OFFICIAL OPENING.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 21, 5 November 1940, Page 6

OFFICIAL OPENING.

THE CENTENNIAL MEMORIAL FIXED FOR NOVEMBER 24. The Ashburton Centennial Memorial Sup Dial in the Domain is to he officially unveiled on the afternoon of Sunday, November 24, by the Mayor of Ashburton (Dr. G. I. Miller), the St. Kilda Band, champion band of New Zealand, ..which will be in Ashburton that day, will be asked to attend and play the National Anthem and lead the singing of a hymn. , This decision was made by the Borough Council last evening, when the Ashburton Silver Band wrote regarding the visit of the champion band during the week-end of November 23-25 (the King’s birthday holiday). The letter sought permission to hqld a concert in the Domain on the Sunday afternoon, when a demonstration of the quickstep will be held, and permission to take up a collection was also asked. An alternative location-for the concert was stated to he the lawn in East Street. It was stated that the two bands would take part in a church parade on Sunday morning. Mr J. Thompson said there were many collections to be made and Ashburton. should not have outside organisations coming in and taking up collections. “We should not encourage this sort of thing in war time,” he added. “We are now collecting a lot of money and this will not be the last we will have to give.” The Mayor said the Ashburton Silver Band was always ready to help the town where it could and occasions such as this were one of the ways in which it Avas able to gather funds for uniforms and instruments and generally pay its way. It was agreed to grant the requests, to ask the visiting band to take part in the • unveiling ceremony (which was suggested by the .Mayor as being an appropriate function for that date) and to start the unveiling at 3.30 o’clock so that it would not clasli with. Sunday School meetings.