FIRE AND MUSIC.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 3769, 27 August 1907, Page 2

FIRE AND MUSIC.

The Borough Council has taken a fatherly interest in the local band. It is erecting a room on the ratepayers’ property near the N.Z. Shipping Company’s grading stores, in which the band will hold practices and store their instruments. The band is an institution, when properly conducted, which merits public support, and we do not think ratepayers will complain if their trustees contribute a fixed sum per annum towards the band funds, with the proviso that the band submit its balance-sheet annually for the perusal of the aforesaid people’s trustees. However, a far more important institution than the band requires to be brought into being, and has .a prior claim on the people’s funds than music, i.e , a fire brigade. We have referred to this question on previous occasions, but our warnings have been disregarded. We will wait until there is an outbreak of fire, and perhaps a life or two lost, and then commence to claw the air. Foxton of late years has, fortunately, been passed over by the fire fiend. But, like other towns, it will have its turn. In our opinion the people’s money, now being spent on the erection of a band room, would be scattered to, better advantage in purchasing a manual fire engine, reel and hose. Atter providing for the safety of life and property, comes music. We are starting at the wrong end. Nero fiddled while Rome burned.