MONEY POURED IN

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 711, 10 July 1929, Page 6

MONEY POURED IN

EMDEN’S BAND DELIGHTS WELLINGTON TREAT FOR LISTENERS-IN On the air from 2YA, Wellington, last evening, was a broadcast of a concert in the Wellington Town Hall by the band from the cruiser Emden. A collection in aid of the earthquake relief fund resulted in over £l4O being obtained. A magnificent programme was presented and the audience—said by the Mayor of Wellington to be the biggest seen in the hall for many years—was most demonstrative in its appreciations. The fanfare of trumpets a particularly imprtissive item, and had to be repeated. A portion of the concert was also rebroadcast by IYA. The Mayor of Wellington, Mr. G. A. Troup, who had with him Captain von Arnauld and officers of the Emden, expressed his thanks to Captain von Arnauld for allowing the performance to take place. He announced that Red Cross nurses would take up, a collection for the earthquake sufferers, and naively remarked that while this was being done he and the Emden’s officers would retire “to see some pictures of New Zealand scenery.” The huge audience was quick to grasp that the party was retiring for refreshments, and the roar of delight at the Mayor’s remark was so terrific that it made the loud-speaker rattle. After the nurses had - completed their task the Mayor and the Emden’s officers returned to the hall, and, amid loud cheers, announced that over £l2O had been collected. The Mayor said he was pleased, but to give them the opportunity of making the sum up to £2OO he invited them to throw coins in to a Union Jack held by the nurses. SHOWIER OF COINS Then the fun started. Coins could be heard rattling on the floor, and screams of delight as some unfortunate individual was struck on the head by a badly-thrown half-crown or penny. Heard over the air, it was pandemonium for a while. The announcer, Mr. J. Ball, said the rain of coins was fierce, and though many people were in the line of fire there were no casualties. He added, however, that he could see many people rubbing their heads where coins had hit them. Further deafening applause greeted Mr. Troup’s announcement that the volley of coins had added another £2O to the total collected. As a reward for the audience’s generosity, Captain von Arnauld said the band would play another piece, and after this had been done the band concluded a remarkable performance with the National Anthem. It was mentioned that the Enylen’s Band will play at Oriental Bay between 12.30 and 2 p.m. tomorrow.