FOXTON BOROUGH BAND.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 1130, 7 August 1913, Page 3

FOXTON BOROUGH BAND.

ENGAGEMENT PROPOSAL - TURNED DOWN.

A special meeting of active and honorary members of the Foxton Borough Brass Band was held in the bandroom on Tuesday night, to consider a proposal from Mr Hamer, manager for Hayward’s Pictures re engaging the services of the band to play in front of the Royal every Saturday night. Mr H. Witchell was voted to the chair.

Mr Hamer, in his letter, read to the meeting, offered to grant the Band a subsidy of £2O per annum and to givel.the Band a benefit picture show annually, the full use of the Royal one night in each year for the purpose ot augmenting the Band funds by concert, ball or other effort, and also free passes to members for all picture shows. In return he required the Band to play in the streets each Saturday night (weather permitting) and finish their programme in front of the Royal at 7-45- lu addition to this he would require them not to play for any opposition show which might happen on any night he was showing. Mr Lumsden said he did not think the Band could entertain Mr Hamer’s offer as they had promised, when canvassing for honorary members subscriptions, that the Band would play every alternate Saturday night in front of one or other of the hotels. If the Band did not carry out this proposal he considered they obtained his subscription, 10s 6d, under talse pretences. Mr Hamer said all Mr Lumsden was thinking about was to get people round bis hotel. Mr Lumsden knew that picture shows were taking people away from the pubs. The secretary (Mr Knewstub) denied that in obtaining honorary members, any proposition was made to play in front of the hotels.

Mr S. Read pointed out that the Council was interested in the Band and provided them with a room free of charge. He did not think .n fairness to the ratepayers, the *Band would be justified in acceptng Mr Hamer’s offer. Mr Hadfield asked what financial assistance the Council had given the Band during the past twelve years. , The secretary said they had not received anything from the Council during the past five years. Cr Read said a grant of either £5 ot £lO had been made a few years ago. Mr Newth said he could not see how the Band could accept Mr Hamer’s offer. They could do better by playing in the Main Street and taking up a collection.

Mr Hamer explained that his offer did not in any way preclude the Band from playing wherever it liked provided it finished its programme in front of the Royal at 7.45Mr H. Richmond moved that Mr Hamer’s offer be accepted. The Band was in need of funds and the offer was a very good one. The Council did not support the Band. It had promised them £5 per year, but the Band had not received the money.

Mr Hamer said this offer would make them independent of beggins. , . , , Mr Newth said the public had given the Band more support than they deserved. When uniforms were required some time ago, at a cost of £jo, the money was raised in three months.

Mr Hadfield seconded Mr Richmond’s motion.

Mr Imrasden said he had offered the Band .£36 per year to play in front of his hotel every Saturday night between the hours of 7 and 10 p.m. The Band, through its then secretary, accepted this offer, but it only played on one occasion. He understood that several Salvationists in the Band had objected to play in front of hotels. Another excuse was that they were ashamed to play in public but they were not ashamed to play in the presence of two or three thousand people at the races. The secretary explained that the bandmaster at the time referred to by Mr was a business man and it was not convenient for him to leave his business every Saturday night.

Mr Murphy said when the Band played out it should give all sections fair treatment.

After further desultory discussion the motion was put and lost. It was decided to hold a basket social in aid of the funds and a committee was set up to arrange same. Mr Hamer offered the use of his hall for the purpose free of charge, which offer was accepted with applause. A vote of thanks to the Chair terminated the meeting.