Palmerston North Garrison Band

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 64, 17 March 1938, Page 9

Palmerston North Garrison Band

THE RECENT CONTEST REVIEWED. Tlie committee of the Palmerston North Garrison Band met on Tuesday evening, Mr G. Tremaine being in the chair. A letter from the family of the late Mrs W. Francis, mother of the conductor of the Wanganui Garrison Band, thanking the Palmerston North Garrison Band for its expression of sympathy, was received. The Manawatu Racing Club advised that the band had been chosen to supply the music at the autumn meeting, the minimum number of bandsmen to be fifteen. Mr Pike reported that the band had dono its best at the contest. Tho band had been up against stiff opposition. One bandsman had seen lit to go his own way and that had, of course, penalised them heavily. There were one or two things which had caused a setback on the Friday evening, but on the whole the band had done its best under tho circumstances. Three weeks prior to the contest, events had happened, which left them with only one cornetist. There was, he reported, a shortage of senior members. Unfortunately, it took a number of years for a player to become proficient enough to compete in an A grade contest. If it had been a B grade contest it would have been a different matter, for thero would have been no shortage of men as the band possessed sufficient junior members to make up a B grade band. Mr Tremaine: I am sure that everyone is sorry that the band did not do better than it did. However, everything that could be done was done. The conductor had been, he knew, in a serious state of health; a state, in fact, which would have led many men. to go to bed. There were a number of bandsmen, also, who were not enjoying the best of health. Mr Cowlishaw (a bandsman): We know well the trouble we have had. Mr Pike was not in a fit state of health and we may have made mistakes. We are, however, training for the 1939 contest and we will try to give the conductor the best wo have. The band has complete faith in Mr Pike and they intend to give him a full measure of support. (Applause.) It was decided to forward letters of thanks for services rendered the band to Mesdames H. Barlow, S. Pike, and R. Robert. Mr Pike said that the annual camp had to terminate on April 11 and would be held at Ashhurst. His aim was to hold a four days’ camp. It would mean that most men would lose about £4 as the camp would be held on week days. At previous camps he had been able to arrange camp concerts and so raise funds sufficient to guard against loss of pay. He had to take into camp a minimum of 20 bandsmen and it was difficult to find that number of men, as he could not take anyone under IS years of age. Not many would be willing to leave £4 to earn 16s—-4s a day. If the committee could suggest a manner in which the band could come into town to hold a concert it would, no doubt, help to rectify the matter of pay. In reply to a question, Mr Pike said that the band did not get the Government subsidy unless the camp was successful. Mr Tremaine said the band had to go

into camp and tlie matter could best be left in the hands of the conductor. Mr Pike said he would not like to take tho men and say: “You will get paid when tho subsidy is paid.” It was agreed to leave the matter in the hands of the conductor and the finance committee.

It was resolved that the annual meet ing be held towards the end of April.