"WHERE ARE THE BANDS!"

Evening Star, Issue 16198, 21 August 1916, Page 7

" WHERE ARE THE BANDS!"

TO THE ECITOR. Sir, —In your issue of to-day there appeared a letter under the above heading, and in the interest of the brass bauds it requires an answer. The services of the brass bands of the city and suburbs are at all times available for occasions of the sort named by your correspondent, and I am sure that if any one of the bands had been asked to turn out on this occasion they would have gladly done so. I quite agree that a brass band should have been there, but we all know •that it is manners to " wait, till you are asked." Wc have organisations *in this City to attend to the matter in question, and if they are of opinion that the school bands are quite sufficient for occasions of tho sort it is nothing to tho brass bands. They Inwe no voice in the matter. i'o.ur correspondent goes on to say he understands the bands are subsidised by tho corporation. Ho ovidently has what is termed a " bee in his bonnet " or does not know anything of what he writes about. Ho certainly has no knowledge of the inside working of a band or what it takes to keep a band going. The corporation subsidise, the ' bands to the .extent of £25 annually, but that amount will not pay rent for a practice room, to say nothing of conductor's salary, instruments, and music. In return the bands have to give six concerts at places named by tho council. What does "Moro Music" want for his money? However, I can assure Mm that, whoever-was responsible for the absence of tho bands on Thursday evening (or any other evening, for that matter), 'it was not the bandsmen themselves. The bands look on occasions such as the above as a matter of duty, and I am quite sure that if they had been asked to turn out there would have been several bands present. _ I hope those in charge of these functions will in future make it their business to havo a brass band in attendance, and thereby Bave any unpleasantness afterwards.—l am, etc., Bandsman. August 18.