MUSIC AND PAY

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 115, 12 November 1930, Page 7

MUSIC AND PAY

BROADCASTING COMPANY

MATTER BEFORE THE COURT

(By Telegraph.) (Special to "The Evening Post.") CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. Claiming that "broadcasters were engaging concert artists and orchestras at under award rates, Mr. A. Tc gue, secretary to the New Zealand Performing Musicians' Federation, sought to have the New Zealand Radio Broadcasting' Company, Ltd., added -ns a party to the award in the Arbitration Court yesterday. Decision was reserved. J His Honour Mr. Justice Frazer pre-j sided. With him were Mr. W. Cecil Prime (employers' assessor) and Mr. A. L. Monteith (employees' assessor). Mr. Tongue said that the radio broadcasting companies throughout th« Do- j minion were engaging musicians to play : jazz music. j His Honour: "1 don't thim< the typo of music matters. It's the nature of; the engagement. The award is to cover the 'hack musicians,' if I may use the term." • I Mr. Tongue pointed out that a certain local dance orchesti had been engaged to broadcast, also a concert trio. The concert artists had been paid less than award rates—ten shillings a night. To his Honour, Mr. Tongue saia he understood that concert artists were engaged for the evening, not fo. one or two items. Mr. D. I. Macdonald, acting-secretary to the Canterbury Employers' Association, explained that an arrangement was made with the leaders of orchestras to play certain items at a certain j cost. With regard to the dance orches-1 tra referred to the same procedure was followed. The dance orchestra was a party to the award, it was true, but the company had no knowledge of how the payment was decided among its members. A similar arrangement was made with the trio at its own request. Artists were free to use the studio when they wanted as far as the company was concerned. There was no difference between the members of a jazz orchestra and concert artists. They "were all engaged under contract. To Mr. Monteitli, Mr. Macdonald said that the pianist was engaged under contract to play certain items and accompaniments. Mr. A. R. Harris, general manager of the Radio Broadcasting Company, explained that the pianist wad engaged under contract for this session. 'The number of items was not specified. The pianist was required to play such items and accompaniments as were necessary. Programmes were drawn up six weeks ahead. If, said Mr. Harris, through the indisposition of another artist the pianist were required to play a solo not specified in the contract he had the right to refuse. A pianist often did, maintaining that he was not ready. Mr. Tongue asserted that the artists were at the beck and call of the company. If through illness some ■ artists could not perform others could be called upon to fill the programmes. Mr. Harris said that the item? required from different artists occupied very little time, and between them the artists often chose to rehearse at the studio. He admitted that the pianist had to be on call all the time during a session. To his Honour he said that there had been no change in the arrangements since the matter was last before the Court. His Honour said that the question i would"receive-' consideration, -and- -the I Court adjourned until to-day.,;, v, >