MUSICIANS' BILL. 'A CRITICISM.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 24, 29 January 1908, Page 4

MUSICIANS' BILL. 'A CRITICISM.

(Contributed.) "In the multitude of counsellors there is wisdom," said the reputed embodiment of that particular virtue, some few thousands of years ago. I often wonder whether, if he had lived in more recent times, he would not have been inclined' to considerably modify so strong a pionouncement. In the discussion of tho proposed measure dealing with the general future and status^ of professional musicians in the Dominion, we have certainly suffered from no lack of counsellors ; but have no hesitation in asserting that, should thedraft Bill as amended at the recent Conference of Musicians, held in Wellington, ever become law in its present shape, wo should be- not a little surprised. The draft, as ( submitted, is of con-, siderable length,' and originally contained provisions which were obviously crude and ill-digested. I have no_ axe.to grind, nor do I wish to cast individual reflections of any sort upon the ladies and gentlemen who were there to discuss it. But they seem to have missed the who?e point at issue, and to •have gone astray over several side-issues involved. I have had some experience at Home of the working of similar Acts of Parliament involving other professions—e.g., the Medical Act of 1858, and the Dentists' 4ct of 1878, in tho preparation of which latter statute tho colonies were interested, and the result of such experience has been to confirm tho view, which apparently is not already sufficiently obvious, that Legislation of a nature such as we are discussing has for its object (there i 8 no use of mincing matters in stating it), the suppression of the "quack" — thu pretender to a kind of professional knowledge and skill which no does not d<? facto possess. This objeqt is intended to be achieved, primarily, in tho 'public interest, and secondly "5n the interests of the particular class of legitimate practitioners affected by the abuse aimed at. A SOLUTION. There is one way, and as I firmly foe* lie-ve one way only, of accomplishing it where a system of registration is contemplated ; and that is to make such registration compulsory. There is no 'half- way house, such as, is. | proposed in ,tho BiP, v?itfe which ;l am; dealing, anc* which in effect makes registration of professional musicians] entirely optional. No civilised * legislature would introduce a system of compulsory, registration without safeguarding 1 already existing interests. A musician (and there ate many of . l them, here^ and elsov.here) who may be thoroughly competent and experienced, either as an executant or a. -teacher, 1 cannot be told at, a moment's notice that if he does not submi + himself to a certain arbitrary, and possibly questionable, ■ test bs shall not be aiiowed to continue to gain his livelihood as heretofore. Furthermore, it would be manifestly unfair to exclude from tho benefits of registration (if any benefit there be) those who may happen to have been in practice in New Zealand for less than fiveye'ars. AN ALTERNATIVE. But there is the obvious alternative which was adopted in the case of tho Dentists' Act at Home, and if — which 1., doubt — the general principle that legislation js; really necessary be conceded by those who (We- responsible -for our statute law, then the only feasible »vay, in my apprehension, of dealing with the question is to allow all professional musicians exercising their calling at the date when any proposed measure may become law to register within a specified period after such date I believe that a system of voluntary registration, such as is provided for by tho present Bill, would render it to all 'intents and purposes a dead letter in operation, and tho (act that it it, not proposed that registered practitioners should adopt any distinctive letters, qr title, certainly i tends to strengthen the behei. I have heard it suggested that 'our Dominion is too democratic to tolerate an Act providing for compulsory registration, but the contention seems to me to be entirely illogical, and I feu} convinced , ihat, assuming for the purposes of argument any substantive ground for legislation exists, th» case can only be" adequately dealt with on. lines such as I have indicated.