THE BURNHAM SCHOOL BAND.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8100, 27 August 1904, Page 7

THE BURNHAM SCHOOL BAND.

The pr-Seno© of thei Burnham S_hool Boys' Band in ChristcS fcreh on. the occasion of the Governor s *jfisit_ was the subject of comment in regard to the future of thafc organisation. Tte Burnham, Band is an oW institution, witch deserves to be " in a better condition, a^jd to be n/ore substantially supported thai A it is at present. Lieutenant-Colonel Loviday, officer-com-manding the Public Set doI Cadets of this colony, is of opinion t|iat the Bumha_n Band should b t turned into a Cadet Battalion Band; that effort should be made • to raise about £2.00 to ;properly equip the organisation; and that .'.it should be trained on military .line?. The school Cadets of North Canterbury sb Mild have a band of their own, of that thf ire is little doubt, ami Colonel Loveday, I -hink, has correctly defined -the souroe .-sfiicnc- the material should come, namtfly, the Burnham School. Experience hagt shown, at Home what can be done .with "boys' bands, with support and capable insfl Ruction. To my mind, it appears that t}_e Government of this colony should encour ige tho formation of such a band as is suggested, at Burnham. Were a moderate 4mount voted per annum for such purpose, there is little donbt that in about twoi years' time the Burnham School would '/possess a boys' band, run on military la_i_s, which would not only do duty as the nfceognised musical combination of the Public* Sciibol Cadets' of North Canterbury, but *i feich could journey to Christchurch and tHber places and J give periodical afternoon performances. A hand of boys for the Cadets of Wellington is being trained, and Colar.jel Loveday hopes that ib will grow into a ;powerfui musical combination,, which wiU'Tbs a credit to New Zealand. ... The master really ought tb be taken, in hand. L QV Provide tha funds for instruments in Ifc Wellington an art union is being promoted, -md it is anticipated that the amount revjbiired will ba . easily raised amongst the j Brents of school children, without recourse lo outside help. Why cannot such a scheroei be adopted in Christchurch? The Cadets, lam sure, would feel proud to have a. band of their own, and there is no need toY enlarge on the amount of good that would he done to the boys of Burnham. The following are the instruments that are requir fed for the suggested band:—B-flat and E-flat clarionets, oboe, flute, piccolo, bassorpis, tenor and bass saxophones, French hootos, besides the ordinary brass complement- cornets, trombones, euphoniums, bombardons and others. The band should comprise forty toys and a reserve force, Dii the shape oi a. pupil-class, should alwayj* joe maintained. The Cadets of North Cance_6>ury are under the control of two expert Volunteer officers, Majors Smithand-gfenUford, andi believe that if these gen.t_.lmen. took the matter in hand, it would n *fc be long before the Burnham School Eand.would be properly equipped with instruments, and placed on a better footing tfcan has hitherto been the case. And lam sure that there would be much joy in the Cadets' camp when the lads knew tlbjafc they had a really good band which the^ * could cali their own. What a grand Hhing for the Cadets of the publica scb.oo.te of North Canterbury to be ftbfe to siy, when the Burnham Ba/id headedythem on the march, " That is ' our' band playing^*" If parents and the public will only realise that it is necessary to have such a baa fed, the establishment of it should be bii* * matter of detail. I believe that Colonel Xoveday hiraself iiiitends to make a movi^ in. the matter; hut would it not be better fpr North Canterbury to first take action.- T trust now that the matter is put before the public _teps will he taken to for in the Burnham Band into a weU-orgaiMed combination for the benefit *f the Cadets »f the-North Canterbury public schools. ,