SUPPORTING THE BAND

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 4, Issue 119, 20 June 1941, Page 4

SUPPORTING THE BAND

Sir, —There has been a Whakatane Band for about 30 years, if I remember rightly. Anyway* it was going strong in 1914, and was lioking other bands at contests a few years ago, btu now the band is having a lean time. What a pity! Maybei it wants a bit of fattening medicine-. This reminds me of what happened not so long ago in a town about the size of Whakatane. There the band ceased to function as a playing unit for a few months for reasons best known to bandsmen* Came Anzac Day with its Civic Memorial Service and parade. No band! The best they could do was one\bagpiper! Shame on that, town! So the Mayor called the council together and| as a result they got back a former conductor from another town, gavei him a permanent position on the council's outside staff, appointedannfher experienced bandmaster t<* another job in the council's employ, increased the grant of money from the counil to the band. Since then they have; always had a full band for Anzac Day and other occasions. It was 560 hoAv that band came toT?se again after that council had made use of the financial medicine bottle. Now, Mr Editor, as the saying is: "If vott want to know the moral, you can draw your own conclusion." Yours etc.. 808 IN.