A LITTLE COMEDY.

Auckland Star, Volume XL, Issue 270, 12 November 1909, Page 7

A LITTLE COMEDY.

STONEWALLING A BILL. AMUSING DISCUSSION ABOUT MUSICIANS. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. A long discussion on music and musicians took place in the House of Representatives last evening, when Mr. T. K. Sidey's New Zealand Society of Musicians Bill reached its committee stage. At the outset it was clear that the details of the bill would be very closely scrutinised, mainly for the reason that there was another order, the Public Service Bill, introduced by Mrs} Herdman, not far down the list. The Government had already made it clear that the latter is not a palatable proposal. On the first clause of Mr. Sidey's bill, Mr. B. B. Ross rose and asked for' a wealth of detail about the proposal to establish something which might be a close corporation. Mr. Sidey replied at greater length that there would be no close corporation. Further discussion disclosed an atmosphere of "stonewall."

Every possible argument was brought in by members to maintain the debate, Mr. Ross entertaining the House with his views on the musical abilities of members of the Education Committee, while Mr. Poland sent the House into an uproar with his endeavour to trace the history of trombone music from China in 1283 8.C., to the development of th. art of trombone playing as we know it to-day. Other members beW forth on the merits of the tin whistle, the flute, and the "jambourine" as musical instruments. Mr. Bulck inquired if members had ever known an instrument called the lyre, and Dr. Buck replied that the natives of this country had had a deal of it in their dealings with the pakehas.

Mr. Arnold required an absolute assurance that the bill would not shut out anyone from gaining a livelihood at music teaching, or he must reluctantly oppose it. Mr. Sidey protested that it would not do so. Mr. Russell referred the member in charge to the clause providing for the right to register being granted to "all persons who satisfy the Council both that they have been professionally and habitually engaged in composing, teaching, or performing for the period of five years or upwards immediately preceding the coming into operation of the Act, and that they are competent." He drew special attention to the words "habitually engaged in composing," and asked who was to certify as to that for as far back as five years ago. Then, again, who was to be the judge of competency? Mr. Dav<-y: The Governor-in-Council will fix all that. (Laughter.)

Mr. Russell submitted that it would involve some responsibility. (Laughter.) Musicians were proverbially touchy people.

"Are you a musician?" asked Mr. Greenslade, with the bewitching air of a suburban hostess trying to start off a musical evening.

Mr. Russell (politely): Only very slight.

Mr. Greeaslade: What is your favourite instrument? Mr. Russell: Sometimes the piano and sometimes the organ. I tried the flute, but my wife objected. (Laughter.) Mr. Colvin: What about the bagpipes? Mr. Russell: I leave that to the member for Lyttelton and the member for Buller.

Messrs. Ross and Poland dealt with the clause in a facetious manner.

Mr. T. E. Taylor said it was a pity the House could not settle the fate of this proposal a little more speedily. However, he supposed the Public Service Bill a little lower down the Order Paper must be blocked. H e would infinitely prefer to listen to a debate on an important public question than to the prolonged arguments he had just heard. Mr. Sidey seemed to have a fad for incorporating people. (Laughter.) He incorporated the dentists, and one result had been a solid advance in the price of dental fixings throughout New Zealand. Anyone who "habitually composed" for five years deserved a special Act of Parliament as a public nuisance. (Laughter.) The purpose of the bill was to see that the rank and file did not get into the close corporation. It excluded persons under 21 years old, whereas everyone knew that in music remarkable genius was often found in the extremely young. Mr. Sidey would have kept Mozart himself out of the Society. Mr. Sidey was a most insidious man—(laughter)—a dangerous man —(laughter)—dangerous because he was the last man in the House from whom one would expect a dangerous proposal. Ha did not look like an anarchist, and for that reason he would be allowed to carry a bomb into a children's hospital. (Loud laughter.) He disarmed suspicion. (Renewed laughter.) The country was in danger of finding itself half ruined through trusting to the member for Caversham. Mr. H. Poland said he regarded it as "an abortion of a bill," calculated to take the livings out of the mouths of many poor people. Mr. James Allen said he thought all the harmful provisions of the bill had bepn taken out in committee, and he thought there could be no objection to allowing the bill to become law. Mr. Sidey said that there was nothing to prevent any teacher of music carrying on his or her profession quite independent of the .Society. There was nothing in the nature of a close corporation in the bill, and it did not rob any teacher of his rights.

ilr. Russell objected that the bill would give the Society the power to place on teachers the hall-mark of being qualified musicians. The bill was, he contended, an endeavour to prevent the establishment of a Conservatorium of Music in New Zealand, because a narrowminded class thought it would interfere with their livings. The professional musicians of Auckland had been par(ticuilarly active in protesting against any Government assistance being granted to such a conservatorium.

Dr. Buck wanted to know if the tin whistle came within the meaning of the bill as a musical instrument, and would a person playing on a tin whistle for five years be entitled to registration as a musician? (Laughter.) (The,

member for the Northern Maori district went on to refer to the musical customs ■of the natives. The Maoris were very fond of the nose flute, an instrument made from the arm bone of a fallen enemy. Was a Maori who had played the no3e flute for a period of five years entitled to registration as a musician under the terms of the bill? If not, why not? (Loud laughter.) At 12.30 the committee had reached clause 20 of the 'bilL Only one amendment of any importance was made, permitting persons habitually and professionally engaged in composing, teaching, or performing for three years (in- place of five) to be registered. The way was then cleared for Mr. Dive's Mutual Insurance Amendment Bill, it being then so late that Mr. Herdman's bill was in no danger of a second reading.