OBITUARY.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 September 1917, Page 8

OBITUARY.

The musical profession is the poorer by the death of George Augustus Martin (piofessor of music), which occurred at the New Plymouth Hospital early yesterday morning. The late Mr. Marwho had reached the advanced age of SO years, came to New Zealand about 4<> years ago, and settled in Christehurch, where he practised his profession, shortly afterwards removing to Dunedin, where lie resided until a few years ago! In the latter place (in fact, in New Zealand) he was looked upon as an authority on music, especially band music. It was his honor, at the early age of 17, to be one of the first three Britishers chosen to act as bandmasters to the regimental bauds in fengland, prior to which the bandmasters had been supplied by the Continental countries. The brothers Godfrey were the other two, and they afterwards mades names in the musical world. George Martin, with a disposition to see more of the world, went to India from London, where he conducted the band of the Royal Welsh Fnsilicra. He was selected (while in Dunedin) to judge the first contest in Newcastle, and since then lie had judged many contests. He was widely known to musicians all over New Zealand as conductor of brass bands, one of his latest being the Wa. Garrison Band. He had quite a wealth of reminiscences, amongst which were stones of the Indian Mutiny. He .'iNn fold, with some amusement, how his father lmd deslined him to be a lawyer, but as the tin whistle was never out of his fingers ho said, "I suppose I'll hare to make a musician of you, too" his elder brother having taken up the profession. ITc bad enjoyed the best of Ikv.Mi: in >".".."1. had taken two private pupils, until a. fortnight ago, when lie gradually declined. lie is survived bv one son of a family of ten. and of late years had lived v.tih his son-in-law, Mr. \V. Davy, of Mangorei Road.