COMPETITIONS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1736, 29 April 1913, Page 4

COMPETITIONS.

THE NEW ZEALAND SOCIETY. ANNUAL MEETING. 'Mr. W. A. I'lavell (vice-president) occupied the chair at the annual meeting of tho New Zealand Competitions Society, held in the Mayor's room at the Town Hall last evening. Tho annual vopcri and balance-sheet (already 'published) was adopted without discussion.

Tho election of officers resulted as follows:—President, Mr. T. .V. Wiiford, M.l'.; 'vice-presidents, Messrs. W. A. Fkwll, W. 11. Atack, .J. M. Clark, and 1). M. I'imllay; 'committee (election of six who retiro out of fifteen), Messrs. W. E. Puller, l l '. W. llaybitfclo, I'. J. Oajkes, J. Curr, R. A. Keenan, and E. 'H. Queree; auditor, Mr. Whitta Thornton.

After tho fprmal business- had been disposed of the chairman expressed thanks to the City Council, the donors of special prizes, and the press for the assistance they had given towards making the festival of last year such a success. Whilst doing so he stated that the society had paid'the sum of £265 in rent to the City Council for the use of the Town Hal!, but this year there seemed to be some hesitancy on tho part of the council in making the usual, grant of JSO ,(as.was made for tho past two years), and they were rather at a loss to understand that diffidence. In Christchurch, for cxwhore the City Couucil received no benefit whatever directly, a grant of ..£SO was mndo to the local society. In Auckland the society was by no means successful and it had decided to give festivals a rest for a time, yet so successful had the competitions been on the artistic side, if not on tho financial, that, the professional musicians lnivo' resuscitated the dempetitious themselves. It was interesting to note this as the professional musicians in Wellington were rather inclined >to throw cold water on the competitions. Ho hoped that the Auckland example ,wonld lead Wellington musicians to regard the competitions in n better frame of mind than heretofore. . So far as the , Council was concerned, as soon as the now council was elected they must marshal their forces, and bring pressure to bear in order to get tho ■sains grant as they had received 1 for the past tiro years. •

■3[r. Bykes (secretary) explained that .thf) matter had been before tho Finance Committee, ivhieli was sympathetic, but .th?v thought it better to leave the.matter to the incoming committee The chairman said that it was now the duty of tho committee and members to do their best .toward* getting special prizes ill order to give tho coming festival.a good send-off., It ivns proposed in that direction to ts far as possible obtain such prizes free of anv stipulation, as it was intended to award tliem as the prizes, instead of drawling on tho funds, which would help to make the festival a greater financial .success. Competitions had. come into favour, and he .believed, if they.were dropped'peoplo. would miss them very much. So far the credit balances hail been Cruder, . but they were credit balances. The object of the society was not to make mo:iey_, but they must be prepared for any lean years which might como along. ' • . Mr. J. D. Sievwright, speaking in support of tho chairmam's remarks, stated that a gift of the nso of the Town Hall free of charge might bs too much to expect, but ho thought that what they couldi with reason ask for was .that tho society bs charged on the .ayerago income for the Town Hall for-tha year. If tlio, council were to got what the society paid them for the fortnight's festival it would :bo yielding over -£5000 a year. Having regard for ■ tho educationaL benefit of these, competitions, lie thought they might ask for tho rental to bo adjusted on the average for tho year. .Tho chairman.mentioned the. great value of tho splendid reports given by the press, '-which'had helped so materially in'makine the last festival a success.. The stalf of the Town Hall was also mentioned as ..having given welcome. 1 assistance. The Services of .tho"E«f; B,- O.' .Blamires and "tire Ecv. Fatlier'Hickibta. (retired.committsembn) were also rcmemberfd.