FIRST LIFE MEMBER

Chronicle (Levin), 2 July 1948, Page 4

FIRST LIFE MEMBER

Mr. G. R. Lester Honouredl By Municijpal Band . - At .the coriclusion of' the election of offlcers at th'e Unriual meeting 6f the Levin MuniCipal Band lasu eveniiig, uie 'uaiia s i.epiesencative on irie cinzens' ^commitiee, Mr. A. L. Dobson, m paying. a. tnbute to Mr. G. R. Lester, the retirmg con-.jakif uuctur, saicl uiau aiihough the ban(^i/I was - hmy uwo years old and & com-^ pafatively ypuhg orgariisatipri, he was sui'e he Was voicing • the Gho'ughts oPail baridsmen Iri asking trie- meeting to besrow tne honpui) of its rirsf life meriibersh.ip on Mr, Lester. ! - * "Bis steflirig." qualities and work ■ On behalf oi ihe band have beeri ' reierrqd to by otner speakers," contiriued Mr. Dobson, "arid" t -WOuid like to also pay a tribUte to JVtrs. Lester, (wno has done a great deal for the band unbeknown- to the aVOrage person. Oniy baridsmen tnemseives reaiise the sacrifices their Womanfolk are caiied Upon tb riiake, arid over the past two years Mrs. Lester, besidts throwing herself WhOleheartediy into the CaUse oi the band, must have misSed Mf. I Lester's company during the two ! nigntS and- one morning ne devoted to b'ririd duties each Week." S Seconding the resoiutiori, Mr. O. Hesp saia tnat,. as the oiaest pia^ing member of the band; Mr. Lester licoci been teacning him for 22 years. :It gave him great pieasure to asso- , .ciate himseif with Mr. Dobson's rernarks. " , Mr. D. J. Gardiner, DepUty Mayor, , who presided at the meeting, said that he felt very deeply that such an honour shoiiid be bestbwed on one who had given a life's work to bands. He Was very pleased to put the* resoiution to the meeting, which was carried by acCiamation. : . In opening the meeting, Mr. Gardiner said it was not being heid under the happiest circumstanees because later it . would receive the eonductor's reSignation. He had known Mr. Lester for the last 26 years and the public would receive his resignation With the deepest regret, though no citizen could. 1 bogrudge hihi the 'spell. "You have ' left your mark and I am sure your igood work will be carried on. You Inave had a lifb experience and the j baridsmen will regret your resignation very much, as you have been ' |a very happy family. I convey tb jyou the thanks of Levin for your I v6ry eminent services over a long Iperiod," concluded Mr. Gardiner. Mr. C. A. Guy,_ speaking on ■ behalf of the Levin Farm, said they *!had not been in ^ the district very j long before Mr. Lester had takeft |'j the band to the- inStitUtion aria jstaged a concer-t. On behalf of tne • patients and staff, 'he took this opportunity of pubiiely thanking Mr. Lester and at the same time lexpressed their regret that he was | relinguishirig ,the post oi conducior. j Mr. R. A. Frederikson, secretary, (said he would "aiso like to add his . appreciation and thanks. ts- Mr. [Lester for his work. He had done ' 1 more than a conductor was • norm- . aliy required to do, and had been '■a tow.er of strength in the difflcult " task of getting it reformed. "With 'iMr. Lester as conductor, my posi--tion as secretary has been an'erisy ' one. Mr. Lester has alWays been most helpful and cO-operative, ahd ' the foundation he has laid will go \Qri," said Mr, Fi-ederikson. j Mr. C. H. Nelson, president, also ! added his tribUte, and remarked on the task Mr. Lester had Su'ccessfuily > carried out in building a riew org- ' anisation. > Mr. L. Trass made mention of the > great job that had been performed With the learners, and siricerely hoped the neW conductor would > take as much interest in them as ' Mr. Lester had dOne, While Messrs. A.t and G. Hesp thanked him for > the patience and courtesy he had extended to bandsmeri at « all j times. L Mr. J. W. Hayfleld, a vice-president > of the band, said it gav,e hiiri yefy : great pieasure tri be able to show ; a small appreciation of Mr. Lester's > , work. "We are very oid friends, : having been associated with each " ; other for a long time. He is a good 'fellow, conscientious and ve^y " obliging." >, Rising to reply, Mr. Lester was l greeted with prolohged applause. 3 , He said he would like to thaftk •!everyone for the very kind remarks 1 they had. made about him. l\ "The reason we have a band iri 3 Levin today is because of the learn1 ers' classes, whi'ch have been con*'ducted since the band was relestablished. There are oniy seven , or eight of the original players lelt . in the band, and the strength has been kept. up with re'cruits fromthese classes, which have proved very valuable indeed. I have • tderived great pieasure in conduct- f*. . 'ing the band, have enjoyea iriyself vory much and am sorry to have to 0 1 be giving it up," said Mr. Lester. J "To the incdming conductor I ! extend my very best wishes, and if £ can be, of any assistance t'b him j or the band my services will be available at all tim'es," concluded Mr. Lester. I Public Recognition • At a meeting of .the newly .electJ ed dommittee at the conciusion of the meeting, it was decided that Mr. • and Mrs. Lester's services to tftfe borough and district should be pubFlicly acknowledged, and a socrai x evening and ptesentation will be j accorded therii on Wednbsday, JUiy cj21. A public Subscription list will ; b'e opened arid citizeris are asked to 3 help and make fhe presentafcion to ; one who has given freely of His : services over a period of 36 years, ' a woi'thy one. Subscription listS are f open at "The GhroriiOlO" offlce arid ^the Council Chambers. 3 The Conductor Eleet 1 Subject to confirmation by the 1 Levin Borough . . Council, who (Continued on P'age 7)

(Continued from Page 4) appoints the cohductor, the band nas chosen Mr. C. Banfield, of Levin, to manage the musical side oi its activities for the ensuing tweive months. . Mr. C. H. Nelson, in announcing that the band had recommended rne appointment of Mr. Banfield, said that he had a wealth of experience behind him, and congratulated tne bandsmen on their cno:ce. Mr. Gai'diner also added his congratulations to Mr. Banfield, and remarked that the council had that much faith in the committee and band that it went without saylng that his appointment would be contirme'd when the council met on July 19. "It augurs well for the f uture of the band that the committee has such a high opinion of Mr. Banfield. I am sure he is takmg on the job with the offer of assistance from Mr. Lester, and can loox forward with oonfidence and pleasure to his new position. Replying, Mr. Banfield thanked the committee and bandsmen f'or the confidence piaced in him. "Losing Mr. Lester is a body blow to the band, but if my nomination is accepted by the council I will do a job that will be acceptable to the band, council .and citizens generally," concluded Mr. Banfield. Mr. Banfield has been a ban'asman for the last 22 years and is well fitted to undertake the task. A member of the Rangiora Brass Band as a youth, he also took a prominent part in the Christchurch Boys' High School Band, being a member whiie attending. Upon ieaving school, he became a member of the ban-d of the First Canterbury Regiment. Upon coming to the North Island, Mr. Banfield joined the original Air Force Banc formed by Mr. H. L. Langtry, now of Levin. Prior to coming to this town he was a member of the Hamilton Citizens' Band for nine years, being also secretary of that organisation. Besides being an all roun'd player, he has had a wealth of contesting experience, having taking part in 15, including six Dominion contests, whiie on the administrative side he was a member of the executive of the South Auckland Brass Bands' Association.