TRIP TO BAND CONTEST

Northern Advocate, 3 July 1928, Page 10

TRIP TO BAND CONTEST

MATTER OF EXPENSES

FINALITY NOT REACHED

At the annual meeting of the Whangarei Municipal Silver Band last night, the question as to whether the band should take part in the contest at Wanganui in February next was raised in a letter from the committee having the promotion of the gathering in hand. Bandmaster Collier stated that he would like to make the trip, but so • far as the band was concerned it meant a lot of hard work, and it would have to “get into the collar” right away. Some were of opinion that in the matter of finance the Boys’ Band was bleeding the town, but that was not so. The expenses for a trip to Wanganui would amount to £4OO, j and it meant that each bandsman would have to dip into his own pocket and contribute a sum of about 2/6 per week. He, however, would be prepared to pay his own way. Bandsman A. Leatherby quite agreed with going to contests, but considered that finance was not everything. To have a contesting band, more active members were required. To attempt to go to a contest with the number of members that the band had at the present time was hopeless. There was no way of getting players to come to the town, as there was no work. In fact, there were two members of the existing band who were out of work, and jobs could not be found for them.

Bandsman Flewellyn considered that “hopeless” was a dark and dreary word to use, as the contest was seven months off. He considered that the strength of the band would be all right, but finance was the crux. If members were keen on going they must show the public that they were prepared to help themselves by paying a weekly contribution into a common fund. If that were done they would then get the support of the public. He considered that the band should go to the contest, as it was an incentive against retrogression. During the past two or three years the organisation had barely been holding its own. The band had acquitted itself well at previous contests, and he was confident that it could do so again.

Mr Parkes: “What about the man who is only getting half wages? How is he going to get on ? ” A voice: “Oh. He goes half-way.” (Loud laughter.) Bandmaster Collier said that collections and other methods would help to finance those who could not pay their own way, but the band should not go unless the expenses were assured.

On the motion of Bandsman F. Eccles, it was decided that the matter under discussion be further considered bv members on Thursday next.