MASSED BANDS’ DISPLAY

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23482, 10 November 1941, Page 4

MASSED BANDS’ DISPLAY

Impressive Parade In City

BIG CROWD ATTENDS

The willingness of Christchurch people to attend functions in aid of patriotic funds and the assured popularity with the public of massed band displays, combined to fill the stands and a good part of the embankment at Lancaster Park in spite of a bleak southerly yesterday afternoon. Nine bands, members of the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force, of the Royal New Zealand Air Force, and of the National Military Reserve took part in a massed display which was both impressive arid popular. Applause from the big crowd greeted each of the several items. Nearly £3OO was raised. The salute for the parade was taken by Brigadier O. H. Mead, Officer Commanding, Southern Command. The marching display by both men and women was warmly applauded, and some of the more intricate of the massed band movements, including the “cartwheel,” in which all the bands, drummers in the centre of the oval, marched round and came into the centre like spokes of a huge wheel, were exceptionally popular. A quickstep display by the City of Christchurch Highland Pipe Band was an attractive feature of a good programme, and so also was the display of a drum-major’s work by DrumMajor W. Newton, of the same band. The other bands taking part, with their conductors, were:—Burnham Camp Band (Lieutenant G. Patterson); Christchurch Municipal Band (Lieutenant R. Simpson); Derry’s Military Band (Captain C. Hoskin); New Brighton Band (Mr J. A. Nuttall); National Reserve Band .(Lieutenant R. Simpson); Rangiora Silver Band (Mr S. J. Harford); Woolston Brass Band (Mr R. J. Estall). An impressive part of the day’s programme was the presentation to the National Military Reserve Band of its instruments by Lieutenant-Colonel J. Murphy, on behalf of the combined committee which worked for their collection. Assistance for Band Colonel Murphy, reviewing the history of the equipping of the band, said that last May the Territorial Association decided to collect approximately £IOOO to provide a band for the 3rd Battalion, National Military Reserve. The defence committee of the Chamber of Commerce came to a similar decision and a representative committee was set up comprising representatives of these two bodies, and of the Commercial Travellers’ Association, the Canterbury Bands’ Association, the Returned Soldiers’ Association, and the Commercial Radio Service. The committee heard that a number of band instruments were held in trust at Akaroa and Little River and these places were visited. At both places a number of valua!7le instruments (24 from Little River and several from Akaroa) were generously handed over for the duration of the war and six months thereafter. Officers, men, and non-commissioned officers of the National Military Reserve collected among themselves £IOO for the band and generous donations from the Canterbury Jockey Club, the Metropolitan, Canterbury Park, and New Brighton Trotting Clubs, the Licensed Victual-lers’-Association, and other organisations, made any further collections unnecessary. It was decided therefore, that with the approval of the Canterbury Patriotic Fund Committee 50 per cent, of yesterday's parade proceeds should go to the Provincial Patriotic Funds and 50 per cent, to the Blind Soldiers’, Sailors’ and Airmen's Fund. He thanked everyone who had assisted in the appeal for the band, especially Mr R. J.' Estall, conductor of fhe Woolston Band, whose knowledge and help had been invaluable. Colonel Murphy then handed to Colonel H. C. Hurst, Officer Commanding 3rd Battalion, National Military Reserve, a cornet as a token of all the instruments of the band. The Mayor (Mr E. H. Andrews) congratulated the people of Canterbury on the way they had again rallied to support patriotic funds by attending the parade in such big numbers. He spoke of the need for supporting patriotic funds, so that the wounded and the sick might Tjc well cared for on

heir return. He thanked the lands, too. An appeal to listance at any patriotic gatheringilways promptly and generously iwered. he said. '