CORRESPONDENCE

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 2912, 21 July 1925, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE

(To the Editor.)

Sir.—Having waited in vain for an official answer to “Kettle Drum’s” letter, and as the Band seems to have taken on a sort of secret society attitude, I will endeavour to impart for the benefit of “Kettle Drum” and the public, to whom the Band owes a duty, some of the reasons why they have not so far regaled us with the music the contributing public raised such a large sum of money for. Now, Sir, the Band has not been a happy family by any means, the chief cause, in the first place, being the appointment of trustees for the Band. As we all know, the money was raised by various committees, and it was only right that the Trustees should be responsible persons outside of the Band, but owing to this the friction commenced, and has been running through the Band ever since. I suppose it will be news to the public to know that in the rules of the Band, both chairman and conductor were appointed for life. Could anything be more ridiculous? Further, the rules (which, by the way, are, or were, very scarce) also contained a clause re winding up of the Band, which read as under: “Rule 21. — Five-sixths of the musicians of the Band, at a meeting convened for that purpose, may resolve that the Society be wound up, and shall appoint three musicians of the Band to act as liquidators and discharge all liabilities, and to hold all remaining property in trust for spine other body having objects similar to this society; or, to divide the proceeds of the sale of such property among the financial members of the society at the date of liquidation.” After a long struggle by certain broad-minded members of the Band, the rules were rescinded, and fresh rules drawn up, which at present are in the hands of the Registrar, whereby the Band will elect

its chairman and conductor annually, as it should have been from the start. The public paid, and it is only right the public should know something of what has been going on behind boarded windows and locked doors, which, however, failed to prevent the verbose atmosphere of the room’ from permeating the night air. I say without fear of contradiction that had it not been for the autocratic, domineering attitude of the heads of the Band it would ere this have given the public something for its money. Again, the Band never even had an annual meeting until reminded by the Registrar that they were liable to a fine each day for the two years they were behind with an annual meeting. Personally, I am not a member of the Baud, but I was a contributor to the funds to equip a Band. The question i*, to my mind, are the public going to be forced to call on the various committees, who in turn will call on the trustees, who will approach the Band at a special meeting, and ask the Band if they are going to carry on in a business-like manner, or in the alternative hand the assets of the Band over to a fund to be used for the benefit of providing 'play grounds for the children on Easton Park. Something must be done, and that quickly.—Yours, etc., PICCOLO.