The Taihape Daily Times. AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1918. OTAIHAPE RED CROSS EFFORT

Taihape Daily Times, 30 October 1918, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times. AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1918. OTAIHAPE RED CROSS EFFORT

(With which 18 Incorporated The fed-

hape Post and Waliaurltlo News).

The splendid success of the Otaihape Club’s Red Cross effort on Labour Day was brilliant and in most respects satisfying. People gave to the good cause, gave liberally, and found pleasure in their giving, of this there could be no doubt. Organisers of important parts, which together made a very praiseworthy whole, had worked hard for many weeks, some for months, to render that great Red Cross event one of Taihape's most outstanding patriotic gala days. All tastes were thought of and catered for. There were ordinary pleasures in galore, and there were some that may be termed extraordinary, as the higher tastes and finer natures were not entirely overlooked. One of the best musical institutions in New Zealand was induced by the Otaihape Club members to fill the great want experienced by musically-inclined people on all other great patriotic occasions in this town. Queen Alexandra's Own Band has been noted for its outstanding patriotism right throughout the war period, and if any such institution deserves national appreciation it, most assuredly, is that under the direction of Mr Buckley, of Wanga-

! nui. The overture, “Poet and Peasant,” played in the Town Hall on Saturday night, and the selection from “William Tell,” played on Sunday night were, musically for Taihape, landmarks which will be remembered for a. very long time by those who understood and appreciated them. The Otaihape Club’s Red Cross Day was prolific of inspiration, and was not wanting in lessons that for the benefit of the whole district might be takea well to heart. There was much room for thought on the division of the people it strongly emphasised. At the Labour Day Carnival there were present the generous, public-spirited, patriotic class, faces that have become familiar by their presence at all similar gatherings since the Empire became involved in the great war, still raging, and there was strongly noticeable the absence of the men and of any assistance they might render out of the fullness of the huge profits they have garnered as a result of the war. It was a long list of names that neither contributed out of their riches or were present in person; it was the same generous class that worked and gave, and it was the same old meanf spirited, niggardly people who were so conspicuous by their absence from the carnival, 7 and by the omission of their' names from the list of contributors. The honour of .the district is being maintained, and the most press rng duty performed only by the generous few. was again distinctly noticeable on Monday; it was the one dissonant fact in the otherwise glorious and gratifying success of the day’s effort, and it gave cause for much regret. There .was also another of this district’s shortcomings thrown into bold relief which was subject for remark by a few visitors. When Taihape people are suddenly thrown Into a delirium of joy, they have nothing to jubilate with; nothing in the nature of an uplifting joy, and the result is disappointing in the extreme. We might suggest to the town community that it would prove a highly profitable investment to take such steps as would result in putting a pipe organ in the their Town Hall. A fact that has unbrokenly stood since history commenced to be written received fresh support on Monday; music has j been, and always will be, essential in j giving the highest expression to the I emotions and sentiments of all civilised peoples. The difference between

barbarism and civilisation is definitelydrawn by music; the savage peoples, are content to celebrate their greatest events and give vent to the exuberance of their joy with noise; by beating of rude drums, clanking of sticks and yells signifying delight, while civilised peoples can only give full expression on overwhelmingly great occasions with the very highest musical performances they are capable of, and let it be noted that the intellectuality of nations and peoples is invariably reflected in their music. Taihape has

abundance of musical instinct and

some talent, and it should be possible to evolve musical combinations that would be able on great occasions to adequately express the feelings and sentiment of the whole community. The very fact of the Wanganui Band drawing together such large audiences is undeniable proof of the innate love of music in our people, and it corroborates the opinion that a pipe organ in the Town Hall would make the town a most popular meeting place for this huge and rapidly-extending district. The pioneering work of this territory is by nc means finished, and there is room for other centres to spring up that may yet overshadow Taihape if the work of the town’s old pioneers is not carried on by those who should take their places. Are we going to celebrate our great occasions like savages or as a people in the foremost ranks of civilistaion? Those who stand for the latter could by combined effort soon raise enough money to put the nucleus of a fine organ in the Town Hall. We believe that musical people have only to satisfy the community that they are in earnest to bring to their efforts a most liberal support. Such functions as that the members of the Otaihape Club have so successfully carried out have a double influence; the money so much needed to succour the brave boys we have sent to fight our battles as they lie on their beds, wounded, perhaps dying, is generously raised and sent on its mission of mercy, and the individual and collective shortcomings of the whole community are again brought under review, or are again subject for reflection, and for rumination respecting the avarice in human nature ;Taihape has disclosed in its givings that the district is no less genuinely patriotic than any other; this we are entitled to say, but for the benefit of the whole community; for the stability of its progress; for putting it past all possible community competition or threat, there should be an effort made to furnish everything that is shown to be essential in a cen- ! tre that is to flourish. There should be no occasion to borrow from the civilisation of a neighbouring community when it is desired to give highest expression to sentiment ciivlisation and culture are capable of. There*' were several other thoughts and lessons suggested by the Otaihape Club’s hearty, whole-soulled effort to give aid to our wounded and dying men, but those commented upon were

impressively paramount. The promoters have earned the congratulations of I every patriot, and the response of residents generally gives cause for gratification. Taihape has again done its duty up to what could reasonably be expected of its people.