THE VLUNTEERS AND THE BAND.

Manawatu Standard, Volume 3, Issue 32, 13 March 1883, Page 2

THE VLUNTEERS AND THE BAND.

The public are desirous of learning some further particulars with regard to .the dispute between the VoljjriI;eett3~and"the Baml^ w lPa'pp^alfß *tbat the Bandmaster preferred a claim for some £23 10s, alleged arrears of salary due him, which he pressed for payment, threatening [to sell thb t instruments lif suclfwere not paidr kffet consideration , the amount alleged to be due was voted !bj: the CpunciJ .of the* Company, and as security for the amount, the instruments, the property ot the publi«, were; pledged to the Volunteers, each member of the Band signing a receipt to return the instrument in his charge when called upon to do so. Since then one; or two 'quarters'; isalaryf Las ibiep;, paid ; to the Bandmaster, and more is nnw dup, for which a demand has been made, and which will, of course, have to |be • liquidated. The Council of the Volunteers would never have sanctioned incurring the liability had they known that the instruments were not the property of the Band, but belonged tq thV ■public, by- whose' aubscripitiflnaithey had been purchased. Some of the instruments, indeed, have had to be paid j for since, as they are some of those which Messrs iihcHtßi^andi .N annestad purchased and paid for in Dunedin spmo considerable time ago, and on which a 1 l? r g?.P< )I , t }PPCPf r '^e(pß. rc^*?©. is still due, though the instruraenU'are in the r bands of various people, in some cases unknown. The late Bandmaster does not appear-to ha«e acted:' advisedly j in the matter of pledging instruments which were not the property of; the.. I B»hd ■ In any 'sense y especially in threatening to sell the instruments if ; his claim for alleged arrears of salary were noii/-paid.x;. Another Bandmaster has now been appointed, Mr I^ew*-' .qombe, who, we hear, is thoroughly. far the position. The Oojuncif' »fiitbje; .^plnntners have an awliwrrd duty to perform to acquaint the pom-: jbany 'witb/'th'e true ) poßitipn;o£:ima i (ters, in tbat moijey hybteen voted linger a •J'i.: „.;: 'i'. ■(:■•. i.f| t ',.- j palpable m isrepresentation . Iri any case the capitation money secured by the adherence of the Band to the Corps: •w'oul'd have been required in the ! prclinayjr.. expanses of management, and for prizes, and* 'could not hav^ been Voted in any unauthorized or informal manner. The Band must be 'placed under a legitimate head, and responsible

control, or it cannot become a successful institution. Wo trust, that al! existing c 'm plications will yet be adjusted, and that the Volunteers, and Band will get along amicably together, arid both individually and collectively be a credit to the town and district. ii : ;■ ; ' '>■ ;''' .V .1.. ,'s