HOKITIKA NOTES

Greymouth Evening Star, 31 December 1940, Page 2

HOKITIKA NOTES

[OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] HOKITIKA, December 31. The Hokitika Municipal Band last evening entertained and made presentations to two veteran bandsmen, Messrs. J. Stapleton and W. E. Richards. Mr. A. Parkhill presided over a large attendance. He apologised for the absence of Mr. C. Ross, in Christchurch.

In proposing the health of the guests, Mr. Parkhill referred to their long career as bandsmen and their influence on members. Both had seen pvier 50 years’ service in handiwork, ML StaW6n in Hokitika, and Mr. Richards inJKumara first, and then Hokitika. There he conducted the band during the absence of Mr. C. A. Ross in England, and was bandmaster for several years. The Band wished to show their appreciation of these two members and asked each to accept a gift from .the members—a fountain pen and eversharp pencil duly engraved. Several other members also spoke. The toast was drunk with musical honours.

Mr. Stapleton and Mr. Richards, responding, thanked Mr. Parkhill and members for their kind expressions and the gift, representing their esteem. Anything done for the Band, they said, was amply rewarded by the pleasure received by the good fellowship always shown by the members. Mr. Richards exhorted the members to carry on with that same good fellowship and serve the public ungrudingly. The appreciation by the public for that was amply shown, by the generous response at each Christmas. The present band had passed its 33rd year and although not up to contest form, dispensed good music, and was an inspiration in which the young men were learning something for their own good and others. The toast of “The. Visitors,” was proposed by Mr. Richards.. and responded to by Messrs. D. Christensen (senr) and L. Graham. The monthly meeting of the Westland branch of the Canterbury Mountaineering Club was held in the Town Hall last evening. A small attendance was . presided over by Mr Malcolm Davidson. The only report for the month was of a trip to the HokitikaWhitcombe Junction by Mr Tom Ward and party. A letter is to be sent to the parents of Mr Walter Panton, who is believed to be a prisoner of war, expressing sympathy with them. A vote of. .sympathy on the death of Mr Tom Ward’s father was carried in silence. Two of the members who had spent three months in Burnham Territorial Camp recounted some of their experiences, ..