CITIZENS SUPPORT YOUR BAND

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 4, Issue 116, 11 June 1941, Page 4

CITIZENS SUPPORT YOUR BAND

Sir, —The local band still battles along despite t.he odds it has to fight against. Surely & City band and a fire brigade arc worthy of the utmost support. Speaking of the members of the bands, they have to blow their own trumpets, but it is humiliating so to do, when using the term as a colloquial expresssion. Hf\ve you not been very proud of the QjjjiWhs!' Band on many auspicious occa^ns —notably the Centenary celebrations—the Agricultural and Winter Shows, the annual Anzae ceremonies, and concerts, etc. But for the untiring efforts of Mr W. Jarrett, and other foundation members, and the valued help and encouragement of Mr Alex Sutherland and a few generous old Whalcataneans, the band would have been defunct many years ago.

In war-time more than any other time we need the! services of the band; how can they exist without liberal help ? The majority of the eligible young bandsmen are already in the fighting forces overseas— those who remain are either too old or much too young. Let lis hope these boys, whom Mr Mayo is now coaching will never have to go to war. These are to be our efficient bandsmen of the future. Going back qver a period of 25 years, we have had several most able* band masters (Messrs Charlie Stewart, W. Jarrett, S. Armstrong Sen., FleetAVOod and Mr" Mayo). An English musician, of outstanding ability, Mr J. Fleetwood inspired the. band and the public for a time. He was a brilliant cornetist an excellent band master and indefatig-' able teacher of many instruments. In his «day, besides the adult band, we had a very fine boys' band. Among his star pupils were Messrs > Eric Chamberlain, Ken Jarrett, Eric Thompson, Maurice Shaw and young Broadmore. Mr Fleetwood was equally at homo conducting choral singers. The Presbyterian Church has never had a conductor comparable to him. He did not want to leave Whakatane, but was forced to do so, in order to obtain a position commensurate with his great talent. The local public cither didn't, couldn't or wouldn't appreciate Mr Fleetwood's musical attainments. And now we have another band-» master who has the necessary attributes of a fine teacher and conduc tor. Let us lend him our aid. It is a matter for regret that the Bor* ough Council could not make 9 larger grant to the b-a'nd for the current year. Obviously the said councillors have no music in their souls. Shakespeare!s lines are true enough: "The man that hath, no music in himself, now is not moved with concord of sweet sounds, is fit for treasons, stratagems, and spoils; the motions of his spirit are dull as might'" and so on. # Probably a contentious subject—■ the upkeep of the band—but to com-> pare such an organisation to a** Plunket Society—that's where the "twaddle" comes in. A'n adult and boys band are an assed and pleasure to the whole community,—perhaps other public bodies besides the Borough Council will make an annual dona|i'o%L ToCMliow citizens—please do not let tliis appeal for the future of thjfc Whakatane Band, be in vain. The secretary (Mr W. Jarrett), the members of the committee or the undersigned will be pleased to acknowledge donations or band instruments. Yours etc« (Mrs) B. W. JAMES, Kopeopeo. (We are pleased to announce that with the initial platform appearance of the Band at the Show donations were handed to the funds to the extent of over £4. Ed.)