THE PALMERSTON BAND.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 9507, 6 May 1911, Page 4

THE PALMERSTON BAND.

The unsatisfactory state of the Palmerston Brass Band's finances has been referred to on more than one occasion in our columns, and if the institution is to flourish something will have to be dono to lift it out of the "slough of despond" into which it has fallen. The Band is in this unfortunate position that it cannot help itself to any great extent owing to tho heavy financial burden it is carrying, and until that is removed no very great progress can be made with its business affairs. At the meeting of the Borough Council last evening attention was directed to the Band's position. It was pointed out diat a proposal was to come before the Council at an early date asking that it should tako over the whole of the affairs of the Band. As a result of this statement it was decided to leave an amount on the estimates similar to last year, £3O, for the Band until an opportunity was given for considering its proposals. There seemed to bo practically a unanimous feeling that the Council should do all in its power to assist that body. Wo are quite of opinion that public slops should be taken to place the Band upon a satisfactory footing generally, but it is quite another matter to suggest that the Council should tako the affairs of the Band upon its shoulders. The proposal should, and will, it goe6 without saying, receive serious consideration at'the hands of tho Council, but at the present juncturo we are not disposed to support any scheme which will cause the Band to become a charge upon the ratepayers except to tho extent of a reasonable subsidy in return for its public appearances and for the help it affords local institutions.