BANDS, TENNIS, AND PUBLIC

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 51, 1 March 1934, Page 10

BANDS, TENNIS, AND PUBLIC

(To the Editor.)

Sir,I—The1 —The City Council some three years I ago cut out the subsidy of £200 a "year! that has always been given for band concerts in the city. The loss of this subsidy has been felt both by the bands, who required it for their instrument and uniform funds, and by the public, who have missed the bands at the gardens and parks. Now the Mayor and some of the councillors.are in favour of forgoing a charge of £1300 to the tennis people, who have -just got their second : donation from the'.-arti union;:,;;T.he:' temiisvmoney.; goes for; the" pleasure of-playere; the-bands' for {.the,:- pleasure of \th'e';*:pubjic.- Surely, Sir, if; the-City Council .had 1 this j money to spare, the: claims of the-, bands for first .consideration are paramount/ It, does seem to me that the Tennis Association has been 'extremely well treated ■without: this further _donation; while the;.bands/ which are' .public-spirited;.- have -ibeeri"v neglected.—l am,-etc., . ; . tflw^ ;i;;v,-;.i. ' ■:■- .-, .. ■■-•"■ ' IOEDi^NBSMAN. ■ (To theJ;Eaitbi*i> ; 7v • Sir, —Seeing the .bands;'about town reminds me of the enjoyable evenings.spept in Hyde Park, London;glistening to the different military -bands: I am referring ■,to the real militaiy-iband; composed "of ; woodwind' and brass of.; about 52 players. There is a big.difference between a.njilitary and brass band}?: both .'in scope and tone colour. ■ I' tliirik: it; is itime iWellington, the Capital Gity,',liad a real military band attached to;'thWopei-mannet defence force available for>all^State; .and civil functions. If bahdsmaii's.-pay and married allowance were offered-; and' players; asked to sign up foi\ home; seryice'pnly, it should be possible to get iogeiher^a good" band. I would \suggestithis>as;iam idea; for the. proposed Air. Force Bandirasi; it .would advertise and.get; people!; interested^ in: the' Air Force.—l am, etc., . ' A LOVER. OF MUSIC, "porker" criticises the Tennis Association for seeking relief from its liabilities to the council, especially when it has had help from the art union. "In my day (the 'correspondent states) those who could not . pay • for- their game went without, but the art unions have changed all that. The Mayor and some members of the City Council—who aie encouraging these people to come again and again with requests to be let off their debts—should lemember that it is public money they are giving away." '