THE BAND AGAIN

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 3, Issue 690, 16 November 1933, Page 6

THE BAND AGAIN

BRISK DISCUSSION CRS. GOLEMAN AND JOHNSON JOIN ISSUE IN COUNCIL BANDMASTER'S SALARY Gontending th:t the proce?ds from Ihe reeent dance held by ihe Municipal Band weri usea to suppk-ment the conductor's salary and were not paid into the band social fuds, Cr. :E. T. Johnson at last evening's meeting of the Rotorua Borough Council, protested against this course of ae- * tion. Cr. Johnson contended further that it had been stated in handbills put out befcre the dance that the proceeds would go to the band funds. In view of this c'rcumstance, he did not consider that the money should haye been used lc vupplement ihe bandmaster's salarj. In addition no perniissimi ha.: ht'cn o! iained from the rouncil t*« n hi ihe dance. Cr. 0. II. Coieman said that the proiit had ivsuited :rom the support given tiie function by the people of Rotorua. It was not a matter for the council as to whai happened to the money. A committee of ladies and other people had given a great deal of assistance in organising the function and it was largely due to their efforts that a profit had been made. If the band wished to use the funds for the benefit of their social fund or for any other purpose they were entitled to do so. He admitted that permission to hold the dance had not been given by the council but it had been obtained from the Band Committee. Cr. Johnson reiterated his contention that the band should have obtained the council's sanction. He would also draw attention to the fact that the conductor was accepting xemuneration from another source when it was expressly stipulated that he should not do so without the approval of the council. Cr. Coieman: The only employment of that nature I know of is in connection with the High School. Cr. Johnson: That is what I mean. €r. Coieman: He had permission for that.

Cr. Johnson: He had not. The Mayor said that he thought it would be stretching things too far to stipulate that the band should not use funds of this description for the purpose which they had done. He thought that permission from the band committee was sufficient under the circumstances but he had no recollection of authority being given the bandmaster to accept outside remuneration. Cr. Johnson said that the bandmaster was drawing a good salary and he thought that it was beneath contempt for him to accept money from bandsmen, many of whom were unemployed. Cr. Coieman said that he objected to this term and he considered that it should be withdrawn. The bandmaster had had nothing to do with the matter and it was contemptible of Cr. Johnson to refer to an officer of the council in the way he had done. The popularity of the dance Vii bhown that the- public appreciateri ne "■ ti r\'-m if Cr. Johnson did not. Cr. Coo-.l -on sa'd that he considered Uu. Ct ' ad"ertisements had deliiptelv r; prcsiuted that the proceeds Oi' Lue dance would go to the band funds. He t-hcugh that if the public had realised that the money was to go plement the bandmaster's aiviy. there would not have been the . -.in oTwi .orthoom.'ng. The public bd'M" it., - i rasfc .a section of iiv ir. .a?- Kotoma was overpaying its? I n M-imastjw He moved that bi t oi .uny simiiar functions in fuii' -e, t.ie purposa for which the pro' -crds were to be used should be (di-; s!v u 1 i'ed. Tiicre was no doubt rhaf in J-. pivent inrtance, the pi'i'Ii'.- i°o b.'on misled. Cr. Jolw.m sa:d that he had not the sligh'est intention of withdrawing he- rernnrk about the bandmaster. On the . otitrary, ha would reiterate it. Cr. Coieman considered that Cr. Johnson was using unfair tactics in attacking the bandmaster when he couid not defend himself. The bandsmot. vi«l pr^viously expressed their iau'i'C.u .«!' nudvinv good to the bandmustei'. *h* sahu'y cut which the counc'I h;d miposed upon him. If the money had not been raised from the dance, he would have had no difficulty in raising it by subscription. Cr. Johnson had persistently attaeked the bandmaster and he had no doubt that he would continue to do so. So long as he did so, he (Cr. Coieman) would defend th'e bandmaster. Cr. Johnson: Good! The discussion was close 1 after some further exchanges and Cr. Goodson's suggestion was adoptei as a recommendation to the band committee.