Bandoliers' Marching Team Annual Meeting

Chronicle (Levin), 26 August 1949, Page 2

Bandoliers' Marching Team Annual Meeting

^ The flrst annual meeting of the Bandoliers' Marching Team was .held in the Anglican Hall on Tuesday night. ' Mr* R. Bills presided and there Was a fair attendance. The arinuai and flnancial reports were adopted, speakers paying tribute to the healthy state of the committee's position. The uniform committee reported that material for new uniforms had been secured, and the team members would be ' fltted in a f ew days' time. A report on three recent dances was very satisfactory, and the action of the chairman and secretary in booking four additional dates was approved. Mr. H. N. Fearnley submitted a report on matters discussed at the recent N.Z. Marching Association annual meeting in Wellington which he attended. . A joint meeting of committee members of the Tuis' Intermediate team, and the Bandoliers' committee to be held shortly will elect deleeates to the Manawatu Centre.

Offlcers for the ensuing year were elected as follows: — Patron, Mr. E.. P. Edwards; president, Mr. J. Mason; vice-presidents, Messrs H. N. Fearnley, D. Dinnison, J. H. Coilis, A. P. Ferguson; management committee, all parents of the team members and Mrs. F. Hunter, Messrs C. Pussell, W. Bailey and F. Snowdon. An execulive committee, chairman and secretary will be appointed when this .committee meets next week. The following is a report of the activities since the inception of the team in November, 1947:— "The Bandoliers Marching Team was officially mooted in November, 1947, when following representations made to Mr. H. N. Fearnley, by two girls interested, and Mr. Fearmey's consenting to act as coach, a meeting was convened and addressed by Messrs R. Murray and D. Convery, members of the Horo whenua Marching Association. Parents of girls interested and representatives from Wills' team at Otaki Railway attended and a parents' committee was forme'd. This committee held its first. meeting a week later, in November, 1947, when Messrs

Fearnley and V. Bertlesen were appointed to represent the committee on the Horowhenua Asso.ciation. Routine matters were attended to and in March, 1948, the Otaki Band agreed to sponsor the team. The' team continued to progress under Mr. Fearnley, and the committee held various functions " to assist in financing the venture. Prior to the team commencing . marching in earnest, funds were in hand to provide uniforms, complete with marching boots; an attractive banner was a'so secured. The committee met when neeessary, and the best of good fortune' has always attended its efforts. To the members of the committee we tender . our grateful thanks, while no words can expless our appreciation of the most generous resp'onse met with from the general public on all occasions.

"The crowning -achievement of this committee was the success of the first Otaki marching championships, organised with the cooperation of the Tuis' Intermediate team committee. This event proved to be a masterly feat of organisation, and the impression made is already being reflected in other cejitres. Proof of this is provided on the agenda at the recent annual meeting of the New Zealand Marching Association, as plans made by Otaki to cater for junior, novice, and open classes, ' have been in the main, copied. To all who piayed any part, large or small in this effort, we also. offer > our sincere thanks. In this direction the help of the Otaki Brass Band was outstanding and we are happy to be able to record that this local organisation was warmly commended by visitors and local folk alike for its excellent per..formance. To all bands who have assisted us at any time we are deeply grateful. "Thahks to the untiring "efforts of Mr. Fearnley, assisted at times > by Mr. V. Bertlesen, the team reached a fairly high standard,

and while they were tuia'Dle to notch a win, ti^y-repeate'dly flnished just "out|^f ^he^ohey/' and altogether th$r 'efforts are worthy o'f high prai^^l^Il^faY^^^dri^tf^Sm in Otaki and^ Tievin in Octoher, 1948, while ;at Levin orl November 27, third placirig iii' the open contest, second in the 'Horowhenua contest, a second. and third place in the leadefs' jcontests were their share. The seouts procession in December saw? the team taking part, while ati the " Manawatu Centre champipnships . first 'place for costumes '^nd leader second equal were aWd/ds . secured. On December 20 ihe first prize for the teams' entry , in the carnival procession was won, followed hy another third placing to the team's leader at the C'aledonian sports meeting at Palfiierston North. At Petone in Janua!ry the team secured second placing for costumes, being half a point down, while* on February 5, at the Basin Reserve, Wellington, fourth. placing in the open championship, and another third to the leader was the team's lot. February 26 saw • the team competing in the North Island championships fifth placing to the leader was the best return on this occasion. At Otaki on March 5 the leader secured the Birley CUp for best novice leader, also securing third in the open contest. At Bulls on March 12 the team was third in the open contest, while at Feilding on March 26, the team's deputy-leader secured first placing, with the team fourth. The team concluded the season by appearing at Foxton in connection with a band day there on April 2. "To all who have helped in any way the working of the committee in its efforts. to further the interests of the team we do say thank . you most sincerely, and to the in- , coming * committee we offer our ivery best wishes for a successful season."