MAORILaND BANDS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5285, 15 June 1895, Page 6

MAORILaND BANDS.

[by "tomtom."]' Thb Addinoton Workshops Band. Mr J. Pooleyj Conduotor. To old stagers this name poiwasei a flecided charm, for it was the band's Kwiden name. Oa Jan. 23, 1881, a meeting tout held, but owing to the very preliminary nature of it those aaaembled adjourned

till Feb. 1, when the following met and decided to form a band to be known as the •• Addington Workshops Band " :•— Mesars J. A. M'Cullouifh,J. Courtney, Ho£fmeie ( er, Owen, Bennetts, tha two Chegwins, Say, Norman, Turnbull, Hancccir, Haigh, Kerr, Childs, Whitta and Pojloy. Passing a formal refolution wa3 easy and pleasant, and the election of Mr Poolsy as bandmaster equally so, but the taßk of equipping tha men with uniforuis find inatrumonts T?a3 a different matter altogether. However, it was overcome.

The maiden practices were held in an old ramshackle shed in Durham -Street j the material was a bit on the oudo aide, and Mr Pooley had an uphill game to playj but he made excellent pfogrees, and brought the band alont; in rare style. At first the baud was ratuer nomadic, there being no regular practice-room ; but better days were in store, and soon a fairly good praorice-room at the rear of the Railway HoU>l was 3ocured. One of those abovementioned—John M'Cullough--iB nothing if not practical, and owing to his advocacy tho Adtlingfcon Workuhops Baud becime a registered body nucler the Friendly Societies' Act., and I believe I am correot in saying that to this band belongs the honour of being tbo first to come under the Act.

At the Chriatohurch contest held in 1883 the Addiri}/ton Workshops Band piuyed "The Casket -of Jewels," aad rrtther surprised ltd rivals by wiunincj. Q. Junss (Oimani), B. Button (Uhrietchurcb) and G. A. Martin (Wanaanui) acted as judges, Rod issued a detailed report euch as h;va never yet been approached by any other judge or judgea. Each movement was criticised, and it formed a report which waa highly satisfactory to viefcora and losera. At the ChriVchureh couteßt in 1889 the band took fourth placo, but in subsequent con t eat d ife whs not quite! so high. Larger fields, better company, and a conotant changing of rapmliers were the chief factors in bringing this about.

The Addinrjton Workshopa Band had come cnpitjU workers in its ranks, viz., Aroliie M'Eiilop,, Cronin, tho Courtuey brothers, Laroombe ("who for yearß was- eecretary), Whitta (the treasurer, who held hia position from tho band's inception till bia death last June), and J. M'Cullough, who was ovar to the front in all band mutters, and one of tha originators of tbe proaent Bando Asaociation.

" Change amuses the mind, yet scarcely profits," co writes Goethe, and as to whether tho disuse of name was wise or otherwise I don's pretend to any. The change waa hotly opposed by old memo hero, but the t'act\ rerasius that: in September, 1892, the old Addingfcoa Workshops Baud changed its name, and has since boen known as "The Canterbury Engineers' Bind," it bein.< attached to that; corps. Uaptfcin M'Gob «nd his men have assisted the bind iauaany ways, &nd during the months when the art nnioa was bsing carried out did good service in the cause. Oae remarkable feature &bou*i this band ia the number of bandmasters it has had during the last few yenre. JVom the early days up to 1892, Mr John Pooley was bandmaster. Then came change upon change— Mr W. Dora, Bir Bunz, Mr John Gordon, acd, until a recent d'ite, Mr Alec Gordon. The last-named is now bandleader, and the old bandmaster ranks as conductor. Thia proves that the Engineers are fully alive to the fact that a band, to be in the running, cannot manage without a playing conductor. Tho following is a list of the members of the band :— Bandmaster, Mr J. Pooley ; leader, Mr A. Gordon; corsets, Cnmeroa, Pratt, Chegwin, Wslson, M'Auslin, Cb«rlea, Jenkins and Bamfield ; horns, Hancock, Cook, Fountain?, Brown and Weiidelken; trombones, Jenner, Smith and Grammar; baritones, Clark and Horwell; euphonium, W. Oliver; basaeg, Hornnt'll. Andrews and Donaldson ; drums, D ivid and Suter ; hon secretary, G. W. Jenner; hon treasurer, F untairie. Some erstwhile members are D rry, Sinclair, Blytb, Ornze, Gay (now in England), and A. M'Killop (in Ballarat, I believe).

