THE NEW BAND ROOM

Timaru Herald, Volume XC, Issue 13276, 3 May 1907, Page 5

THE NEW BAND ROOM

OFFICIAL OPENING. On the arrival of (he Hon. W. HallJones by the second express from Christchurch yesterday, he was met at the railway station by Colonel Mackenzie, and other "officers of the South Canterbury Infantry Battalion, and by the Battalion Band, "it having been arranged' that he should formally open the new Band room, • opposite the Drill Hall in Mill'street. The baud escorted the carriage in which Mr and Mrs Hall-Jones were conveyed, and a considerable number of people followed. A small platform had been erected in front of the room, whence, a. few speeches were made,' to a considerable assemblage of people. . . , Colohel Mackenzie on behalf of the volunteers and the band welcomed the Act-ing-Premier, and asked him to open the bandroom. He congratulated the band on having .obtained one of the best rooms in New Zealand, and upon the energy and co-operation which they had shown in obtaining it. and thanked.the people of Timaru for the assistance they had given. It. must prove, be said, of the greatest benefit to the band, to have a room of their own, where, their -.instruments and oilier property would be. safe, and where they ■ would, be at home, and he had no doubt it would result in improvement In then- music, and the public of Timaru would have their return in that way. Colonel .Mackenzie handed to Mr HallJones a silver key, bearing a memorial inscription, and requested him to ' open the hail. ■,. -'■'. '-'.",'' Before doing so the Acting-Premier gave a short address to those present. He expressed his pleasure at behig called .upon to open set substantial a building. Not) long since he. was speaking ; ta : one of. the best bandmasters in the Empire, who told him that the. Timaru Band contained material equal to any other band in. the colony, and he gathered that they only wanted Mich a: room as this to practice in to enable them to- win all the prizes in the compe'itio'ns. He hoped it would be so. The' Garrison Band did good work for the Volunteers, making their work much more cheerful, but itfMso had done good work for the town* for wherever this band had been to a contest, it had won. the respect of the -people of the towns visited. (Applause),. .. Hei wished them every pleasure in their new possession and every success as a result of having it. A little difficulty about the site --would no. doubt be got.' over, and the Defence Department he hoped w6uld add a.contribution cost. -Mr'Hall-Jones - made ; some remarks on the duty of ~ the colony to provide for its defence, as .a duty" to the Empire, and . alluded. to .speeches made, on the subject at the limperial Conference. The contribu- ,- tionto the Australian Squadron was a trifle. The scattered colonies must provide safe ports and men who could, handle the rifle •in an emergency, and be ready also to play the part of defenders where dei T fence was' of ben easiest—in .the enemy!*) country. The- present .Cabinet was, • not unmindful of'; its. duty in, respect to defence, and by new regulations, .more'.;-li-beral supplies of arms and ammunition, the .provision of miniature rifle, ranges for practice in bad weather, and the"'encour-. agement of shooting by offering champion belts for each ; district, they hoped to make the New Zealand 'volunteer.force t/he best in any of the,'colonies. He'pdinted tothe Deceased Troopers' Memorial, prominent' in tha western skyline from where he stood and asked that the readiness which New Zea.landers had shown, to ; volunteer, for service in Soutlv Africa should be : the. prece- ■' dent, for similar readiness in any_ future Imperial emergency. . In conclusion, he! repeated his good" wishesi for. the success of the band, and'.thanked, them 'for tire pleasure it gave him to open their new room. Before descending to unlock the door, Mr Hall-Jones suggested that* Captain David, of the s. s. Corinthic, who. occupied - a seat on the platform, should say a few words-, and Captain David complied. Mr Hall-Jones, then unlocked and; opened the door. The band filed in, walked • round their stands hi the room aiid filed out again. The Minister and officers then entered and inspected ".the interior, ?and .the room was thrown open to the. public? n tlie exterior of' the building is well known. The interior has quite a pleasing appearance. !• The lift .walls of concrete blocks are lined with lath ;ivnd plaster, smoothly faced with stuccolite,. the-lining .separated - from the. .concrete by battens, this arrangement tending/to deaden echoes. The surface /has a dado painted, in chololate, above this the walls are kalsomiried in large, pahels alternately, white and buff, and ikesa and, a- frieze are - very:, neatly decorated with 'stencilling, .the net effect being very satisfactory. "The open principalled roof, sarked with dressed: red pine, is painted white. For evening worl*—and niost of the:practices are held hi tlie even-ing—se,y-en hi candescent, gas lights are pendent from the.roof so. as to Tight- the stands efficiently. ..At on© end a space is partitioned off to provide a committee room and a store room. Altogether the, band have a' commodious and suitable-' homey and one they may well, be proud of. Tlie bandroom was built by Mr F. Palliser, Mr Husband doing the woodwork, and the decoration of the.interior Avails was the work of two members of the band. . -v.:' -■"•' -V- - - •