GOODWILL AMBASSADORS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 1, 28 August 1945, Page 5

GOODWILL AMBASSADORS

TOUR OF THE PIPE BAND WARM WELCOME ON EAST COAST Towns down the East Coast joined in giving the Whakatane Caledonian Society's Junior Pipe Band which was on tour during the. whole of last week a tumultous) reception at each of the seven concerts im which its members participated. The band's undoubted popularity was borne • out by the capacity houses which greeted' it at Te Kaha Te Araroa Tikitiki > Tokomaru Bay Ruatoria and Opoti'ki. As far as can be gathered it was the first tour by a Pipe Band in ' the history of the Coast and . Maoris and Pakehas alike joined in making it a memorable one.

It is most unusual for a town of ~ Whakatane's population to be able to send a fully trained and uniformed Pipe Band on tour, and yet it was accomplished with signal suc■cess } alter many months of patient 'preparation,. The members of the Band practically all boys under 16 years ? will also carry the happiest memories of the trip which from an educational point of view was invaluable. Perhaps the geratest aspect of all 5 was the remarkable 'boost' given to the town of Whakatane. Everywhere people astonishment that so smart amPwell-trained an outfit had emanated from this town and the Society is to be warmly congratulated on its effort.

The boys, behaviour was exemplary from start to finish and representative residents .at all the settlements in which they stayed have joined in giving unstinted praise for the general demeanour "of the lads throughout. Managing the tour Avas Mr W. G. Hurst, who was largely responsible for the entire trip from its first inception with Chief W. J. Simons Rev. J3ell } and Messrs D. Paterson ? C. F. Thomas and K. Fergusson assisting in other capacities;

The most remarkable feature of the tour was the wonderful response by the Maori people to the Pipe •selections. At Tikitiki Tokomaru ,Bay and Te Araroa their spontaneous enthusiasm rather embarrassed the boys. However the tour did a tremendous amount of good in 'bringing out' the young performers who were quite 'finished' in their final performances. On the platform they left little to be desired and later they intensified their popularity by .-making public appearances on the football fields, where they played the unbeaten Gisborne High School team on to the grounds in matches against Maori teams at Ruatoria and Tokomaru and also at dances, where the music of th© pipes never failed to bring forth wild applause.

One of the happiest thoughts of the was to make arrangements for the Band to visit the Te Pue*a where the entire staff and patients were mustered on the verandahs to see and hear the Band giving most of its concert programme. On this occasion the nurs.ing sisters 'turned on' one of the finest 'spreads' which it had been the boy's pleasure to absorb.

Leaving Whakatane on Monday morning > they arrived in Gisborne on Friday after fulfilling most of their with two of the smallest pipers Don McKenzie and Russell Hurst playing on the mudguards each side of the leading car. The return trip was made on° ; Saturday when after the long trip from Gisborne, they played in Opotiki on the'same night to a packed and enthusiastic audience.

The splendid reception given the boys by the hotel proprietors with whom they stayed will be a treasur r ed memory. In all cases the hosts did all they possibly could to make their stay a hap,py one. The boys will not forget either, the wonderful reception they had' from Mr and Mrs Runciman at Tikitiki f who feasted them like kings. Another pleasing incident was the 'spread' which the Constable and his wife at Te Araroa provided in the local 'lock-up.' As may be well imagined the boys had just about 'had if when they arrived home, about midnight on Saturday and we guess that they look the' balance of the weekend steadily recuperating.

In response to numerous requests

the Society has decided to repeat the concert for the benefit of Wha'katane friends in the Caledonian Hall on Thursday September G.