Auckland Municipal Band

Radio Record, Volume II, Issue 43, 10 May 1929, Page 7

Auckland Municipal Band

Bearing of Recent Election Results

S a result of the municipal election in Auckland, eight new faces will appear round the council table, at which eighteen members sit. In those circumstances, it is possible that the question of the broadcasting of the Auckland Municipal Board may be reopened. The question was a moderately live one in connection with the election, a strong body of public opinion being at the back of the desire that the council should reconsider the matter. The IYA Musical and Dramatic Committee engaged in .correspondence with the council prior to the election. In writing to the council, the committee inquired what reason, or reasons, if any, prevented a contract being entered into for broadcasting the Municipal Band performances only, since relays of organ recitals had proved unpopular with listeners, and the city organist himself had freely expressed opposition to the broadcast of organ recitals on artistic and musical grounds. In those circumstances, it was felt that the council was adopting a peculiar attitude in insisting that the Broadcasting Company should not be allow; ed to -broadcast the band only, but should also inflict upon listeners the unwanted series of organ recitals. In replying to the representations of the IYA Dramatie Committee, the town clerk advised that the only reason preventing a contract being entered into was the fact that the Broadecasting Company was not prepared to pay the sum of £500 per annum demanded by the council for the right to broadcast the band and the organ,

LETTER was also sent by the Musical Committee to the manager of the Broadcasting Company stating it to be the desire of Auckland citizens that arrangements should be made for the Municipal Band to be broadcast if possible. ~ In reply to these representations; the general manager of the Broadcasting Company recapitulated the facts covering the situation. These have been given in our columns before, but may be given again on the point that the council’s offer included some 35 performances which were quite unsuitable for broadcasting and which the company could not use to the satisfaction of listeners. The company’s offer represented seven guineas per broadcast, including 20 free Sunday evening concerts. Figured on the basis of the concerts for which charge was made, the company’s offer represented approximately fifteen guineas per concert. "It need only be added," said the general manager, "that the council declined to consider the question from the community service point of view; disregarded the great publicity value of broadeasting to the city; failed to realise that broadcasting would help matevially to justify the maintenance of the band at the expense of the ratepayers, and by attempting to secure an excessive fee, deprived the ratepayers of the substance of a reasonable contribution towards the cost of the band. It was to be noted that the City Council had not suggested that the sum offered by the ‘company for the band was inadequate, but it insisted that the company should pay a larger

sum to include matter which was not wanted." The matter now awaits possible reconsideration by the new council. Supplementing the comment already made, the council may be asked to say definitely whether the Municipal Band is or is not available for hire. If it is. available for hire, then it is an extraordinary attitude to refuse to accept hire unless the hirer purchases something that is not wanted, namely, the organ recitals.. If the. band is not available for hire, then the ratepayers who foot the bill may fairly ask that the council make available to them in adequate fashion the services of the band for which they pay.