Clash Of Ball Dates

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 May 1949, Page 6

Clash Of Ball Dates

Sir—There has been considerable controversy over the fact that the St. John Ambulance Association has “dropped” its annual ball, formerly held on the night of the King’s Birthday holiday and as I understand the rules of the association forbid the Greymouth members entering into public discussion on such questions I consider it about time the public was told the facts. The Brigade has been compelled to forgo the ball, one of the main sources of revenue for its valuable community work for one reason only —because the Post and Telegraph Social Committee at Greymouth has “horned in” cn the date for its annual function. This occurred for the first time last year, when as a result of the P. and T. Ball being held on the Friday night the St. John’s Ball on the Monday night was a financial failure. . Arrangements had been made by the Ambulance Brigade for this yearns ball to be held on June 6 when it was found that the P. and T. ball would again spread its net for dancers only three nights before. In the face of this opposition the brigade members did not feel like taking the risk with their already depleted funds, as last year the position was so desperate that the social fund contributed to by the members themselves had to be utilised to carry out the work of the division, and under the circumstances the arrangements for the ball were cancelled.

Now, the Ambulance Brigade had held the King’s Birthday ball date for some years, since it was relinquished by the Greymouth Fire Brigade, and surely it would have been possible for the P. and T. committee to have found a date which would not “kill” the effort of a public-spirited body of men. There can be no suggestion that the P. and T. ball proceeds are for such a worthy cause as the St. John’s Ambulance Brigade, and the members of the brigade to my personal knowledge, have a constant struggle for funds to maintain their organisation. I believe that the P. and T. committee, with full knowledge of the effects, has already reserved the hall to do exactly the same thing next year.—Yours etc. FAIR PLAY. Greymouth, March 20.

The above letter was referred to the secretary of the P. and T. social committee, Mr N. G. P. Fagerlund, who said that the clash which occurred was rather unfortunate, but it was not the fault of his committee. Twelve months ago, he had advised the St. John’s Ambulance committee that he had engaged the hall for next Monday night and there had been no comment. Again, a preliminary notice for this year’s ball was inserted in the newspapers about six weeks ago and still no approach had been made by the St. John’s committee. If they had gone about the matter in a constitutional manner and had placed the facts before the P. and T. committee, in writing, in sufficient time, no doubt it would have been possible for the two committees to have come to an amicable arrangement. That applied to the future as well. Mr Fagerlund added that the P. and T. ball was not conducted for profit, but for entertainment. However, there was a profit last year and it was handed to the organisers of the United Nations’ appeal for children.—Ed, Evg Star..