NAPIER MUNICIPAL ORCHESTRA.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume I, Issue 1, 12 December 1910, Page 7

NAPIER MUNICIPAL ORCHESTRA.

Many people in Napier are keer.lt interested in the proposal made by the Professional Musicians' Society to form yi Municipal Orchestr i. Lovers of good music cannot fail to contemplate the consummation c,i such a schenit? with, genuine dt-licbr. and we ft'el sure that if the matt -r is taken up cnerget i<-al! y the So.-i--etv writ receive a stromr backieq. M. • . ::r rodn-'eii to the Navier 'rit' 1 Coniudh the yroposal m-?t w.th a iirix-’u iT'cem ■on. iot

hope that further consideration will prove to those Councillors opposed to the scheme that we have everything to gain from the formation of a first-class orchestra. The fact that an old Orchestral Society failed to keep together owing to lack of funds, or that the Bands are starving, does not in any way show that the present effort will necessarily meet with failure. The Orchestral Society referred to was an entirely different organisation from the suggested Napier Municipal Orchestra, and so far as the Bands are concerned, there is nothing in the scheme disadvantageous to their existence. In fact, rather 'be reverse should be tne case, for the Orchestra, by encouraging a love o f good music, should work side by side with, the Band to their mutual advantage. Beyond a spirit of friendly rivalry there should be no question of competition because 'be two classes of music are entirely different, and each organisation would do its share towards the entertainment of the public. In fhis respect we understand it is sug gested that the Orchestra give twelve open-air concerts during the year, and such other number of indoor concerts as circumstances justify. The open-air entertainments would be free, but for the indoor concerts, a reasonable charge would be made for admission. Money thus earned by the Orchestra would materially assist in ts upkeep, and in the event of any profits being made, the municipality would benefit. We admit the latter contingency is not a probable one, but if public-spirited men come forward with assistance the Napier Borough Council might well do its share towards guarantee against loss. It is doubtless wise for Councillors to keep careful watch upon the money chest, hut reasonable expenditure upon good music, whether provided by Bands or Orchestra, is by no means a loss to the community.

THE POURERERE SETTLEMENT.

At the last meeting of the Hawke s Bay Land Board, the Pourerere settlers presented a petition praying for relief from the almost mpossible conditions under which they are struggling to make a living out of their holdings. Details of the position were laid before the Land Board last week and they show plainly enough the application for help is fully justified. Taken as a whole, the purchase of 'and for settlement by Government has been attended with gratifying and satisfactory results, but we must confess that in the particular instance of the Pourerere Settlement, the Land Purchase Board appears to have badly blundered. Rentals of sections are out of all proportion to the productive value of the land, and from description by the Crown Lands Ranger, it seems the land is by no means of an ideal class for close settlement. However, the purchase of the, estate has been effected, and the best must be made of a bad job. To effect this purpose we strongly urge the necessity for the Government giving-favourable consideration to the request for ;:s--sistance. The blunder in purchasing the estate has been made, the best, and indeed the only thing, Government can do, is to attempt a remedy by making the grant asked for, to prevent the bankruptcy of the settlement. As Mr. Lane points out, substantial profits have been made out of other estates. and the Government can well afford to prevent absolute failure at Pourerere.