THE CITIZENS' BAND.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 March 1916, Page 4

THE CITIZENS' BAND.

WELCOME TO NEW BANQMASTER THE BAND'S FUTURE. Mr. F W. 0. McLeod, who has M m# o .New Plymouth from Ipswich <Queeni. land** to take up the position of band. master of the Citizens' Band, was ac. corded a public welcome at the Town Hall last night. The Mayor (Mr. 0. H Burgess) presided over a large attend.' ance. In welcoming Mr, McLeod to N«# Plymouth, the Mayor said that when he came to New Plymouth some twenty. three years ago they had'a good band under Mr. Garry, but after they lost Mr. Garry the band had gone back. Since then it had not progressed aa the town had. He was glad now to' wel« come Mr. McLeod, who came with first* •class credentials, and he felt sure that if the town had a good band the people would support it. In replying, Mr. McLeod thanked the Mayor for the welcome given him. Hei was very pleased that he had decided tq come to New Plymouth, and he wais en« couraged in regard to the future of the band by the large attendance that night So far as hig work was concerned he realised that he was up against a stifl proposoition, but the band he had left Was worked up from eight players, and it was now the best band in Australasia. Mr. McLeod hoped that something like this would happen in New Ply. mouth, where the band had lately had a chequered career. The band was not what might have been desired, but he hoped, with the assistance of the towns, people and the bandsmen, to alter this. The band possessed a splendid set of in* struments, but the bandsmen should not think that because of this their troubles were over, for in his opinion their troubles were only beginning. At the present time bands were suffering, from the loss of young players who had' gone to the war, and this was a serious difficulty, because it was the young men who made a band. .It woul4.be his special endeavor to get the townspeople, to take an interest in the band committee, so that the outside work of the organisation could be taken off the hands of the bandsmen. In conclusion he said the tree of the New Plymouth band wanted rooting up, and this he was going to do, after which he would endeavor to manage the band on sound principles. , . Mr. C. E. Bellringer said it was necessary to put the band on a sound financial footing. The subscriptions to the band at present were £4O or £SO a year, but to develop it on proper lines three or four times that amount was required. ' The Mayor said he feH' the band could rely on receiving the support of the public.