BOYS’ BAND TOUR

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 307, 25 November 1932, Page 12

BOYS’ BAND TOUR

VISIT TO THE CITY. LOCAL COMMITTEE FORMED. Education by trav<l is the slogan oi the Australian Boys' Band and revue party which will make a two months' tour of the Dominion from December 2G and visit Palmerston North: The band, twenty members of which are under twelve years of ago, represents the Hurstvillo (Sydney) division of the Young Australia League. Last evening a meeting was held in Palmerston North when M:: H. Sweney, the assistant director, laid before it the plans of the tour. Mr M. H. Oram presided and also present were Messrs \V. G. Black, J. A. Grant, C. Woods and K. G. Chamberlain. Apologies for absence •were voiced for Messrs A. J. Graham, A. E. Mansford, J. C. Young, V. T. Dibble and F. Jackson. Addressing the meeting, Mr Sweney said that one of the purposes of the league was to encourage a more friendlv interest between the various parts of the Empire, and the Englishspeaking world generally. With that idea in mind the Young Australia League brought three groups of boys from the United States of America to study conditions in Australia, the first in 1909, the second in 1913 and the third in 1919. In 1912, sixty-seven Canadian boys were brought by the league to Australia, while in 1926 forty-two British boys toured Australia under the auspices of the league. The first party from the league to go overseas was in 1911-12, when a tour of the world was made. The second was in 1915-16, when a party called at New Zealand en route to Canada and the United States. The third, in 1924, made an Empire tour, embracing the United Kingdom, and Canada. A big overseas tour was conducted by the league in 1925, when 140 boys toured the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Switzerland and Belgium. The most recent overseas venture took place in 1929, when 160 boys, representing the whole of Australia, made a seven months' tour of the United States and Canada. That was the biggest tour of boys yet undertaken in the world. The projected tour to the Dominion would be the first proper one and 38 boys would form the party. The profits arising from the tour were to be devoted to charitable institutions in the various places visited, such institutions to be determined by the local committee. Mr Sweney said that it would be necessary for each place visited to give a guarantee, that for the whole of the Dominion being £2500. Th"e centres were asked to guarantee £250 to £3OO and the other places £35 to £7O, Palmerston North's amount being £75. The tour was not being run for profit and no wages were to be paid. The two adults with the party would receive a. trifling amount towards their expenses, while 10 per cent wear and tear would be allowed on the uniforms. The receipts of the tour would be bulked and any loss would be borne on a pro rata basis. There would be 42 concerts for a 52 day tour and Sunday concerts could also be given, there being two or three complete programmes. The band, said Mr Sweney, would arrive in Palmerston North on December 31 (Saturday) and give two concerts during a three days' stay. The bandmaster was Mr B. W. Caten, professor at the Conservatorium of Music, Sydney, who was a member of the Conservatorium orchestra which toured New Zealand under Henri Verbrugghen in 1920. Mr Caten was also a member of the famous Scots Guards Band. There were 20 boys under the age of 12, and 18 between 12 and 15. When the band was on its American tour the late Mr John Philip Sousa had publicly stated that it was "the finest boys' band in the world."

Mr Sweney explained that the central committee in Christchurch would handle the advertising and general arrangement and expenditure, the local committee being required to arrange the guarantee, provide accommodation, and arrange entertainment for the boys. It was decided that a committee be formed, the members to comprise those present together with Messrs A. B. Mansford, B. J. Jacobs, J. Wallace, J. Selwyn, A. J. Graham, J. C. Young, V. T. Dibble and F. Jackson, who had agreed to act, with power to add. Mr Mansford is to be asked to act ns chairman and Mr Chamberlain was appointed secretary. The opinion was expressed that, despite the inconvenience of the dates for the visit, no difficulty would be experienced in arranging accommodation, several offers having already been made. A meeting of the committee will be called to arrange the guarantee, which will bo forwarded to Mr Gladstone Hill, in Christchurch, the director of the tour. It was agreed that no expenses be incurred locally without' first consulting the Christchurch committee. Mr Sweney stated that the Opera House had been booked for the concerts.