Waimairi votes for orchestra

Press, 1 June 1977, Page 6

Waimairi votes for orchestra

A last-ditch attempt to withhold a grant of $6534 to the Canterbury Orchestra Trust was defeated resoundingly at a meeting of the Waimairi County Council last evening. During the special meeting, called to consider this year’s estimates, Cr H. M. Tait urged her fellow councillors to hold back the grant until the “present situation” between the Canterbury Orchestra Trust and the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra had been resolved. “There can be no honest reason, no fair reason, for not withholding the grant,” she said. Seconding Cr Tait’s motion, Cr E. L. Bonisch said that it was time the council took stock of the orchestra situation. There seemed little need for Christchurch, with a population of 385,000 to have two orchestras, he said. Cr R. W. Sjellerup said that the estimates showed a “frightening situation” — only 7.5 per cent of the grants was to charitable groups, whereas the arts were given 41 per cent, and music groups 31 per cent. “This is all out of kilter,

and in the future there must be more consideration for charitable groups,” he said. Before the council voted against withholding the grant, Cr Tait appealed to councillors to show “some sort of fairness,” in view of the fact that a legal consideration of the orchestra problem was imminent.

“If the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra loses this case, it will have great difficulty in maintaining any service,” she said. Her motion was lost on a decisive voice vote.