‘Help yourselves first’

Press, 1 April 1980, Page 19

‘Help yourselves first’

PA Wellington The Federation of Operatic Societies was advised to help itself before asking ,the Government to contribute more. The Under-Secretary of Recreation and Sport (Mr Comber) has told the’ federation’s annual • meeting in Wellington that its members were contributing less than 26c per head a year. “You refer to the need for a positive increase in the grant from the Ministry of Recreation and Sport, and indeed a .$2OOO additional grant has just been approved.” But Mr Comber said the federation must look to itself first and only then to other sources for the increased revenue.

An initial grant of $11,700 from the Ministry represented just over two-thirds of the federation’s total income last year, he said.

“Your own membership subscriptions totalled $3904, or about 22 per cent of your income.” Mr Comber said the ministry had a responsibility to the ’ taxpayer to ensure that

members of organisations assisted by grants contributed a reasonable amount of the money needed to do the work. He compared federation members’ contributions with those of members of sports groups:— New Zealand Badminton Federation, .$2.82 pethead; Amateur Swimming Association, $2; Deerstalkers’ Association, $3.68; and the Lawn Tennis' Association. $1,85.

“Why is it that a person who pays $4O to belong to the local tennis club, or $BO to belong to the local golf club, finds it unreasonable

to pay even $lO to belong to the local operatic society?” Arts and cultural organisations could be failing .to make it clear that “you can’t get culture on the cheap, in the same way that you can’t get sport on the cheap,” he said. Mr Comber said the Government would not increase funds for any but. absolutely essential activities. He suggested one way of cutting costs would be to amalgamate with the theatre federation. “Is there really a need for two separate federations representing ama'teur theatre in New Zealand?” he asked.