$35,704 Debt On National Band’s Tour Cleared

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31580, 18 January 1968, Page 8

$35,704 Debt On National Band’s Tour Cleared

The $35,704 deficit Of the 1965 tour of the National Band of New Zealand to North America had been cleared, the New Zealand Brass Band’s association announced yesterday. The debt on the tour, which cost $185,006, was cleared through fund-raising efforts and contributions from all brass bands in the country. Mr P. M. Brooker, of Wellington, the president of the association, said the sustained effort required to clear the deficit was a tribute to the strength and loyalty of tbe band movement In New Zealand. He paid special tribute to the association’s secretary, (Mr G. R. Mowat, of Christchurch), who had taken a leading part tn organising fund-raising activities. "Echoes of the 1965 tour continue to bring fresh proof of the tremendous impression created by the National Band while it was away,” Mr Brooker said. “Many pressing invitations have been received for future tours.”

Among the invitations was one from the Chautauqua Institute in New York State, where the band received an impressive ovation from an audience of 11,000 in 1965. It was reported to a recent meeting of the management

committee of the association that about $BOOO, raised by the Dutch community in New Zealand, was being held in trust towards the expenses of future overseas tours to ininclude a visit to the Netherlands.