YOUNG AUSTRALIA LEAGUE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 16, 16 December 1932, Page 14

YOUNG AUSTRALIA LEAGUE.

BAND’S VISIT TO PALMERSTON NORTH. In order to further arrangements for the coming visit of the Young Australia League and Revue Party, a meeting of the local committee was held yesterday afternoon, at which the director or the New Zealand tour, Mr H. , Gladstone Hill, was present. The Mayor s (Mr A. E. Mansford) presided. 3 j Mr Gladstone Hill stated that as he ijhad organised, and managed the tour _ of the New South Wales State Orches- _ itra through New Zealand in 1919-20, . the Young Australia League asked him t to do the same for them. A public meet- > ing was called by the Mayor of Christ--5 church, at which a Dominion Council 5 was elected with power to act and control the tour on behalf of the Domitii ion. Later, Sir Heaton Rhodes accept- • ed the office of president and the whole . organisation went into the business [ with a swing, he said. The result of 1 all this was that the band and revue ; party would leave Sydney by the ■ Marama to-day and were due at Auckland on Tuesday next. In answer to a question, Mr Gladstone Hill said it was not merely a boys’ band or even a band concert, and in this connection it would interest readers to note what Mr Hugh J. Ward, the well-known theatrical manager, had to say. In a letter which Mr Hill received in Christchurch last week, Mr Ward said: “I have seen juvenile acrobats, comedians, dancers and singers in many parts of the world, but none better tha.n these boys of the Young Australia League.” The Lord Mayor of Sydney, under date December 1, wrote to Sir Heaton Rhodes concerning the visit of the boys and concluded his letter bv saying: “The people of New Zealand will not only be helping a good cause, but they will get entertainment value equal to any high-class professional adult performance.” These opinions, Mr Hill considered, established without doubt the value of the boys as entertainers. There were 38 boys in the party and three adults. Twenty-six of the boys were under 12 years of age. and 12 were between the ages of 12 and 15. Mr J. S. McGowen was the manager and Professor W. B. Caten, of the State Conserva-torium of Music, the musical director. The outstanding boy was Charlie Stanton, the smallest and youngest drum-major in the world. BILLETTING ARRANGEMENTS. In answer to a question by the Mayor, Mr W. G. Black stated that he had received offers from people who were desirous of billeting the boys. The Mayor and Mr Chamberlain had also received offers. Mr J. C. Young promised to take the billeting in hand and report to a meeting which is being called for Monday next in the Mayor’s room. In the meantime readers desirous of giving accommodation to the boys wlule in Palmerston North are asked to communicate with the Mayor, Mr G. K. Chamberlain or Mr J. C. • Young. The party will arvive in Pal-, merston North by the Auckland express at 4.47 a.m. on Saturday, December 31. and will not leave again until Wednesday, January 4, when they go to Masterton. Mr Hill explained the question of guarantees and stated that receipts and expenditure would be pooled for the Dominion so that one place could not “fall down” through, perhaps, bad weather. The guarantors were thus protected and ho did not anticipate any loss on the tour. On the contrary it was confidently expected there

would be over £IOOO profit and this would be distributed among each place visited pro rata. , Mr Young told the meeting that he was in Christchurch on Wednesday and took the opportunity of discussing the whole matter of the Y.A.L. tour with Mr Denys Hoare, who was the auditor and treasurer of the tour and whose appointment was confirmed by the auditors of the Young Australia League in Sydney. Everything was done in a most business-like manner and the organisation of Mr Gladstone Hill was complete to the mo9t minute detail. He had every confidence in the outcome of the tour and undertook to get the guarantee list completed. Quite a good amount was signed for in the room. The Mayor said it was unfortunate that the visit was at a time when many leading citizens would be away on holiday, but the good name of Palmerston North must he maintained and he therefore a.ppealed to citizens generally to rally round the committee.