune. He was unique in that he turned his hand to anything J * ll the early days he took a contract_ to fence Hagley Park. He (the speaker)/ expressed his appreciation of the City Council's very gracious act m to the fountain being placed almost opposite the door of the premises where Mr Bowker laboured for many years. The memory of oitinens who ittade girts to the Citv ought to be honoured. Citizens of Christchurch ought to take to heart the example of the citißensor Ballarat, to whoso gifts that City owed the finest lot'of statuary m any part of tho World outside the Old Country. On behalf of the Bowker family he desired to say that it was finer to give than to oeive; he felt tei<re that great pleasure in the fact that.,.their father left a sum of money, which was added to by them, to give the fountain. He 1 felt sure that the would be received in a gracious manner, and that ft would bring pleasure to / the qitaens for many years to come. (Applause.) , , , r , The Mfcyor then' asked Mr !H. h. Bowker (son of the giver) to formally hand- over the gift, on behalf of him* self and the family. ' Mr H. L. Bowker, who Was. received y with applause, expressed his . thanks to' the Mayor and Mr Johnston for their inferences to the Bowker family. He thanked tho City Council, on behalf of the family and of the trustees, for having placed the memorial opposite his father's business premises. Tho fountain, he said, had .been designed by the City Engineer (Mr A. B. Ctelli aith), and the work had been 'carried out by 'his staff and by lb at of the Municipal JElectrieHy Department. It wag similar to the one at Bourofr mouth, a favourite English seasidovrt* sort. He had pleasure, he said,. ad- ■ dressing the Mayor, ;in handing over the fountain to him as representing the City, and,he trusted that when the ciliecns sa'Ar it in operation they'wotjld be pleased with it. The Gift Accepted. '■ t Hie Mayor said that on behalf of , .tho citizens, as well as on his own behalf, he had very great pleasure] in receiving Mr'Bowker's antr his family gift. He realised that they had made a very- valuable addition IjO the- beautifleatron of the' City, and that not only the present generation Of citieenS); butj many generations that would tol-' low fchem, would appreciate and enjoy ; the gift, i There wore _ comparatively few electric fountains in the world; of a, total of 63, there were 41 in the United States. of America; there was . only "one in England, and there was none in Australia. Mr Archer, referred to several recent gifts to the City— Mr,Bi. E. McDougall's 'gift of the. Art Gallery, Mr and' Mrs T. J. Edmonds's gift of the band rotunda, and Mr M. JP. Barpett's -gift of a statue of Captain Cook. He then asked Mrs Archer to start the fountain, ' Mrs Awhter opened the switch, and the .fountain immediately operated. Berry 'b Military Band then plftyed the National Anthem, and the function ended with hearty cheers for the Bowker, family. - At (Supper.' The Mayor, Mayoress/and City Councillors and others vfere the guests of Mr and Mrß Bowker at supper at the Hotel Federal after the function. In the course of some remarks, the Mayor/ sudd he-ielt sure that _ the Bowker fountain would be appreciated > by all the citizens. Everyone had been delighted with'it "and had enjoyed the wonderful lighting effects. - Cr/H, T. J. TJiaclter, on-behalf o£ the Canterbury Pilgrims* thanked the Bowker family for their gift. . Mr Bowker thanked the Mayor and Or. Whacker for their kindly references, and said that they had been fortunate in having such a beautiful evening for ; the function. Mr P. W« Johnston said that when the fountain'"operated the critics had bean routed. ' Tho fountain reflected the greatest credit on Mr Galbraith.. , • Mr Galbraith said that he had been very keen to' provide the City with the very latest in- civic embellishment,' and when Mr Bowker consulted him he had, shown him illustrations of several electric fountains, and Mr Bowker immediately had seen their possibilities and had instructed hitn to -go ahead. With the aid of his owh staff and that' pi the Municipal Electricty , Department, he had gone ahead, and they had seen the result* The ' amount of money, in addition, to'' that bequeathed by- Mr Bowker, found "by the Bowker family to meet the eost of the fountain "was, approximately, £3OO. Mr Bowker said that, personally, he thanked Mi; Qalbraith very much.