PORT CHALMERS AFFAIRS

Evening Star, Issue 25745, 19 March 1946, Page 7

PORT CHALMERS AFFAIRS

MEETING OF COUNCIL The monthly meeting of the Port Chalmers Borough Council was held last night, the mayor ((Mr H. S. Watson) presiding. Present were Crs J. T. Knewstubb, J. Matthews, H. Williamson, N. I). Campbell, A. L. S. Cassie, F. C. Smith, M. J. L. Crawford, W. Hutton, and C. 0. Knewstubb. BAND DISHARMONY. “I do not like the tone of the letter a little bit,” said Cr C. O. Knewstubb, “ and I would ask councillors to bear it in mind when the matter of the band subsidy comes up.” He expressed the opinion that the band should have considered it an honour to turn out to welcome troops home. The matter was brought up by a letter from the Port Chalmers Marine Band in reply to a complaint from the council concerning the non-attendance of the band at a function to welcome home returning servicemen. The letter stated:—“ Members of the band do not feel that they are called upon to make any explanation. In the first place, the majority of the bandsmen were on holiday; secondly, although the conditions of your granting a subsidy were that the band should make eight public appearances during the year, plus attendance at special public functions, our members feel that the council is asking too much when it expects us to play at every welcome home, and wo were under the impression that our attendance was optional. In Dunedin and other centres it is usual for the bands to receive a week’s notice of the functions at which they are expected to play, and then if the men from overseas arrive at an inconvenient hour, when the. usual transport is not available, special transport is provided to a central point, and we think it would be only fair if our band also received some notification of the occasions on which our attendance is requested. Another point is that if we are required to play at the railway station in the evenings, no lighting is provided, and this makes our task most difficult and trying. We would also like to point out that on occasions we have had to recompense some of our older players, who, owing _to having to play at functions during working, hours, have lost two hours’ working time, and you will readily realise that the band has not sufficient funds to cover this extra expense, and that the subsidy which we x receive is only sufficient to cover the purchase of music and other general expenses.” In reply to a question as to whether he had made a certain statement concerning the band on a certain occasion, the Mayor said he had merely remarked that he did not know where the band was. He had since found out that the leaders of the band had all been out of town. If there had been any offence, it was due to mis- . interpretation. —■ The letter was received. OUTSTANDING WORK.

During the discussion on the report of the Works Committee the Mayor said that as things stood in the borough just now little more than maintenance work could be carried out. He considered that the larger jobs should be done by contract. Saving that the borough' work was lagging, he suggested that the committee should bring down a report on the work required.—Speaking on the raising of a loan for the purchase of necessary plant and equipment, Cr Matthews sounded a note of warning against over-optimism and overreachr ing. The general rate was as high as it could be,, and he was in favour of the mayor’s proposal.—After a short discussion it was agreed to instruct the Works Committee to draw up a plan of the work requiring to be done in the borough, together with an estimate of the cost. GENERAL.

Permission was granted to the Port Chalmers Rugby Football Club to use the recreation ground for the 1946 season. ' The district railway engineer (Mr W. J. Langbein) wrote acknowledging receipt of a letter from the council with reference to the approach to the bridge over the railway near Port Chalmers, and stating that the matter was being looked into.