Organ relives childhood delight

MUSIC MAN: Eketahuna Dutch organ grinder Wilhelmus (Bill) Beetz imported this organ - complete with monkeys - in pieces from Holland to ensure the future of music at fetes and fairs.

As a child growing up in the Netherlands during the German occupation, Wilhelmus (Bill) Beetz used to sneak into a cafe at night and play music on a Dutch barrel organ.

"When I was a boy we lived next door to a cafe in Holland and I loved the music.

"I used to sneak in and turn it because if a grown-up turned it the Germans would put them in jail," he said.

Moving to New Zealand as a 20-year-old, the former serviceman and Marine who now lives in Eketahuna never forgot the sound of the music he came to love.

Four years ago Mr Beetz, who is 85 and a Friend of the Dutch Organ Association, imported the 90-year-old "or so" Dutch organ in pieces.

These days he takes it to special events like country fetes and the Hamilton Tulip Festival to keep the tradition and music alive.

The accomplished artist has modified his Dutch organ, given it a Kiwi flavour replacing a parrot with a kea and mounting it on to a trailer for easy transportation.

He has also modified it to be dual powered - by hand or electricity.

"I've done a lot of things to it."

He has boxes of music from all around the world, too, including Gypsy, Dutch and French tunes.

"Everyone loves it. Chinese, Japanese people ... just about everyone who hears it loves it. People flock to it when they hear it ... I've done it so everyone can enjoy the music."

Like a traditional Dutch organ grinder he also has a monkey figure - three, in fact - and children love them bobbing around on the organ as the music plays at events.

"The kids really think they are alive," he said.

He once had a pet monkey when he lived in Indonesia, too.