GARRISON BAND.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 169, 4 December 1912, Page 5

GARRISON BAND.

PUBLIC MEETING. PERMANENT COMMITTEE OF CONTROL SET UP. A further meeting of citizens was held in the Town Hall last night in connection with the reorganisation of the Taranaki Garrison Band. The Mayor (Mr. G. W. Browne) presided, and on behalf of the committee submitted a schedule of assets and liabilities, showing a deficiency of £25 14s 4d, the liabilities totalling £175 3s 4d. The annual estimated expenditure was £176, and the receipts £ll7 10s.

The Chairman then read the following statement:—"On the whole the Band does not appear to be in such a bad financial position as was at first anticipated. The Band has earned in engagements and concerts in -1910-11, £127 8s lOd, whereas the hon. members and donations for the same period only amounted to £2O 14s. In 1011-12 the Band earned in engagements and concerts and collected 16s (id, the hon. members' subscriptions and donations amounting to £36 lis lOd. In 1912-13 the amounts earned in engagements and concerts amounted to £Bl Ss fld, aud the donations to only £ll 17s. Thus for the two years and nine months past the Band has earned in engagements and concerts £274 13s 10(1, and the hon. members' subscriptions and donations for the same period totalled £01) 2s lOd, „o it is <|iiite evident that the Band would sooner play for a small engagement than undertake the ordeal of collecting subscriptions round the town."

Mr. Browne also read a communication from Captain Lampen to the effect that the arrears of subsidy, £124, together with the annual regimental grant of £SO (including the current year's capitation of £l2 10s) would shortly be forwarded to the Band.

On the motion of Mr. W. C. Weston, a permanent citizen's committee consisting of Messrs. E. Sole, G. W. Browne, A. E. Sykes, G. Tabor, J. Eustace, W. Dincen. E. Carter, and the honorary secretary (Mr. R. Ellis) was elected for the purpose of co-operating with the president, bandmaster, band secietary, and two members of the Band to control the management of the Band.

On the recommendation of the provisional committee, it was decided fo hold a Band Saturday on December 21, and to make arrangements to systematically canvass the town on that day for donations towards the Band's funds, and to request the Band to put on a programme on the afternoon and evening of that day. It was further resolved to ask the Borough Council to increase the grant for municipal concerts, and that additional band concerts be given, one each at Fitzroy, Vogeltown, Westown, and Moturoa.

It was decided (hat the financial year begin on November 1 each year, and that the combined committee and Band control the finances of the Band.

The Mayor drew attention to the fact that the Band would from time to time be helped considerably numerically, if local employers, in applying lor labor outside the district, gave preference, all things being equal, to those competent to play in the Band.

The question of setting up a sub-com-mittee to canvass the town for annual subscriptions sometime after the New Year was left to the incoming committee. p

Opportunity was taken by the secretary of the Band 4 Mr. P. Coleman, to correct a statement made at the previous public meeting to the effect that the Band had not presented a balance-sheet for two or three years past. As a matter of fact the Inst annual meeting was held in June of last year, when (he said) an audited balance-sheet was presented In moving a hearty vote of thanks to the Mayor for presiding, and the provisional committee for initiating the scheme of reorganisation, Mr. W. C. Weston remarked that the Band was now on a very fair way to shortly being established on a splendid footing. Management by the citizens Tiad been wanted for years past. They could now confidently look forward in a year or so to iNew Plymouth possessing one of the best bands m the Dominion. (Applause). At a committee meeting h*ld subsequently it was resolved to hold a ladiesmeeting on Tuesday, with a view to orgamsnig a ladies' committee to assist on Band Saturday on December 21. The general committee will provide afternoon ted and Biipp er for the lady canvassers. All willing to become annual subscribers are asked to kindly send their names to Mr. R. Ellis.