BAND ROTUNDA

Northern Advocate, 6 August 1930, Page 3

BAND ROTUNDA

SUGGESTION FOR CENTRAL PARK DEPUTATION WAITS ON COUNCIL. “ WE WANT A HOME.” A deputation from the Whangarei Municipal Silver Band, comprising Messrs D. P, Jones, D. Amos, K. Collier, H. Flewcllyn and F. Ecclcs, waited upon the Borough Council on Monday night urging that a band rotunda he built in Central Park.

After the introduction of the deputation by Or, L. T. Pickmcre, the principal! spokesman, Air Jones said that the council had intimated that the first move towards securing the rotunda should come through representations from the band. At present, the band was without a home and even for inside performances had to play under conditions which wove distinctly unfavourable, and unfair to the member, s. Mr Jones traced the vicissitudes tire band, had undergone in recent years front the point of view of playing places. For a time Sunday concerts in the Town Hall had paid handsomely, especially with tiie co-opera-tion of the Broadcasting Company and some live public-spirited citizens, who had given the band a chanci; to place Whangarei upon the musical map of the Dominion. Recent concerts had been turn at .a loss, as the band encountered opposition from the Ministers’ Association, iW'hich objected to night concerts. As a last resort the band applied, and was given the right to .show pictures in connection with, its Sunday night concerts, but this raised such a. storm of indignation that it< was realised it would be best to lot the suggestion lapse, and not offend the religious suseeptihJlitibs of some of the Band’s best supporters. The Minister’s Association had intimated that it would not object to this, band playing on Sunday afternoon. This was acceptable to the band, but it. had no place to play from. What was required was a band rotuhda similar to that which had been built at Dargaville, at a cost of £257. The speaker produced plans and speeifications of the Dargaville rotutida. Although the cost of labour and material had risen considerably since the Dargaville rotunda was built he did not anticipate that the cost would be mrtre as certain modification corild be made. Hopewell Memorial. , “We have another suggestion to make, if the council sees fit to accede to our request, and that is that the rotunda should be called the ‘William Hopewell Memorial ■Rotunda,’ in honour of one of the finest bandsmen in Whangarei, who, although he had never played an instrument, had stuck to the band through its bright days and through its dark days; and one who was well-known and respected throughout Now Zealand band circles, ” The tCchhical side' was dealt with by Mr Amos, who claimed to have sonic authority on the subject having been connected for 35 years with bands throughput. Australasia and England. Ho said that a band playing off a pedestal gave the, best results. The sound rose to the tbp of the .conical rotunda, and spread out ,allowing the full volume and tunefulness to be appreciated. On the .other haiid a band playing on the ground was severely handicapped as the instruments often, sounded as though .out of tiine. Air Amos .said that it had been his experience that the public would listen to and appreciate a band as long as they were satisfied with the music. The speaker gave ar. instance of an Australian town where the baud had been quite neglect ed until a. rotunda, was secured; after that -it was idolised. He considered that no 'Centre, unless it had a rotunda, was well provided musically, and he was sure that when one was secured for Whangarei, quite a different tone would prevail in the feelings of the public towards the band. Cheaper Perhaps. Air E. Collier contended that Central Bark would not. be complete without a rotunda. For the future the band had mapped out a .comprehensive programme of playing one week night a fortnight, and one .Sunday afternoon a month. The Junior Baud, 37 strong had also io be catered for. Ho intimated his preparedness to supply the engineer with plans and specifications which would allow- of the rotunda being constructed as cheaply as possible. Mr Collier said that he had been in charge of the erection of the overhead railway bridges, in which no reinforced concrete whatever was used, and he thought that much of this class of work included in the Dargaville rotunda, was not necessary. The Mayor said that it must be understood that no money had been put on the estimates for the erection of a band rotunda, but he could see no reason why it should not -be gone on with. When the request was first -raised in the bnndrnom it had been suggested that, the band would assist with labour if the borough found the materials.

Mr Collier said this liar] been at first intended, but when the cost was discovered to be so 1ow t the band <did not censidcr that the labour would bo worth the delay, ns there were only two tradesmen in the band. An opening’ night collection would go a long

wav towards the construction costs,

Mr Flewellyn questioned the advisability of erecting a rotunda built with amateur labour in a public park. Cr. L. T. Pickmere inquired what prevented the existing rotunda from

being remodelled. The reply was that tin' foundations were gon<' and the building "as not safe. Mr donas they thanked the coimcil for the manner in which the deputation had boon received, and Dio members withdrew. To Parks, Committee. Or. A. T. Brainsby said that before the coimcil considered Die very excellent case presented by Dip deputation it should receive a report from the. borough engineer as to position and approximate costs. Tiio Mayor thought it would bo betdor 10 rotor tlio question of side and finance to the Parks Committee and tins tv as agreed upon. The Mayor said ho was in doubt as to whether the residue of Central Park Improvement Loan, could be used for Die erection of a rotunda.