THE SOUTH BAND.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 1039, 21 August 1911, Page 5

THE SOUTH BAND.

[To The Editor.]

I Sir,— In your issue of the 16th I inst., a report on "Grants to Bands" ! contained a statement made by Cr Temple ito the effect that the South ! Band could only scrape up about seven or eight members. I would like to ask Or Temple where he got his. information 'from, as the Band has never b-s-en so low in membership since formed years ago, and at the present time is almost double the number stated by Cr Temple. I think it would be just as well if Cr Temple made sure of his faats before he makes- a statement that is likely to appear in print, and in this case the statement referred to is. very misleading, not only to- the public in general, but ito those who have al- ! ready assisted the Band. I would 'also like to point out the Mayor's [ remark that the Band was- not in a. position to play out, numerically or instrumentally. I -suppose this is it'he reason why the Mayor and his party lent the platform when the Band commenced its selection on Coronation Day, one well-known gentleman stating it was worth ithe extra grant to cover up the insult thrown out that day. He (the Mayor) also says it would not he wise to start fathering the Band. He was of the opinion that one Band would be sufficient. I wonder if the Mayor and the Park Committee thought so 3£ years ago. When the first Water Sports were; held to raise funds for the Park, and the Municipal Band refus-sd to play unless paid £lO, the Committee fell J back on. ithe South Band. We al-V ready had an engagement, -but let it' go to assist locally. We got nothing for it, absolutely nothing, not even a letter of thanks, although the whole turn-out cleared £SO; and yet { on the face of this, because we ask for a little extra assistance, there is ,' a noise. "We should amalgamate!" "It is like putting a child on crutches!" Such statements as these were made by different Councillors, and then wo are asked for our balancesheet. It is demanded almost every time our grant is due. Does the Council think we are a lot of rogues? Why not the same treatment to other bodies, when- they ask for their grants? For the benefit of the Mayor and Cr Temple, I would like to state, that as far as numbers go, in the course of a month or- two our ' membership will be almost throe ' timesi the number stated by Cr Temple, although it is not always numbers ithat make music— I am, etc., A MEMBER M.S. BAND.