BAND CONTEST FOR 1935

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21121, 23 March 1934, Page 19

BAND CONTEST FOR 1935

♦ CHRISTCHUIU H NOT TO AIM'LY j roXSIDKKKI» I NSA I ISFACTOR Y 'Die New Zealand brass bands" contest will not be held in Chnstchurch in 1935. This decision was arrived at last night at a meeting of the Christchurch Citizens' Band Contest Committee. Those present were Messrs H. F. Herbert »chairman», T. F. Hall • secretary.', A. M. Page, I- Oakes, J. H. Merrie, T. Hopkins, F. Tunnicliffe, H. Sweney. L. Travels. W. Hubbs. and Captain Hoar.

: Applications for the staging of tise contest had been received by the New Zealand Brass Bands' Association from Timaru, Nelson, and Cbristchurch. The Chnstchurch connnitttee, however. considered that the terms and conditions which it was asked to liiitil were unreasonable, and that it could not entertain the idea o£ eonducting the contest under such condi- ' lions. ' The main clauses of the letter to i the committee from the secretary of i th»NTew Zealand Brass Bands' Associa- ; tion. setting forth the terms, were:— ! "A schedule of prize money and | estimated general expenditure to bP | submitted to and approved by the j management committee of the New ! Zealand Brass Bands' Association. The ■ distribution of profits shall also be j approved by the management committee. "After payment of 10 per cent, of the profits to the New Zealano 1 Brass Bands' Association, a distribution of j6O per cent, of the net profits on a i pro rata basis to visiting bands 1o- ; wards the cost of transport, the re- | maining 40 per cent, to be equally ! divided among all bands competing at the contest. "Each application for a permit to stage the 1935 contest must be accompanied with a marked cheque for £SO handed over to the New Zealand Bras Bands' Association, which shall become the property of the association if the application is granted. "The schedule of prize money and ; estimated expenditure shall accompany the applications, together with an assurance that arrangements will be made for an adequate guarantee. "Net profits of the contest to be handed over to the New Zealand Brass Bands" Association for distribution in accordance with the above-mentioned formula. "The appointment of the musical judge or judges shall be made by the New Zealand Brass Bands' Association and the fees paid by the contest committee. "The management committee reserve the right of appointing a supervisor." On the i.-.otion of Mr Hopkins, seconded by Mr Merrie, the meeting decided "That this committee make no application for the 1935 contest owing to the drastic conditions as laid down by the New Zealand Brass Bands' Association."'

"We want to stage the contest here. We owe it to the public of Christchurch as well as to the bandsmen," said Mr Hopkins, "but we cannot possibly entertain the idea under those conditions." Members were of the opinion that the present conditions would make it impossible for a South Island contest committee to conduct a contest in future, and some of the members suggested that the only way jn which fi future contest could be" held in tfae South Island was for the bands of this island to form a separate association. It was stated that if the committee put forward such a proposition it would receive the support of the majoritv of the South Island bands, ana such ait association could conduct successful contests" without co-operating with the North Island bands. Mr Travers said that it wa.- the duty of the committee to fight for inort reasonable term*, but after some diseussion u was decided that no action should i .• taken in that direction.