W. H. Whibta's name ig missing from the above list. His death was a great loss to the band and Ilia placs .may never be filled. Mr M'Uullongh is still a member, for he waa fleeted a life member when he ceased to be an active member, aid le£fc Christchurch for a country residence. In M'Cullough the membars had a co-worker hard to match, and quite impossible to beak, and it jb consoiiag to them to know that hiß aerviceß are not altogether lost to the band. The art union promoted by the band was carried to a successful iesne, and the handsome credit balance that resalted enabled an order to be cent fora complete set of " Higham'a Patent Clew Bore losfcrumenW Another arfc union is contemplated, the object in view being' to raine funda for the parchaae of a new uniform.

To follow cloooly tho doings of the Christohurch Euffinoera' Band would occupy too much space, but before oiosing io would be wroug to omit to mention one who for many yeara, with a brief respite, has filled the onerous position o£ honorary secretary, and one who has pUyed a good hand in all matters connected with Chriatchurch bands. I allude to Mr George Jenner. Hia services to tha band are recognised and thoroughly appreciated, and no more ■worthy member wears its uniform. Mr Fountaine, tha treasurer, bails from Auckland, and is a capital worker and a most enthusiastic bandsman. Mr Jsnnor ia Banguine of future prosperity, the foundation for which has been well and truly laid by old members. There are many of tl>e?e who still take a deep interest in the welfare of the bind, which will be represented at Timaru. As Mr Pooley has the band well in han<s, the , assistance of Mr Gordon as leader and an enthusiastic set of members at bis back, success in the contest field under the present regime should be a3Burecl.

There are so many in Chrisfchurch— especially in the railway service—who have pasafld through this band that it has become a semi-Government School of Music. In faofc, for r number of yeara it was essentially a Workshops Bind. To-day it is not such. Before closing, it is becoming to pay tribute to the ancient members who bad to surmount various difficulties— and did, too — and who were successful in launching the old " A.W.8." and maintaining it a good position. I cannot remember all the "ancients," but they included Gay, Hancock, Pooley, Powell Bros., Chegwin, the late Mr Whitta, Courtenay Moore and others. The • * moderns " am all good workers and cannot do better th>m take a pattern from one whose name doea not appear in the above, but who, in the early days, and up to a couple of yeara ago, was a tower of strength to the band aa a player, sn office-holder, and working member unsurpassable, viz., John A. M'Cullougb.

Pbbsentation. — At Timaru yeßterd»y a number of professional and business people, a large proportion of whom were connected with ttaa building trade, presented Mr M. da H. Duval, architect, with an illuminat d address on the occasion of his departure for hie native country. Mr Duval bas bean a resident of Timaru for over nineteen years, and bmong the monuments of his professional work in the district are the , Convent building and many of the public [ schools and -tho Timaru Theatre.— At the '■ ordinary meeting of the Canterbury Carpenters and Joiners' Association, held last night, a presentation was marie to Mr E. J. , Lough, on the occasion of hie relinquish- I ing the office of treasurer, which he has held since the formation of the society. Tepid Swimming Bath.— A meeting of the delegates from the various swimming I clubs appointed to consider the question of the proposed tepid swimming bath, wae held at the Clarendon Hotel lfttit evening. ■ After some discussion it was decided to adjourn the meeting in order to see what steps had been taken towards the formation

of a tepid bath by a private company, an, in tho event of the company in question erecting a suitable bath, there would be ao necessity' to approach the City Council in the matter. The delegates ex pn seed themselves in favour of the project a3 laid before them by Mr R. Hall.