REFUSED PERMISSION TO PLAY

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 14, 11 October 1927, Page 10

REFUSED PERMISSION TO PLAY

REBUFF TO AUSTRALIAN BAND HOSTILITY OF AMERICAN MUSICIANS Dominion Special Service. Auckland, October 10. Forced by the hostility of the American Federation of Musicians to cancel contracts worth 20,000 dollars, and refused permission to ploy in the United States, the Australian Commonwealth Band is returning to Sydney by the Aorangi. Mr. H. Baile, the conductor, who is well known to New Zealanders, since the combination has twice toured the Dominion, stated the American union simply and unreasonably said, “We do not want you.” Leaving Australia in May, the band entered upon the Canadian section of its tour without hindrance and with conspicuous success. It was a principal feature at a series of fairs and exhibitions, and the Canadians, who last year enjoyed the famous Coldstream Guards JJand, accorded the Australians a wonderful reception and the highest praise. All then went well, even though the United States and Canadian Musicians' Unions are affiliated, until Calgary was reached. There it was that the head of the American Federation of Musicians advised from its New York office that the visiting company would no longer be allowed to perform in the country. “This in spite of the fact that I offered to make every one of tho 39 members of our band a unionist by paying the entrance fee of 25 dollars a head," said Mr, Baile. “When American musicians come to Australia, and many do, they join up with our union and are made as welcome as “the flowers in. May,” "but the powerful union of Americans appears to be under the complete autocratic dominance of its New York chief. Our manager wont to Now York hnd waited on Mr. Webber, head of the American union, to negotiate and point out the utter unreasonableness of the ban placed upon us with him. He took many extracts from Australian papers showing how well American musicians were treated in the Commonwealth. It was pointed out that even now there are two American combinations touring Australia, following in the path of about ten others who have visited our part of the world in recent years. It was made patent that our presence in America was throwing no one out of employment, but all to no purpose.” Mr. Webber’s answer was, "I do not care about that.” “Rather than precipitate a strike or go to tho expense of contesting the rights of prohibition in an Equity Court,” said Mr. Baile, "it was decided to caneel forward contracts worth, he estimated, 20,0(10 dollars. By special arangement a few United States towns were 'played.' In them, as in the Canadian centres, were found appreciative audiences and Press.

Tn the light of the circumstances the tour could not bo expected to prove anything but a financial failure, but Mr. Baile said a future itinerary had been planned. Australia and Africa are next abend. England will be visited during 1928. and it is probable that Now Zealand will be toured the following year.