ORCHESTRA ROW Mr Pickering has had a ‘gutsful'

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33675, 26 October 1974, Page 18

ORCHESTRA ROW Mr Pickering has had a ‘gutsful'

The chairman of the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra (Mr N. G. Pickering) said last evening that he had had “a gutsful” of the objecting members of the board, and was “sick and tired of their infantile behaviour.”

“I am sick and tired of dealing with this group. They seem to be bent on destroying the orchestra, and it is high time the people of Christchurch knew this,” Mr Pickering said. Referring to a report that some members of the board were again considering legal action to obtain a board meeting. Mr Pickering said that he had arranged a meeting for 8 p.m. next Tuesday. However, Mr Pickering’s secretary received a telephone call at 2.45 p.m. yesterday from the solicitor acting for Mr Pickering in the dispute to say that the solicitor for the objectors had informed him that the objectors did not want to attend the meeting on Tuesday night. No reason for this was given, said Mr Pickering. The spokesman for the objectors, Mr G. A. Hay, said last evening that he did not know of any communication with Mr Pickering’s office on whether Tuesday night was acceptable for a meeting or not. “The Mayor-elect (Mr H. G. Hay) has said that money

will be available from the Christchurch City Council, ; and that the matters in dis- i pute can be settled internally. 1 I agree with this,” said Mr < G. A. Hay. He said that he had no i confidence in Mr Pickering i at all. i ‘‘At no time in the dispute i has Mr Pickering made any ' reasonable attempt to meet reasonable requests,” he said. 1 deferring to, William i ; Southgate, the new musical ! director appointed by thej board to replace Vanco Cav-I darski, Mr Pickering said that > he would arrive on December 'l6, “and it seems that they I (the objectors) do not want ihim here.”

“They are not prepared to accept democratic decisions of the board, and it is high time that the people of Christchurch knew this. “They wanted me to hold a meeting next Wednesday night, and I have said before that my wife and I have a long-standing engagement on Wednesday night.” The. meeting could now wait until he was ready, Mr Pickering said.