SOCIETY OF MUSICIANS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2896, 15 September 1909, Page 12

SOCIETY OF MUSICIANS.

DEPUTATION TO THE HON. G. FOWLDS. AUCKLAND, September 7. A deputation from the Auckland Society of Musicians, consisting of the president (Mr H. W. Webbe), the vice-president (Mr J. H. Fray), and a member of the council (Mrs Arthur Boult), waited upon ike Minister -of Education (the Hon. G. Fovrids) this morning in regard to certain matters resulting from the recent conference of musicians held in Auckland. Mr Webbe explained that it wae the desire- of the conference to make it clear ; that the establishment of a State Con- > seTVatoriam would be premature, and in support of' this contention they could quote particulars of conservatoria of muse in Australia. They also desired to urge' upon the Minister the need for supporting the Musicians Bill, as amended? A third matter to- which they wished to call the Minister's attention was the question of singing in the public schools. It was felt that the present system of teaching siagiag in the public schools was having aa injurious effect on the children's voices, and was likely to prove a permanent injury to them in after life. It was thought desirable that the children should be placed under specially qualified teachers. They further submitted that it was inadvisable to continue the teaching of vocal nmeic as a compulsory subject for teachers, and strongly recommended a special training for suitable candidates in this subject. Mr Fray said that Adelaide provided the greatest object lesson of what a conservatorium would cost. Ten years ago a oonservatorium. had been established in the South -Australian capita) at a cost of something like £40,000. An endowment of £20>000 had been provided by an Adelaide citizen, and "the Government had spent another £18,000 on buildings and £1200 on an organ. It was an important question for the New Zealand Government, since it appeared that the University Senate desired the Government to stand the cost of establishing a ooneervatorium. At Adelaide they had 363 students, the revenue panned out at £6 5s ,per head, and the cost to the oonservatorium was )9 15s per head, representing a loss of £3 10s per head. Mus Boult said that while it would be admitted that a consenratorium would oe an incentive to art it was felt that the time was not ripe for the establishment of a conservatori um in New Zealand. In Adelaide they had three times as large a population as Auckland, and the people there also had more leisure. In this Dominion it was felt that want of leisure vrat a severe deterrent to progress in art, and in the case of young people here it was felt that there was so much home work that the children, were prevented from becoming artistic. The Hon. Air Fowlds, in reply, said they could rest assured that the Government was not looking for any fresh channels for the expenditure of public money at the present time. There was no danger of the Government establishing a conservatorium in the immediate future, and they could rest assured that the subject would ieceive very mature consideration before any step was taken. The Government would have to be quite satisfied^ that the expenditure involved would be of a reasonable amount and that the returns would be commensurate with such expenditure. In regard to the Musicians Bill, he could see no personal objection to it so long as the interests of musicians outside its soope would not be in any prejudiced. It seemed to him a reasonable proposition that those who had reached a certain standard should have their status recognised. Mr Sidey, one of the members for Diunedin, would hav<> charge of the bill again this session. It had been proposed that the Government should take the bill up, but he did not think that could be done during the coming session, and it would be better to waft and see if Mr Sidey could no 1 get it through this year. With refci-n - to the third pomt — relating t<> siv^u in public schools — he could tel) thtm that the department of which he was the hc^d

as well as himself was strongly of opinion that all teaching in the primary schools should bo done by tne primary school teachers themselves. They were besieged with requests for appointment as teachers of special subjects, nut. they steadily set their faces against anything of ih« kind. There was a danger 'that the organisation might be affected, and they were now trying to equip teachers in every possible way in the training colleges. Finally, with regard to the proposal that singing should be. a compulsory subject for teachers, be would promise to Took into the suggestion. .