AUSTRALIAN BANDS RECOVERING FROM THE EFFECTS OF WAR

Wanganui Chronicle, 24 February 1947, Page 4

AUSTRALIAN BANDS RECOVERING FROM THE EFFECTS OF WAR

“I consider it a very great honour to have been selected for this post, and when the offer was made I readily accepted it,” said the adjudicator, Mr. Hugh Niven, Melbourne, interviewed in Wanganui on Sunday before the start of the New Zealand brass brand championship contests.

Mr. Niven is paying his first visit to New Zealand. Before going to Australia in 1911 he was solo cornetist for Clydebank Band, the premier band of Scotland. On arriving in Australia he immediately took up band training and during the past 6 years has been highly successful in all grades.

As cornet soloist Mr. Niven has won many events, including the Australian champonship at South Street, Ballarat. He has been conductor of Brunswick City Municipal Band (Melbourne) for 24 years and musical director of the A.A.A.F. for 23 years. He has also coached various bands for contests.

Though Mr. Niven has adjudicated at many contests in every state of Australia, this is his first appearance in New Zealand.

When interviewed by the "Chronicle” yesterday morning, Mr. Niven said he was already rather fascinated with what he had seen of the Do. minion.

“I have heard a great deal about the excellence of New Zealand bands i.nd the hospitality of the people. Already, in my short contact with them. I have experienced some of this hospitality,” Mr. Niven added.

"I am looking forward with very much interest to hearing the bands and individual performers. I am impressed with what I have heard from others who have adjudicated at New Zealand contests in the past.” Australian bands were recovering from the affects of the war and many young players were taking up band work, but some time would be taken up with educating these young men and bringing them up to the standard of pre-war bands. More younger men were becoming Interested in bands, however, and many of them had been recruited from State school bands and junior bands connected with the senior bodies. "This means of recruiting players for the senior bands is Instrumental In creating local interest, from which source the upkeep of the bands Is dependent to a very great extent,” said Mr. Niven. He added that he was looking forward to the hymn test in Wanganui that afternoon, but in the meantime was unable to comment on New Zealand bands generally. "Bandsmen can expect, and will get a candid opinion,” he said.