The Austral Band.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXVII, Issue 8489, 24 May 1904, Page 4

The Austral Band.

The Wear street hall was crowded to excess last evening, when the Austral Guards ' Band gave their entertainment. This band is the outcome of Commissioner M'Kie's idea to stir up interest in the work of the Salvation Army. When the organisation was decided upon there were 200 applications for admission, and out of these SO were selected 1 . The band was then formed into two divisions, No. 1" travelling in West Australia, and No. 2 in New Zealand. The bandsmen agree to devote two years to the work of helping the Army, during which time they receive no salary, but are paid sufficient to cover expenses. The band is conducted by Guard H. Berryman, who has his forces well under control. The band leader is Adjutant W. H. Gore, who organised and trained 1 the first Guards Band 14 years ago, and who has been engaged in Army work ever since. He has been appointed Commissioner MlCie's representative for the New Zealand tour. Adjutant Gore is said to be a keen musician, and he has passed the greater part of his life in connection with brass bands. No. 2 division of the Austral Guards Band, consisting of 25 men, commenced their New Zealand tour on April 20th. in the south, and intend to finish in the north. on October 23rd, when they will leave for Sydney and Melbourne. They have had a very successful tour so far in the colony, and have met with much kindness from the bandsmen with whom they have come in contact. Last evening a varied programme was gone through. There was in it the free-and-easy element which characterises all the Army's gatherings, and the large audience appeared to enjoy itself thoroughly. The band's playing was of a firstclass character. The attack was excellent, and all the pieces were given with a vigor which required a much larger hall than that of Wear street to be properly appreciated in. The instruments were well in tune, and it was evident that the players were in sympathy with the conductor and also with each other. The selections included "Verdi" and "A Casket of Gems," and these were well rendered. Then there was an overture, a march, and two fantasias. Into one of these latter, caJled "The Smithy in the Wood" were introduced a variety of incidents in the way of cat-calls, snoring, and dog-barking, the singing of birds, the lowing of cows, and' the clash of the anvil. It was a medley which pleased the audience—and what more would one have? In addition there were vocal and instrumental' solos, quartettes, glees, and recitations, the whole forming a long programme which went with a splendid swing and secured loud and frequent applause. Some of the individual numbers were very sweet. As a concluding item "The Holy City" was given, by request, and proved to be one of the best items of the evening, the solo being rendered in a very telling manner, and the accompaniment being sympatheically sustained. At the conclusion Major Cumming thanked the Oamaru Salvationists for the kindness they had shown to the bandsmen during the latter's stay in Oamaru.