QUEEN ALEXANDRA BAND ELECTS OFFICERS AT KEEN ANNUAL MEETING

Wanganui Chronicle, 17 October 1950, Page 6

QUEEN ALEXANDRA BAND ELECTS OFFICERS AT KEEN ANNUAL MEETING

The annual meeting of the Band ot the 2nd. Armoured Regiment (Queen’:; Own) was held last night to elect officers, look back over the past year and make plans for the future. The meeting was a very keen one, much enthusiasm being displayed in regard tc the band’s future prospects. Mr. A. F. Newrick was elected president and Mr. E. W- Gohns was reelected patron. Other officers elected were: Honorary secretary, Mr. J. R. Ensoll; honorary treasurer, Mr. 1. Baker; trustees, Messrs. W. Searle and Gohns; management committee, Messrs. H. J. Watts. D. Askew, NMcGrail, I. Stafford, H. Bovey and W. Searle: band committee, Messrs. D. Askew, E. Hall, M. McGrail, H. JWatts and N. Thomas; conductor, Mr. E. O. Schnack; bandmaster, Mr. F. Watson; drum-major, L. Comrie; quarter-master sergeant, F. Watson; Sergeant, D. Askew; corporal, E. Hall; lance-corporal, N. McGrail; Librarian, Mr. F. Watson; honorary auditors, Messrs. Ballingall and Hulbert. The annual report recalls the visit to the band room of the conductor of the National Orchestra, Mr. Michael Bowles, and tribute is paid to the manager of station 2XA (Mr. Lawrence) and to Mr. Schnack for arranging that visit. The membership of the band is 34 seniors and 26 juniors. The report welcomes back to the fold E. Stoneman and D. Comrie. A long list of organisations which the band assisted during the year is contained in the report. Municipal concerts were provided and the band combined with the British Music Society to present a Sunday afternoon concert in the Opera House and also played for the radio. "These have been of great assistance to the band financially as well as being an incentive for the band to practice harder so that each performance wih be an improvement on the last," says the report. "Some favourable criticism has been received by the band.”

Referring to the band’s finances, the report says that these are in a satisfaction position, but functions will have to be organised to enable the band to attend the Dominion contest in Wellington. A gala day is proposed for November 4 as a climax to arrangements which have already been made for a bonfire and a one-hour’s fireworks display on Cook’s Gardens. The band intends to play carols as usual at Christmas time. Tributes are paid in the report tc the librarian (Mr. F. Watson) and special mention is made of the work of Mrs Watson who spent, many hours, says the report, in assisting with the music. A new uniform is to be provided in the near future. The committee, says the report, has placed a sample of inc uniform before bandsmen and it has now been agreed upon. Material for the new uniforms has already been ordered. Referring to attendances at practices, the report says tliat while these have been disappointing at times, the general improvement in the band’s playing has been very marked. The junior band is referred to. This combination performed for the first time in public at the honorary members’ concert in August. "These young bandsmen put on a very creditable performance and Mr. Schnack should rightly be proud of them,” says the re- ; port. "Some members of the banu attended the boys’ solo competitions in Wellington, Colin Spencer being placed second and Russell Baker fifth in their respective groups.’’ The report stresses the importance of membership and says that it would be a great help to the band to bull-* this up to bigger proportions. The aim is that each bandsman and honorary member enrol one or two more.