NSW PLYMOUTH BAND CONTEST.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13007, 8 January 1908, Page 4

NSW PLYMOUTH BAND CONTEST.

« THE JUDGE AND THE KAIKOB-AI BAND.

(erXOIALTO "THI PllEflS.") _. WELLINGTON, January 7."" Lieutenant Herd, tho well-known b&ndtmiaeter, who has been appointed judge for tho forthcoming bind contest at Now Plymouth, replies to the ordticiero of tho secretary of tine Keikorai Band. Hβ denies the assertion about his having got tho points out of tfhe judge for the firat playing at Meetoritam, end that he edmritted the facte at a meeting held the next day. What did happen wae that, m«di to his diegtist, the judge, unasked for, and in the presence of Mr J. Diaon, of England, divulged the number of pointe gained by tho bands on the playing of the fk&t eelootaon. By co doing the judge broko tho rules of the Aeeocietictt. Aa one of the fire* members of tho Executive Oommtit'lee, o-nd us one who started the Association, Ldotitenant Herd felt it his duty to ciMkiavoUx to have the, rake otricUy observed, and he did not approach the ind.2;e in ony way. He felit that it wee Mβ duty to report the breach of the rules, end he did a> to Mr F. J- Oikce, of Wellington, then secretary of the at the sa.mo tAmo aeliing him to call a meeting of the masters of tho bands taJcing part in. th« oon-test. This was done. Ihe' matter was put before iJicm, and they uuanirnotisly aipproved of Liouten«vni Herd's action. Possibly the judgo had not made himself acquainted with Iho rules of tho Associat-ion, nnd ho might hey© divulged tho poin.te without knowing? there woe any harm in co doing. In reenrd to the test piece, Lien tenant Herri said it was (juit« truo that he co-bled Home for the voonl wore of "Lebreo" (not the foil scoro > and net "Sebreo," as apparently sfcertod in. Mr Osborne'R lector), but he did uot» send the oaMegram until it we* publicly known that the test piece wee to be tii ken from this opera, and tlhon cms other band conductors could have done the same thing. Thpreforo, he failed to see how tho Kttikorai Bond could subetantinfo its oorutoration that ho liod takon *n unfair ndvtwvt«.ge, for that was practically what their e«H*aition amounted to. It was highly objcctioii-T<ble to hfl-vo Ruc-h charge ac those made against him, a- i>rofe«s.ion;il musician, and he wee quite agreeable to have any such ctbargee investigated at any time.