THE LATE BAND CONTEST.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 41, 16 February 1903, Page 2

THE LATE BAND CONTEST.

—_—_« THAVJSBSINO 'f MB JODQK'S CRIfICHMS. FSB PRESS ASbOOIATIO*. Palmebstos Norte, Fibuary 15. In an interview wi b ihe representaive of the Maoawatu Daily Times, Mr Cohen, President of the North Island Bmes B*nd A-soaiation, replies to the caustio criticism on the Assoc'ation by Mr Ord Hume, the (English) j'id«<' (f i.hi* contest. Mr Cohen (.ays a tribute to Mr Hume'* qualified ions, but says the unwarranted atnick came ss a gr. at surprise in view of Mr Hume's it mark that the recent contest was the best conducted he had evrr bye a assoiiu'ed with—a contest entirely guided and govrned by tha ru'vs of the Association which Mr Hum l ) so sower* ly condemns. UaMgnei surpii.e was (x;rtsstd by Mr a'. Mr Hume's remarkable statement that if tho Association's object was tha advancement (f brass band music, the Association was not achieving its object. H> s<ys the advancement must be comparative, and any one who bus folio ved the development of the As-, cia*.io:i must admit the splendid improvement in the uffiluted o.nda. This (■ta'iraeiit is all the more remarkable in view of the fu'some pr&i e acco'dod ti the Welling'oo Clan it on pifoimauc , whicb Mr Hume stid ranked wih the notid band* of England, and was as good as he could even p-eaibly t xpect to heir. Is not such a sat men f , neks Mi" Oohec, of tf.e [laying 1 an evident ai*n of advancement ? Uui'-.uing to Mr Hume's state- ! men. that the rules of tie Ai-so ittion shoud bd broken, and were broken by himself, Mr Cohen siys one dots not expect a Judge who, by accrptitg such a position, tac-My agrees to be boutd by ihe rules uffectiug hii appointment-, to glorify a wanton breach thereof. Mr Cohen comp'etely refutes the statement that the Association is not representative and controlled by one band. The rukn, which Mr Hum-* could not have r ad, provide for un annual nue'ing of dd-gat s, two fiom each affiliated band, who elect from among themstlves the whole officers of the Association, who hold office for 12 months only. The officers cumber 35, and of th«se only 10 reside at Wellington, and two only, one a vicepresiden', being members of the Wellington Garrison Band. The Executive Committee consists of ten members from all parts of the North Island, only one beiag a member of the Wellington Garrison Band. The contests are absolutely controlled by the local committee appointed by the. in the town where the contest is held. Great things were expected of Mr Hume as an adviser and educator. It was anticipated faults of management would be pointed out, aad assistance givea to am«nd them, but all the Association received was a veiy bald, noj to siy unmanly criticism, conveyed to a VVanganui interviewer, based upon a distorted knowledge of facts or en tiro ignorance thereof. Mr Cohen declared his iuteation of replying to Mr Hume through the Home band journal, He much regretted that Mr Hume's remarks lent colour to the assumption that bis better judgment was warped by a private disturbance, with which Mr Cohen had nothing to do, no more than he had with their difference of opinion as to the necessity for upholding the dignity of the judges position and Mr Hume's method of so doing.