MUNICIPAL BAND.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 192, 16 August 1938, Page 8

MUNICIPAL BAND.

It ie with great regret, as it must be also to thousands of others, that I read of the City Council's decision to dieband the Municipal Band and convert it into a brass band. Perhaps the City Council does not realise what a great asset this band hae been in advertising Auckland. I have not been long in .Auckland, having come from the South Island, where thie band is as well known among radio listeners as any recording artist, and I definitely know that it is became it in £t military band. When the Grenadier Gaarde' Band, under Major Miller, visited this country a few years ago I had the privilege M a member of a military band of attending a social function given in their honour by the band of the Ist Battalion, Otago. Regiment. At thie function Major Miller spoke on the bands in Xew Zealand and eaid there were far too many braes bands in the country and enggested that they endeavour to convert some of them by first adding saxophones and wo build on until full military standard dm reached. This distinguished gentleman mai, further, that bands ae a whole in New Zealand were hot appreciated ae they should be. He «aid band concerts in New Zealand seemed to be places for old ladies to meet and talk loudly ■ and for dogs to congregate and stage a figfrU To substantiate these statements I can produce ' newspaper cuttings. I realise that the band iiiuet cost the City Council a considerable mam over the period of a year, as it, te my knowledge, is the only professional band in the Dominion. At the moment we hare only four military bands in New Zealand, namely, Auckland Municipal, Royal Air Force, at WeV lington, Derry'e Band, at Christchnrch, and the Ist Battalion, Otago Regiment, at Dnnedia. May I appeal to the City Council not to take such drastic action and at the least kill the best municipal organisation of ite kind in New Zealand? CROTCHET.