SUSPENDED—WHY?

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 458, 17 March 1909, Page 9

SUSPENDED—WHY?

i- ?. lr >T St I m S tllafc i'rcss Association pubhcity lias been given to tho fact that I have been suspended by tho North Island Brass band Association, I trust you will grant mo spaco to explain tho position fully. Naturally, the first question asked me is, Why did you write tho letter to tho secretary of tbe Hastings Contest Committeo?" My reply is that tho. secretary of tho North Island Association had given such interpretations of tho rules at Auckland (1905) and Now Plymouth (1903) contests as to cause considerable conflict, and as I was one- of the officials at tho Auckland contest, and knew tho trouble and annoyance wo wore put to and also know what Now Plymouth had to put up with, I wrote to Mr. Hartshorn warning him of the difficulties that had beset the path of those in similar positions. I also had the advice of Messrs. Findlay, Dalzicl, and Co. that tho amendments to tho rules were not registered, and the law required thepi to bo registered; also tho bungle the secretary made over tho ballot Paper containing Mr. Alfred Hill's name (and which was admitted at Hastings) placed tho contest, in such a position that anyone taking action could upset it Was not I justified in passing on this information to the ones most interested? Certainly 1 was. Briefly I stated:— * I ] lo Island secretary had instructed tho Now Plymouth secretary to charge bands for music, and that no such charge had wcr been charged before, and that the N.P. Contest Committeo had improperly •incurred a liability of about £24 My contention was confirmed by abetter rC c at lr at Hastings from Mr. Dockrill, Mayor i i ,Ti I J- vm ° uth ' lvh ° complained bitterly 3nhSi» 1?l 'I ",?* !*™>e Paid tho amounts debited them,.but the unfortunate position i Knit Tf }l y T Ui] ' P ?° plo , nre in is not tho fault of tho bands, but tho North Island secretary The president at Hastings ad- ' lw +1, , secrctar -V' s el 7<"-, but explained ] that the rule was now altered as to admit ot no misinterpretation. That loaves my No 1 contention proved. J (2) That the-contest could not be run i legally, as per advice as stated above. This 1 the association's lawyer differed from, but i after my letter was written, and before tho date of tho contest, tho rules wero re-reg ! teied, and are now in order, which fact i proves mo to be right in No. 2 instance. there were minor points that wore ad- , 2S t° " 0t mtercst y° ur read and so need not bo enumerated here. In spito of proving tho charges I was "suspended." J flhv? Bccauso my action had brought "d scredit" on the association's officials Shades ' of Caesar! The merits or demerits of tho lcase wero not considered without prejudice ' r°hJd°at? 0 d SUCh a V ° rdict na vo P been S The summing up of the-caso is this:-«Mr ' Hill wrote this letter assailing our worthy I president and secretary, andnevor rnind •' whether ho was justified or not, he wrote "t » and wo must suspend him." 'Such " ntet * hgence" is worthy of, being immortalised in « cbmic opera.—l am, ote., f March 15. H.G.HILL.