The Daily News THURSDAY, JULY 4. THE BAND CONTEST.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 4 July 1907, Page 2

The Daily News THURSDAY, JULY 4. THE BAND CONTEST.

To judge by the sparse attendance at the band contest Meeting last, nig'il, one might almost be pardoned fur believing Uiat the public of New I*l vmouth are una ware thai this town is ioinmiited to the obligation of carrying out the Band contest of Tile matter has now so far progressed that ;<1 withdraw would mean a serious and d imaging rellection on the town, and no oik 1 , we are sure, wishes that such a stigma should ever be cast on New Plymouth's honor. To our mind, tiic apparent lack of interest is due uitirely to the delay in calling a meeting, thus allowing the early enthusiasm 1,0 want*. Last night's meeting wisely decided against an adjournment, and to proceed at once with tlie initial .irningements. A certain sum of mowy is re<|iiirrd l>v way of guarantee, a nutter of four or live hundred pounds. Tiiere should not be ihe slightest diliieultv in s 'curing that amount, more particularly as there does not seem to be the remotest possibility of its being called up. i'he toi :1 of the t;mt<sl Aviil probably amount to close oil U7OO, which should, with something to spare, be realised from the takings. The bull has now been set rolling, and the public looks to the Mayor, or whoever may lie appointed chairman, to keep it rolling. Much of the success of an undertaking of this kind depends on the enthusiasm imparted to his co-workers by the leader, and in this connection we trust the seeming dilatorinesfT up to the present is no criterion of the manner in which the affair is to be nian.igcd from now 011. Already wc hear of outside ,hands as far afield as Napier aTid Dunedin making tlleir preliminary arrangements for attending the contest, waich bids fair, so far ag competition is eoncerneil, to be only second 1o tile record Exhibition contest. There is, further, more than a remote possibility of at least two Australian bands competing. The promoters of the contest chould take serious cognisance of this possibility, and oiler special inducements to these Australian bands to make the trip- It could 110 dou.bt be. arranged by a special guarantee io cover portion of their expenses, in the event of their being unsuccessful in the open competition*. In any case their appearance would be a draw, beside which the cantest, no matter how well patronised otherwise, would pile into mediocrity. Enough has been said at this moment to show the public that this affair is a reality.for which tin- town is responsible, and it behoves those who would wish to see it -uiiTesstnl, as il should be, to provide the necessary guar.intei s required to enable tho contest to H; carried out in a manner beiitting New Plymouth.