WATERSIDERS' BAND

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 56, 7 March 1923, Page 6

WATERSIDERS' BAND

AFFAIRS WOUND UP

NEW ORGANISATION FORMED.

As a sequel to the seizure of its instruments at the recent contest at Dunedin, the Wellington Waterside Workers' Band, as such, has severed all connection with the local Watersiders' Union, but the members desiring to keep the personnel of the combination together have decided, to form a new band, and endeavour is to be made to get the Harbour Board to give it recognition by enabling it to use the title, "Wellington Harbour Board Brass Band."

A meeting of the' members of the old band was held on Sunday morning, and there was a full attendance. The situation which has arisen was discussed from every standpoint, and the only conclu-, sion which it was felt could be come to was that it would be best for the members to tender their resignations as members of the Waterside Workers' Band. This step was accordingly taken, as it was considered to be the best way to protect the interests of those who wanted to form a new band. The incident which occurred at Dunedin, it vwas explained to a "Post" reporter to-day, was not the result of anything the members of the band load done, but they had been the innocent victims of other circumstances.

After formal business had been transacted and the resignations had been announced, those present at the meeting passed a resolution that another band be formed, and that the Harbour Board be approached for permission to call the new organisation the "Wellington Harbour Board Brass Band." Officers were elected as follow:—Conductor, Mr. J. J. Drew; secretary, Mr. E..V. Willers; bandmaster, Mr. H. F. Vincent; band sergeant, Mr. J. Glennie; corporal, Mr. T. M'Gregor,; treasurer, Mr. F. Bourke; committee, Messrs. W. Barke, Glennie, and J. Cummings.

"We are now a reconstructed organisation without instruments," stated a member of the new band to-day. "This band has now no connection whatever with the Waterside Workers' Union in any shape or form. The old band met with a groat amount of success at Dunedin, and the members want to keep together as they feel that the combination will be a musical asset to the city and to the Dominion. Should the necessary consent be forthcoming from the Harbour Board, the new band will really belong to a public institution and will, therefore, be deserving of the fullest public support, more particularly as it will be free from all political and Labour union influence."

As the new band is without instruments and the uniforms are held to be the property of the Waterside Workers' Union as they appear in the books of the union as an asset. "The Post" was informed that a campaign would shortly be started to raise £1000 with which to purchase instrumenos and new uniforms, as well as supplies of music Already, several other bands throughout the Dominion had offered to assist in placing the new band upon its feet. Although there is at present no Harbour Board band in New Zealand, there is such a band in Australia, and the Geelong Harbour Trust Band, a very fine combination, was at the height of its successful career when it was conducted by Mr. H. Shugg, who was the chief adjudicator at the band contest held in Wellington last year.

The band instruments which were seized by the sheriff's officer at Dunedin belonged to the Wellington Waterside Workers' 'Union, and it is understood that there is some prospect of them being returned to the union. Should they be handed back, however, the union would be at liberty to do what it liked with them, as tho newly-formed band is out to procure instruments of its own, all relations between its members and the union having ceased.