BAND CONTEST OFF

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 250, 19 September 1933, Page 2

BAND CONTEST OFF

COMMITTEE MAKES DECISION. | STATEMENT TO, ASSOCIATION, i Unless the present stage of the nego--1 tiations between the New Zealand Brass Bands’ Association and the Pali merston North Contest Committee in 1 connection with the 1934 contest, which 1 it was proposed to hold in Palmerston North, is altered, the city will not be the venue of the event. This was the decision arrived at at a meeting of the committee, last evening, when a letter was received from the association stipulating conditions which were not regarded as being among those made when it was agreed to conduct the contest here. At a meeting held last week the committee had protested against the alteration, and the association forwarded a letter in reply to this. The Mayor (Mr A. E. Mansford) presided last evening, and also present were Messrs W. H. Boyce, C. Pike, C. L. Mowlem, B. Abraha.ni, W. Mouldey, E. R. B. Holben, W. G. Black, B. J. Jacobs, J. A. Bell, J. C. Dale and P. S. Lareomb (secretary). In reply to the committee’s letters sent after the last meeing the New Zealand Brass Bands’ Association, through its secretary (Mr Osborne), stated that the executive was very concerned that the contest committee felt that unless certain matters were conceded it preferred to abandon the proposal to hold the contest. “The condition was, of course, not made any easier by the publicity given your deliberations before further corresponlence could take place,” the letter stated. “There seems to be some confusion as to what actually took place when our president and I discussed the contest proposal in your city recently. Your committee’s ideas do not differ in any important respect from those of the parent body, except with regard to the amount payable to this office, and it is respectfully suggested that, after all, expressed in money but a few pounds would cover the item. The other matters are negligible.” The letter, which was a lengthy one, stated, inter alia, that at the last annual conference it was decided that all future contests be run with 100 per cent, of the profits going to the parent body. This involved the introduction of a scheme by which all prize moneys should be materially reduced in value, but that the profits should be used, not as heretofore, for the purpose of providing big prize money, thereby adding to the honours of winning bands, nor for the purpose of creating bank balances for promoting bodies, but rather to assist each and every band competing; also to help build up finance for the controlling parent body. This was stated to be the position when the president (Mr H. D. Bennett) visited Palmerston North and this was stated to be what he explained. It was a matter of no great moment whether the “profits” to be distributed amongst the bands were so distributed by one body or another. His offer, in effect, was that so long as the policy was followed out the committee should distribute them. It would be recalled that the president had said the contest must be self-supporting. He stated that in order to assist the position he would agree not to collect the £SO fee until after the contest results were known. No mention was then made of the actual extent of the precentage to be reserved for the office than that it was referred to. The reason for this was that it required the approval of the Manawatu committee, which later fixed it at 10 per cent. The letter concluded: “My executive feels that the.- conference is quite naturally interested in the recent discussions., Because, some of "the members of your committee have had long experience with band contests under the conditions which prevailed for many years I am asked to state that this executive has made alterations, but to carry out the conference rulings the committee will , stand by the president’s offer to allow the payment of the £SO to stand over "till afterwards. It must, however, be a first charge. The 10 per cent, terms on which we seem to have different ideas, you may be assured, will not be allowed to give us cause for much concern.” _ “RULES NOT MENTIONED.”

Mr Mansford said that the rules were never mentioned when Mr Bennett was present. To alter the position did not appeal to the Mayor. “As for 100 per cent, going to the controlling body, this was never mentioned. It rests with you, but as far as I am concerned, if we do not get the position under the conditions stipulated we abandon the contest,” he added. Mr Holben, who has had lengthy experience with hand contests, said that never in 25 years had he known of a profit. This year different conditions operated, but he had understood from Mr Bennett that the association would expect the committee to allocate a sum of approximately £SO, the rest of the proceeds to be divided among the competing bands. He had not understood him to say they would expect any other percentage of the nett profits. Mr Mansford said that Mr Bennett had not mentioned anything hut that lie wanted to see a success made of the contest. If there was anything over, the association might ask for £SO. The cost would run into between £7OO and £BOO. Mr Oakley said he distinctly remembered Mr Bennett's statements that the usual fee of £SO in advance was asked in the past. In this particular contest there were entirely new conditions and the existing rules did not apply. It rested with the association as "to whether the £SO were charged. He had distinctly said that the association would probably he satisfied with a nominal fee, and there was no mention of a further 10 per cent, from the profits. One of the many things Mr Oakley had wanted to ascertain was this. “What Mr Osborne sets out in his letter is quite contrary to fact. I am quite satisfied that lO per cent, was never mentioned. That was firmly impressed on my mind,” he said. Mr Black spoke in a similar strain, and expressed the opinion that there was more behind the letter than appeared. He believed its primary object was to increase the amount to go to the Brass Bands’ Association. “We should take a very definite attitude and draw the attention of the president and the secretary to the remarks the former made and adhere to the previous decision not to hold the contest,” he added. There followed a discussion oil the wording of the motion to be adopted by the committee, who were unanimous that a definite stand should ■be taken. Finally, on the motion of Messrs Jacobs and Oakley the following motion was carried ; “That the attention of the Brass Bands’ Association be directed to the definite statements made by Mr Bennett to the effect that, after the result of the proposed contest had been ascertained, a fee not exceeding £SO would he required by the association; and that, as the association is not prepared to honour these statements we definitely abandon the undertaking-” . The motion was carried on a unanimous vote. Mr Larcomb mentioned that a certain amount had already been expended in connection with the preliminary work.