BANDSMEN BEREAVED.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 74, 24 February 1938, Page 9

BANDSMEN BEREAVED.

PLAYING. UNDER STRESS. There were few people at the band contest at the Showgrounds last evening who realised the stress under which the V anganui Garrison Band took the platform to play in the first A grade test selection and, incidentally to defend, the Dominion title, which they won last year. Less than a quarter of an hour before the band was due to play, Mrs W. Francis, the wife of one of the leading cornet players and mother of the conductor (Mr Reanev Francis, L.R.S.M.) and Mr Roy Francis, another cornetist. passed awav in a Palmerston North Hospital. Immediately the news was received bv the other bandsmen they decided that they would not and could not perform,"but Mrs Francis’s last wish had been “the band must go on, ’ and out of respect for this—because the deceased indy was regarded as the “mother” of the band—the Wanganui men, including the bereaved husband and two sons, took the platform. -That they secured second place is highly creditable under the circumstances, and while it might be unfair to the winners to say that had conditions been otherwise the result might have been different, it is certain that such a demonstration of fortitude has never been displayed at a band contest before. . „ , , . , At the conclusion of last evening s performance the sad announcement was made to the public by the president of the New Zealand Brass Bands Association (Mr E. Palliser), who said he had never known of such an incident in band contest history. He exjiressed sympathy with the bereaved family and paid a tribute to the fortitude of those members who had played that night. At the request of Mr Palliser the crowd stood in silence for a minute as a token of respect. Mr Palliser announced that the passing of Mrs Francis was not the only setback which the contest had suffered. On Monday the death had occurred of a vice-president of the association (Mr T. Lindsay Buick), while yesterday Bandsman W. Vinnell, of Timaru, had to return home by ’plane on account ,of the sudden death of Ins father, who was Mayor of Timaru. “Bad mgk seems to be stalking us,’ declared Mr Palliser. The Mayor of Palmerston North (Mr A. E. Mansford) also expressed the sympathy of the citizens of Palmerston North to the bereaved relatives. He said that nobody could but admire the courage the Francis family in doing their duty under such stress. The late Mrs Francis came to Palmerston North with the Wanganui Garrison Band and had been looking forward to it repeating last years performance. However, she became ill ami on Wednesday morning was admitted to a private hospital with only a slender chance of recovery, y . A third' son (Mr Leslie Francis)-..is also ail enthusiastic bandsman, being conductor of the well-known St. Jvilda Band, Dunedin. FUNERAL PARADE.

A striking tribute to the memory of the late Mrs Francis by the bandsmen assembled in Palmerston North for the Dominion contest will be-to-morrow, when they will parade 01 the funeral procession. Only the raimerston North Garrison and Wanganui Garrison Bands will have their instruments, but all the visiting bandsmen will parade at Messrs Griggs and Son’s mortuary chapel in Main ktree , towards Princess Street, and in “rmcess Street. Tlie cortege will pass along Broadway to the Bank of Ne Zealand corner, and proceed aioi D Rangitikei Street, being led by tlie Palmerston North Garrison Band with the Wanganui Garrison Band in the rear. At Grey Street each band will open formation and the succeeding bancjs will pass through. _■ The pall-bearers wil be Palliser (president of the New Zealand Brass Bands’- Association) . J. «• V s * borne (secretary), W. P. MacLacblan, and A. G. Homer (supervisors) A. it. Mansford (chairman of the local committee), and E. P, Kerry (judge).