Auckland's Band

Radio Record, Volume II, Issue 41, 26 April 1929, Page 9

Auckland's Band

-. eee ere \ ‘ Caustic Press Comment sTHE Auckland "Pictorial News," which takes a keen interest in culture matters, has the following comment to make upon the attitude of the City Council to the radio broadcasting of band recitals :- "The Auckland City Council has had showered upon it probably more abuse and caustic criticism than any other local body in the Dominion during its present tenure of office. It certainly Gi earned a generous share of the licks that have come its way as an admonition for ineptitude, extravagance and lack of administrative ability; but surely one of its most futile efforts to serve the citizens of Auckland has been the attitude adopted in dealing with municipal music. "Squander-mania. — The Auckland City Council has squandered money most recklessly in this connection, and has decided to perpetuate the ridiculous anomaly of paying extravagantly for something the public manifestly does not want. The council has, for instance, acquiesced in continuing to pay a city organist £600 per annum, in addition to £200 a year for a tuner. These certainly are useful little "perks" for the individuals receiving them, but unfortunately those fees do not represent nearly the cost the ratepayers are paying for municipal music. The expen- { on lighting, advertising, rent, nd engaging artists to assist at concerts (to mention but a few outlays) brings the annual cost of this musical farce up to about £1400, or nearly £70 for each concert. . The gross receipts, we are informed, amount only to. £4 8s. 6d. .per performance! "Organ Grinding Unpopular.-Auck-land may, -or may not, be a musicloving community, and its people may deserve being reproached for not possessing in artistic soul or an appetite for organ recitals. One thing, however, citizens have most certainly shown that they do not want municipal concerts, such as haye been provided for them during recent years. We are told several of the once-thriving musical and choral societies in the city are having a particularly lean time, and find difticulty in keeping together, although Aucklanders have shown a disposition t® enjoy the class of music these orused to provide. Now, nfortunately, they are unable to finance concerts, because of the high cost of producing them, despite the fact that most performers offered their talents gratuitously and gave their services generously. "Better Use for Money.-It would certainly seem that the Auckland City Council would have been better advised to subsidise our languishing choral societies.than continue to individuals when citizens have, in. no. uncertain way, demonstrated they do not appreciate their fare. Perhaps ‘organ music’ is above the musical understanding of the average citizen, but as ratepayers are paying the piper there should be effort on the part of , councillors ‘to give the public what they want, rather than try and force upon them something they do not want."