LEVIN BAND REVIVED

Chronicle (Levin), 26 April 1946, Page 4

LEVIN BAND REVIVED

Strong Ifiitial Membership CITIZENS COMMITTEE FORMED After being in recess throughout the war years due to the depletion of its ranks by the eail of the forees and the fact that the instruments were required for the R.N.Z.A.F. Band, the band was Yevived in Levin at a pubiic meeting on Wednesday evening. There was an attendance of over forty interested citizens, over which the Mayor (Mr. H. B. Burdekin) presided. During the evening it was ascertained that the band would commence with a piaying membership of about 30, and the enthusiasm displayed augurs well for the future. v Apologies for unavoidable absence , were reeeived from Messrs. J. W. Hayfield, P. S. Lacey, M. R. Spencer ana W. Grainger. At the outset His Worship said that a preliminary . meeting had been held in May last . with a view. to reviving the band, but it was then felt that until the instru-i ments had been returned' by the R.N.Z.A.F. the matter should not be proeeeded with. The instruments; had now come to hand after over-; haul, and Mr. H. Langtry, a competent bandmaster, Nhad inspected them and advised that they were1 in good order. The question now arose as to how the matter was to1 proceed. The Levin Borough Council'was anxious to see the band^re- i formed qnder the very best conditions, and was prepared to subsidise 1 the salary of a suitable eonductor so that the band could be set up oh a proper basis. The eonductor's duties would be part-time oniy, and : if' a man was appointed who- was not a resident of tne town it would be necessary to find him suitable employment in Levin. In conelusion, His Worship said he looked forward to the time when the band wouid be taking part in contests and winning prizes. The' council, while prepared to assist ■ with a subsidy to the copduetor's: salary, could not, however, bp ex-' pected to meet heavy expenditure, , but it was desirous of doing all! possible to start the band functioning strongly. After a preliminary discussion, ' Mr. A. L. Dobson moved that the Levin Munieipal Band be formed, that the whole of the assets of the band be vested in the Levin Borough Council and that the council be requested to hold itself responsible. fort the expenses of the. organisatibn. This was secohded by Mr. Havelock Williams and carried. '

Officers. Elccted .. The meeting,' then proeeeded to lelect its officers, and the r'esult was las follows.— Patron:, Mr. H. B. :Burdekin; president: Mr. H. La'ngitry;, vice-presidehts: Drs. S. Jr Thompson and L. J. Hunter and Messrs. 'M. Sp'eficer, J. W. Hayfield 'and F. E. Parker; citizens committee: Messrs. M. Kehoe, C. H. Nelson, |C. R. Church, L. V. Trass, Havelock - i Williams and R. Beattie, with! jpower to add; secretary: Mr. R. A. I Frederikson; trea^urer: Mr. H. L. (Jenkins; hon. auditofs: Messrs.' Burdekin and Walker. The appointment of a drumt maj or, sergeant, corporal, librafian and band eommittee was left to the band to complete when its opera-i tions were under way. j The feeling of the meeting was that if the band was to flourish its iaffairs_ should be the concern of the j Levin Borough Council, a strong ; citizens eommittee and the band j itself. Aeeordingiy, it was' decided that the band should appoint its own eommittee to attend to its own domestie affairs, and that the citi- ' z-ens eommittee should handle all matters_ of management and finance, witli the band at its disposai.1 Non-playing members present were elected to this eommittee, with power to add, and it was resolved lliat one member each be apppinted by the Levin Borough Council"'and the band, the former to act as chairman of the eommittee.

Appointment of Conductor i The appointment of a conductor jwas next considered. His Worsh-ip I intimated that the Levin Borough Council was willing to subsidise the salary of a partrtime conductor up to £150 for the first year in order to launch the band strongly. Mr. Jenkins adv-ised that the credit balance rem,aining from the previous band was £37. On being invited to do so, Mr. G. R. Lester undertook to carry on the duties of conductor until a permanent appointment was made, thus allowing a eommencement to be .made immediately and avoiding the delay attendant on the calling of applications for the position. This was reeeived with applause, the Mayor thanking Mr. Lester on behalf of those present. Several of those present pointed out that some initial expense would be necessary to procure music, stands for music and other essen-t-ial items, and that this should be taken into consideration in deciding what salary should be offered for the position. After further consideration, a motion was passed recommending the Levin Borough Council to apply £100 of its subsidy to the condue- ; tor's salary and £50 to the genoral expenses, and asking the citizens; eommittee to meet and idecide what sum it could add to -the council's £100 for salary. General Matters j It was resolved that the band; should affiliate with the New Zea- ; land Srass Bands' Association. I The first practiee was fixed for: Wednesday next, May 1, at 7.30 p.m. in the bandroom, and the first meeting of the citizens eommittee ; for the same night at 7.30 p.m. in; the Couneil Chambers. To enable members to have some

: preliminary praetice, the instruments were issued at the close of I the meeting. An invitation was extended to , any player interested and not at the meeting to attend the first practice.