UNIFORMS FOR BAND

Northern Advocate, 15 September 1934, Page 3

UNIFORMS FOR BAND

NO COUNTY CONTRIBUTION. DEPUTATION SEEKS AID. A deputation comprising Messrs St. Clair Jounneaux and G. H. Morrish, waited on the Whangarei County Council yesterday afternoon asking for support to enable the Municipal Band to purchase uniforms.

Mr Jounneaux said that it was 10 years since the band had had new uniforms, and at the gymkhana to be held next month, at which a band contest was to be held, it was desired to provide the bandsmen with a uniform worthy of the town and district. The band was an amenity to the district, and it was only right that local bodies should assist in its upkeep. ' If 30 guarantees of £5 could be obtained the uniforms could be procured. A number of donations had already been received. Mr Morrish supported Mr Jounneaux.

Considering that not more than £3O remained in the unauthorised expenditure fund, the chairman did not see how the county could contribute to an organisation from which the county ratepayers derived litle benefit. Had more money been available, Cr. J. A. S. Mac Kay would have been prepared to support a donation towards the band, which was largely a district matter. The presence of a properly uniformed band made a good impression upon visitors, especially at public functions.

Cr. F. Elliott could not .find a seconder to his amendment that a contribution of £5 be given. He pointed out that band music was a big attraction at public functions, and helped to round off the programme of events. It w 7 as discreditable that such an organisation had to go cap in hand asking for support, the alternative being that the local men would have to suffer the indignity of appearing in competitions in mufti. Cr. Elliott referred to the report of the last Sunday night concert, when it was stated the collection “was insufficient to purchase a tunic” and said that this was a deplorable state of affairs. Cr. J. H. Hayward thought that it would be best to conserve the funds, as more urgent calls might be made upon it. The motion was carried.