BAND FUNDS LOW

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 111, 7 November 1933, Page 7

BAND FUNDS LOW

ASSISTANCE NEEDED

APPEAL TO COUNCIL

SYMPATHETIC HEARING

A deputation from the Wellington Brass Bands' Association waited upon the City Council last evening with a request that some assistanco should be accorded tho bands by the reinstating of tho lost subsidy, if th<it wcro possible, and by the granting of. facilities for the better securing of revenue. The requests made were sympathetically received.

Mr. H. B. Burdokin, president of the association, said that Wellington bands found themselves' in a very serious financial position. The association was not unmindful of the council's own'financial difficulties, but they felt certain that when the council had had the position of the bands placed before it, some measure of assistance would be givjn to enable them, to carry on. The position now was that unless something was done some of the leading Lands in tho city would Eave to disband. There had been four main sources of revenue to the bands, "'he first was the council's subsidy of £300 per annum, which had now ceased. The second was the revenue from collections from open-air and theatre o/ other indoor performances, but the return from this source had dwindled to a low ebb largely on account of the restrictions imposed by the council as to tho manner in which collections could bo made and also because many people now stayed at home and listened to music by radio. The restrictions upon tho method of collecting had had a most serious efEeet upon the amounts collected. The third main source of rfcvenuo was from the subscriptions' of honorary members and donations, but this source had naturally been greatly affected by the depression and those receipts had dwindled very materially, though the citizens had been most loyal to the bands. Another source of revenue was the prize money from contests, but that was a gamble which was often a loss, for the preparation for contests entailed considerable expense. IN A VERY DIFFICULT POSITION. How serious tho position was, continued Mr. Burdekin, . was shown by the finances of- one: of the' leading bancls, which had £330 of. .liabilities and whoso total assets were £7, a large portion of the money being owed upon instruments. Partly because of the broadcast of music the public's appreciation of music had reached a high standard, and bands had to hare the best of instruments and had to reach a high level'of performance. Conductors- were paid substantial salaries and leading instrumentalists were also paid in some of the bands.! ASSOCIATION'S REQUESTS. ' The association asked the council to remove the restrictions; on the manner of. collecting and to trust to,the good sense of bandsmen not to overstep wlat was reasonable; the council could at any ,time impose the restrictions if the bandsmen did not exercise their privileges in a reasonable manner. The association also asked, continued Mr. Burdekin, thai the council should reinstate the subsidy to the greatest extent possible, if later in the year tho city's finances canie out with a balance, and it also asked that bandsmen in uniform, travelling to or from performances, should be given free trans-, port pn the trams. He also suggested that it might be possible for the council to: grant the free use of the Town Hall occasionally, when the hall was not otherwise required, for concerts to which an. admission charge could be made. ' Band music meant much to the city, concluded Mr. Burdekin, and it would be impossible to imagine a public function on a large' scale without band music. Bandsmen gave years, of service freely and readily and, moreover, at considerable cost to themselves.. Mr. W. Spittall, treasurer of the association, said that the restrictions placed upon tho collectors had had a most serious effect upon band/finances. He instanced two concerts given by ■one band in the Botanical Gardens, the first of which had brought in £15 15s 4d, and the. second, when ■ restrictions were placed on the collectors, £1 18s, and the cost of transport to the bandsmen that day had been £1 8s 9d. Oriental Bay was a difficult collecting area, and he considered that restrictions should be removed altogether there. At tho Basin Reserve, also, the restrictions should be removed. Councillor W. J. Gaudin asked if the bands would be satisfied if tho restrictions were removed, and whether they could then do without the subsidy. Councillor M. F. Luckie: You could not ask them to do that. Tho restrictions should never have been there. Councillor Gaudin: They have been there for many years. Mr. Burdekin suggested that the requests they had made should be allowed to stand. ' . GENERAL SUBSIDY QUESTION. The Mayor (Mr. T. C. A. Hislop) said they could rest assured of the council's desire to help the bands, and it would be glad to do so as in the past, but there were considerable financial difficulties, and the council had to consider the whole question of subsidies very carefully. For the last three years they had not been able to give subsidies, not only to bands, but to many other bodies which formerly had been subsidised. * Investgiations were made into the restrictions some time ago, but apparently the restrictions had not been altogether relaxed. The council would go into it, but it could not be considered at present without discussing ' the finances. Ho had in his mind a way which ho might suggest to tho council later in the year, by which, the bodies formerly assisted might again be supported to some extent. Councillor C. H. Chapman, M.P., suggested that a massed demonstration of bands, which would result in the collection of a considerable sum of money, be made if the bands could secure the Town Hall. , Mr. Hislop assured Councillor Chapman that if tho bands asked for tho hall upon some day when it _ was not otherwiso booked, the council would help them. Mr. Spittall referred to the way ia which the council had always met their appeals in the past. The bands would entertain the idea of a massed demonstration if they could have the Town Hall. ■ \ Tho deputation having withdrawn, the Mayor's motion that the question of tbe^ restrictions be referred to. the reserves committee, and that of travelling free on trams be referred to the tramways committee, was carried. The other questions raised, including . that of subsidy, will be dealt with later in the year. . Councillor W. H. Bennett, regretting tho absence,, of the chairman of the reserves committee (Councillor J. Burns), said that he would like the council to recommend the reserves committeo to consider tho request regarding restrictions favourably.. BANDS, PUBLIC, AND BOXES. Councillor H. A. (Huggins said that t-he question of restrictions had been . considered at the last meeting of the

committee, but was not dealt with. It must be remembered that" if the bands were restricted to a stationary position people were not likely to come forward with money. On the other hand, people who were listening to a band did not feel that it was the correct thing to have a box held out to them. The request for the Town Hall was 3 reasonable one, and if free nights were granted the bands once a month^ it might go a long way towards getting money which otherwise would be given as subsidy. He hoped the bandsmen would be given free tram rides. Bandsmen were always ready to come forward to help the city. The Town Hall had twice been given free to tho bands, said tho Mayor, but on neither occasion had they made anything. • v The matter will be discussed further at the next regular meeting of the council.