THE SILVER BAND—AS AN ASSET

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 1 August 1924, Page 7

THE SILVER BAND—AS AN ASSET

(To the Editor.) Sir,—The question that now imperatively arises is: Is Nelson going to allow tho Silver .Band to disband and slide into utter oblivion P Is that going •to add to Nelson’s prestige as a mu sical centre P Is it creditable to me city to permit it ? What sort of “sports” are we? Where is our cornman sense and justice? This band has been in existence now for 20 years I believe. It has had a very strenuous exista-nce indeed. Yet its services have been always gladly given for charitable and other purposes. It was well to the fore in every war stunt we put on—and some of these stunts would never have resulted in the glorious successes they did but for the bauds—both hands. And before very Jong we may need their services for similar purposes. The bands are good assets. Let us keep them, both by us—for it would be very “bad business” for Nelson to lose either the one or the other! Recognising their invaluable help in those strnnous war days we made most generous promises, if I remember rightly, Like Mr Sampson Brass we were going to come down with something real handsome “one of these days”—when tho war was over. These promises have never yet been fulfilled. Let’s fill them now. To lose this hand would he a disaster and a bad thing for Nelson’s name. I would suggest that a big public- meeting he called. Meanwhile all to think nut (lie best scheme possible to put the hand on a sound financial footing. How can the bandmaster do his duty as a bandmaster whilst • messing about over finances? lam given to understand that a thousand pounds would be ample and leave a surplus over for working expenses. And Nelson spent quite as much as that on a football match at Motueka last Saturday. With all this •cry of money shortage, and it is very real—-it seems there is plenty of money knocking around for passing pleasure. No. We can’t afford to lose this Silver Band. So let us get- to work—-bright and early. I am, etc., R. SINCLAIR.