OUR LOCAL BAND.

Hutt News, Volume 1, Issue 13, 23 August 1928, Page 3

OUR LOCAL BAND.

Random Jottings by An Old

Musician.

The article- appearing in the current issue of the "Hutt News" very properly directs .attention to a matter which intimately concerns the good and welfare of our district gentrally. I am, and always shall be, a strong supporter of a local brass band, and we residents of the Hutt are to be congratulated on having in our midst such a strong institution, and on the possession of so capable and musical a conductor. "We admire and appreciate our local band, and| will not be slow to show our appreciation in a practical form. But we certainly would like to be informed of what the committee and members of the band are doing to help themselves. It's an old saying that "God helps those that help themselves/ and the public have yet to learn, I think, in what manner the band has brought their needs before those who would be only too ready to give practical assstance. "We already know that the Borough Council lends financial aid by providing an annual subsidy, by, providing a band* room for practices and storage of instruments and music, and by having assumed the liability of the balance due on the purchase of the

necessary instruments, and in fact our local governing body may be said to have behaved generously towards their own land. N\)w, on their side what have the band done for themselves? Has a-regular and well, organised campaign been instituted by the bandsmen to raise funds to put the band on a sound financial basis? We all know and aro grateful to them for it, that they play on Friday nights in.the centre of the town. Incidentally one could hardly expect a shopkeeper to be-very-grateful to the band" that draws customers right away from the locality of his shop, and possibly if the band moved along from one pjlaee to another at intervals this difficulty would be got over. Have the shopkeepers been asked by a uniformed and officially authorised collector in, a cheerful and courteous manner, if they will become annual subscribers to the Band/ Fund? How many \s± our business men would refuse to become subscribers of a small sum. each year, say ten shillings, payable if preferred, in quarterly instalments, if they had been given an opportunity Has any recognised official waited on the many well-to-do residents of the district with a similar request? Has the band announced Sunday evening concerts, after church hours, when what would certainly be large audiences would be able to contribute their mite? There is much vocal "and instrumentalamateur talent in the borough, and it is a certainty that there would be no lack of spontaneous offers of assistance for so excellent, an object. I have heard that such concerts have been tried, but were not financially successful,'but £hat must have been some time ago, and times have now changed in the town (soon to be a city) of Hutt. Buck up Bandsman! Do your part, and don't expect people to run after you offering help until they know that you want it, and that you are doing your best to enable your friends and wellwishers to help you.