"MUSIC HATH CHARMS."

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 152, 14 November 1912, Page 8

"MUSIC HATH CHARMS."

BUT THE BAND NO FUNDS. PROPOSED REORGANISATION. Between forty and fifty citizens attended the public meeting which was held in the Town Hall last night for the purpose of considering the question of reorganising the Tarannki Garrison Band. The Mayor (Mr. G.'W. Browne)i occupied the chair, and there was a' unanimity of opinion that the band should not be suffered to become- defunct. In his introductory remarks Mr, Biowne said that some short time he and Mr. Sole waited', on: the. band! members, and gathered that they were bankrupt. There was no douk-that as ! .bandsmen the members w.ere fine fel-i lows, but as financiers they- were sadly at fault. Candidly, they could-.not mailage their own affairs. It was three years since the band had repeived a pop-: per from the Defence Department, • Thej annual subsidy, prior to- the new Defence Act, was £BG. Some sliort time ago a commission -was' set up by the Government with the coming into ; existence of the -compulsory military; trains ing scheme, and through that , body the" band was awarded £124. Really speak-l 1 ing, it was entitled to "considerably.tfiqtc!' than that som. It was for tile

CITIZENS. TO .COME. TO ''THff.RESeTJIi and take the band in hand. It 'was: fori New Plymouth—the capital of Taranaki! —to decide whether ■if was gorngr-.io. allow the town to go without a band. Personally, he did' not think-the-citizens! would suffer such a position about. Mr; Browne-added'that Mr:.ft. Okey, M.P., had waited upoir the Minis-; ter of Defence regarding the', overdue' subsidy, and a reply bad been ; f.eeprvecti to the effect that the matter was being 1 enquired into. No,doubt,within'a ; sho ; rt! time the band would receive'' the ' £.120! outstanding. As regards the. .future, ; however, it was plain that, the band 1 would not be able to carry on with.only: the Government subsidy of £12.105.'. Its' liabilities to date totalled £.290, and to bring the band to an efficient state,ami maintain it so an annual outlay of £155 : would be required, comprising:—Band-: master's salary £73, secretary's salary! £ls, solo cornet player £25, music £2O, depreciation on 31 uniforms' £2o;'.. : The band owed £4O on its were worn out and required replacing at a cost of £124. The Mayor continued that Captains Lampen'and,Stevens;,' 'of: the Defence Department, Stratford, had! been approached with a view to obtain-'' ing something better than the meagre subsidy of £l2 10s. The officers in question had undertaken to raise an addi-i tional £SO for the band out of thefunds of the 11th Regiment, Taranaki Territorials. That would bring the receipts up to £62 10s, leaving the town to make up the deficiency of about £ 100 annually. This was a very small amount to provide, as it only meant,:2oo subscribers of half a guinea. With a population of 7500 he did not anticipate any difficulty in raising such a small sum. In addition to the annual expenses he' had already outlined, an additional. £lO would be required to pay the bandmaster for bringing on young players to take the place of bandsmen whose ser- . vices were lost by removal from the. trict. In order to bring matters to; a head, the Mayor then moved that a i small committee be set up to straighten out the affairs of the band, and to carry

out all future transactions in connection witls the institution, financial and- otherwise, and that the band remain a regimental band. Seeing that the citizens were being asked to partially finance the ban/L it was only reasonable that they should elect a committee to WATCH THE EXPENDITURE.. The committee would also be expected to annually draw up "a balance-sheet, which matter had apparently been overlooked by the band for the last two years. "The trouble his been,"' concluded Mr. Browne, "that for the last few years the band has been drifting, drifting, drifting!" In answer to the Mayor, Mr. F. T. Bellringer explained that there would be no difficulty in arranging with the Territorial authorities at Stratford for con» tinuing the band as a garrison band. Actually only 25 members of the band would be sworn in> as a Territorial band; but, as in the case of other bands similiarly situated, the whole of the nand wonld parade at", military functions. There would be no- difficulty in getting the consent of the military authorities to allow the citizens' committee to control the affairs of the band. Mr. C. Carter remarked that he thought all were agreed that the town 1 must have a band at all costs. There' must be some united action on the part of eitizens to provide

THE SINEWS OF WAR. The trouble was that in the past the tend had not availed itself of the pußlic; support that was to- be got simply for the asking. Before the band could be put on a proper footing the outstanding: liabilities would have- to be wiped off. Mr. W. C. Weston agreed that it would be a great pity if the town gave up.: its band'. The band would not be without: its source of revenue, and he instanced how each year it received £36 from the Taranaki Jockey Club for its services at the two local raoe meetings. With' a; liberal discount on-, the back accounts owing by the band, there was no reason why in twelve months the whole of:'the liabilities of the band should not be wiped off. Mr. E. Sole, who lias greatly interested himself in endeavoring to place tli« band on a better footiEg, warmly supported Mr. Browne's motion. Incidentally, he hoped that in future bandsmen would be recompensed for time lost whin called 1 out to play during' the day. Mr. G. Tabor had' little doubb that the citizens would-rally round the band, and', he mentioned tJla-t the Circalar Rood 1 ' Race had got £10: tp give the band. In seconding, the the Rev. Archdeacon Evans pointed out how for a good many years past tlie band had readily come forward and given their services at any public function, witliout any fee or hope of reward.. In fact the bandsmen had,' been rather "takea in" that way. 1 An amendment moved by Mr. Eustace I that the committee should make every effort to wipe' offi the present liabilities, and after Sliat the band should in the

future be maintained nut id' the public rates, was defeated liv :i. !■;,■=• majority, Mr. I<\ E. BollnngiM- ixpl •:■ •; that ih--i Government Auditor had ,; " ady questioned the present subsidy '1 by the Borough Council to the ,:■ . The Mayor also thou; ir '• was ton big a proposition for the (<.;i:vil, COMMITTEE SET UP. The motion was carried, and the following committee set up: Mvssrs. ('!. \V. Browne, E. Sole, A. E. C Carter, Eustace and G. Tabor, \v;ih the bandmaster and band secretary ex ofiioio. The committee met subsequently, when it was decided to ask the secretary of the band to supply a detailed statement of the band's financial position, stating also whom the band's instruments are vested in, and giving particulars of any insurances. The committee will meet ; again next Tuesday evening. Mr. Sykes has been appointed secretary pro tem, and arrangements are being made to canvass for funds.