Orchestra Grant Rises Not Given

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32005, 4 June 1969, Page 14

Orchestra Grant Rises Not Given

The Riccarton Borough Council at its meeting last evening rejected a finance committee recommendation that the Christchurch Civic Orchestra annual grant be increased from $l5O to $5OO. The council took the view that it should defer any decision about the grant until after a meeting of local authority mayors and chairmen to discuss the orchestra.

During the discussion, the Mayor (Mr R. W. J. Barring-

ton) criticised organisations which wrote to the council demanding money as of right He said that too many organisations were writing to the council telling it what its contribution should be for something or other. “I wonder where this begins and ends. I think we should decide which organisations we should contribute to,” he said. “I feel $5OO is too much for this council. We have been a contributor since the orehesrta was founded. If it had not been for this council the orchestra would never have got off the ground,” said Mr Harrington.

Cr R. S. Lester said $5OO was far in excess of what other councils intended to give to the orchestra. An amendment that the recommendation be referred back to the finance committee was carried. Paparua Decision No decision was reached by the Paparua County Council last evening on the increased grant it has been asked to make. A sum of $5O for the orchestra was shown on the draft estimates. This was the same amount as the council paid last year. On the scale now proposed

by the orchestra foundation, the council would find about $l6OO. This year’s grant will be discussed by the finance committee, which Will make a recommendation. “There is a limited extent to the assistance that can be reasonably given from ratepayer sources,” said the chairman (Mr D. H. Warren), who mentioned 10 metropolitan efforts to which the council was contributing. A grant of $360, spread over three years, was approved for the Pan-Pacific Arts Festival in 1972. The same grant was made to the 1968 festival.