TOURING THE WORLD.

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 April 1910, Page 1

TOURING THE WORLD.

GREYMOUTH BA N DSMA \"S EX I'KKIKNCE 36,559 MILES IN A VEAK.

Mr Walter M'Ponald, an x-Croy-mouth bandsman who joined (lie Kilties' Band in New Zealand, sends the Canterbury Times the following interesting information concerning his experiences so far. The 'otter is dated January 30, and was written at sea on board the P. and 0. Company's liner, India :

''Thinking perhaps that some of the New Zealand bandsmen would like to hear of my travels with ihe Canadian Kilties' Baud I take pleasure in sending this outline of our tour up t.i date, and tho proposed future. It is just one year ago to-day (January 30) since I joined tho Kilties in Greymouth, through one of the members having an urgent call h mie, and it has been the most eventful year of my life.

Since we left Greymoutli we have visited nine countries, played 418 concerts, and have travelled 36,559 miles by land and sea. We have had the pleasure of hearing many brass and military bands, for in almost every town in Tasmania and Australia we were escorted in parades by such combinations, and in Ceylon, India, Burma, Egypt, Italy and France there are, as you know, many fine military bands. You perhaps know more about New Zealand bands than I do., so I will not dwell on them, but I will try and give you a rough idea of a few we heard in Tasmania and Australia. On the whole Tasmanian bands are fairly good, and two of them are especially fine, namely the Hobart Garrison and the Launoeston Military. The Launoeston combination is fifty i strong, and the wood wind section _ is very strong. This was the only mili-

tary band we heard while in Tasmania and Australia. In Melbourne we heard the Collingwood Brass Baud (the champion band of Australia). It played the overture to "William Tell," but. I do not think the band can bo compared with the Wanganui Garrison Band.

The St. Augustine Orphanage Boys' Band, of Gcelong, is very line, and it. would be an education to some New Zealand bands to hear the lads play. It was a marvel to see those little fellows rill their instruments in the way they did, for some of the players were no bigger than their instruments. Ballarat can also boast of having a tine band, the Ballarat City combination. One of its finest features is drilling and a smart appearance.

In Perth, Western Australia, we had the pleasure of listening to the Perth City Band at a Sunday afternoon performance. The programme was a classical one, and it was exceedingly well rendered. I am sure this is the finest brass band 1 have ever heard in my life, mainly on account of the high standing of* individual ability. Mr Cook, our bandmaster, has had several flattering offers from the Perth City Band to take charge. Tin- Boulder City Band h<n us in parade while in Kalgoorlie, ; ml I had the pleasure of hearing the playeis at a rehearsal. They are g lin selection work, having several Sue soloists, and Mr Hugh M'Mahon, tin iduc-i'-r. is. ;is von know, a fine cornet Player.

The sea-t lip from Perth t" Colombo, Ceylon, look ten days, and in about the seventh day we crossed the Equa-tor—-1 fur the first time. J wont to bod early that night, but eld Father Neptune, behind his long red whiskers and in front of his blood-thirsty gang, scared me half to death, They dragged me up on deck in my pyjamas, and, as I thought afterwards, i was lucky to have them on even. To make a long story short, I got shaved by old Neptune with ice water. While 1 was rubbing the soap out i f my eyes someaone pushed me into a nig swimming bath on board. 1 thought 1 was thrown over the rail. I never saw anything like these Kilties when it comes to playing jokes.

All the bands of India. Ceylon, Burma and other [daces in the East, are composed of brass and rood., the miiilary instrumentation, so we have not heard a brass band since leaving Australia. Through India the old forts and places connected with the Indian Mutiny interested me very much, and in Burma, especially at Rangoon, the Pagodas were a wonderful sigh:.

While in Cairo, Egypt, I visited the Pyramids ami Sphinx, covering paii of the route io them on camels. 1 cannot say much for the comforts of camel riding- no civilised man could. It cos! me ten piastres (about two shillings) to have my Lack nearly broken and my aims almost pulled up the uroa.t pyramid by two Bedouin :aides. Cheops Pyramid is 451 feel and 775 feet wide at the base-- tip' bigg -st pile of stone.- ! ever saw. On top. the nuide beat tue for a shilling for 'oiling my fortune. He said : I see that von are a long way from your home." I told hint that he must, be right, for 1 nover remembered seeing any pyramids in New Zealand. The Sphinx looks like a hard case. His nojejs broken and one eye is caved in Cairo is a great town for music and . very cafe and hotel in "the place has an orchestra playing day and ti'ght. The tiiiest; bands we met in "he Far East were those of Egypt- The regimental bands of Alexandria and Cairo attended our concerts in bodies, and they wie highly pleased with Mr Cook ami our soloists. On the whole the Kilties were highly complimented ■i\ the officers and men of the Egyptian Army. We lauded in Briudisi, Italy, and from Italy we wont to Marseille*, i'Taneo. Gibraltar will be our m-xt playing place, and then we '.'ill go direct to London. ! In- tour of the British Is.es will be a long one. for we will open ill London on February 7, with a six months' engagement. After the British Isles we will go to Norway and Sweden, then through Belgium and (jermaiiy. In all it. will bo about, a year vet bofore we get to Canada. There the band will ies| a few weeks, and then start .-ii a long tour of the United States. I'p to date the tour has proved very successful and a very enjoyable one. both to the management ami boys, ami iev all agree with me that Now Zealand > s the Lest country visited so far. Mr Cook likes Australasia so well that he is considering the possibility of opening a first-class school of music somewhere m Australasia, for the education of bandsmen, m busts and bandmasters. I would like to semi my kin.l r< ..ards m all tn\ friend? in New Zealuvl. and. ,j von el any oi the musi-i'ins "f Ma'oriland would like Io hoar from me „,v addr.-ss is as under: -\V. M'Poliald, care of Canadian Kilties Band, touring the world, Aklwich Theatre. London, W.C.. England.