MUNICIPAL MUSIC.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXI, Issue 15457, 8 November 1910, Page 3

MUNICIPAL MUSIC.

TO ITTT. ET) l I OT>. Sir,— .is the season inr municipal I land music lias commenced. i would like- you to insert these few remarks on the manner our wonderful Council adopts in trying to carry on the same. Lust year they managed to secure from tlio hands engaged sixteen performances for the sum of £SO. That would (if it had been paid out) have amounted to the magnificent lee olds 6d per man. This year.the Council wauled to engage the Garrison. Derry's, Elite and Wools!on bands at the same figure. Inn these bands combined to ask the Council Ibr £5 per performance, making ten performances lor the £SO. Then the nolilo Woolstnn Band, which has many good trade unionist,sin its ranks, went and did a nice bit. of blacklegging by writing to the Council and offering thirteen performances for the money. Mark y- this, all pond.trades unionists. The offer was accepted, and, as the other hands stood firm, Yt oolston and Stan more were the only two bands engaged. When tvo think what the London County Council and Borough Councils pay for municipal music, the City Council's action seems very mean and paltry for a prosperous eountrv like this. The. Tsuidon County Council pays Os per man and 15s for conductor, band and conductor to number twenty-six. The West Ham Borough' Council and also East Ham pay 4s for twenty-five men and conductor 15s for two horns' pin ving. They all strike a small rale for the special purpose of municipal music, and everyone is satisfied, as the. public want the music and enjoy it. But here tic Council wants to pay a beggarly sum and leave organisations like the Woolstnn Band to cadge the rest from the public on Sundays, a practice. that ought to be stopped at any cost.

Another factor that is overlooked is the municipal organ recitals. I have been at a recital when there have not been forty people present, but the organist gets his big fat. fee ail the same. Dr Bradshaw, with his retaining fee and organ recital-, gets n great deal more than the Council wants to pay four hands, fs this right ? Bandsmen have to do hard study and give n lot of time and trouble to making themselves lit to Is- heard in public. The public want to hear thorn, but the. Council stops the way. as it. will not. pay a fair price for services rendered, lint that is not to be wondered at when with its comic opera scheme it pays one man more than it wants to pay four hands. Hoping tin?, hands will have a little mere dignity, and combine together and Mop this paltry cadging from the public, as they would be able to if they secured a fair and reasonable rate, of pnv for their services,—l am etc.. SCRUTATOR.