CITIZENS MEETING.

North Otago Times, 21 May 1912, Page 4

CITIZENS MEETING.

The meeting' convened by. his Worship the Mayor invit'ingi citizens willing to give their sympathetic aid in making the. Tenoh Regimatnl Band the premier band of the Do 1 minion, was ndd last evening 'in the Borough Council Chanfer, elboiit 40 gentlemen being pres.nt Dr M'A-dam was in the chair. The Chairman said they met thai evening to discuss the. best methods, of making the Tenth Regimental Band the champion baud of the Dominion, The band had done well at the recent contest, but it was thought that the band could be still further improved. What was wanted was not only a contest band, but a band that would turn out fairly often and treat the public-to highclass music, Continuing, Dr M'Adam Eaid ,tlicy had with them that evening the Hon. G.' Jones, who in • the past'hadi .led the band to victory on many occasions, Ho (the chairman) wis&ed to apologise for the absence of Mr James Mitchell, an old bands man, alec Mr R, Milligan and Mr G. M, Procter. Thesegenlleoien had signified their willingness to assist in any Possible way.

Mr Sherwiu (secretary to The Band) apologised for the nibsenceof Mr Fox, the bandmaster. I n his absence Mr Sherwin explained what was wanted by ik Band'. First oi all •experienced players were regained, players from England,' who would be only too willing to como out to New.Zealand if employment could bo. found for them.. Mir Fox, who had proved himself a very able conductor, was doing Ms 'best for tha Band, but, at present the Band was very crude. 'A soprano player, also two cornel player's nud a leading trombone player . w'ero urgently needed. What Mr S;ox uoiild tike to sci was a Citizens Committee formed to assist the t»and in bringing suitable players from Home, also 'to assist in finding employment for these men when they did arrive. Another question for the Committee would be to assist 'the band in ihe way of finance. At present the Government grant was £7O, but when rent and other expenses were mit th 0 band had nothing left, Mr Sherwin

advised that married men should be' brought out, and that the best way to. eflgoge them would be through the editor of BOine Band Journal. Mr Hambly said most of tho bands ot Home had Citizens' Committees, and in Wangianui and Wellington Citizens' Committees lent . valuable assistance to the bands of these towns, The band recognised iu Mr For ■» firstrclass conductor, and what' was wanted, was some good players to 'back him up, The Hon. George Jones said that probatdy he knew jußt as much about 'bands as any man in the room. There was not the. slightest doubt that Mr Fox was a good leader, a man capable of holding a high pesition, as indeed he did do in the Old' Country; but no man, be he over so good, can ensuro the success of a band unless he has the players to co-opera'(e with him. Mr Fox, the speaker thought, was not receiving sufildeni remuneration for the services he was rendering. The time would como when Mr Fox must look to his own interests, and ask for more. They should not wait for that time to come; they should give him more now.. Mr Fox had taken great painß in preparing the 'band for the late contest, He gave instruction to individual member* aPar't from the usual land practices. Mr Jones thought the idea for forming a Citizens' Committee a Good one. Wherever Citizens' Committors

were 'formed they would find good bands; With regard to the method of acquiring funds, honorary members, say 100 at £1 a year, would meet all expenses, He (the- speaker) would- 'be willing i 0 give £lO a year i towards the funds. Mr W. Waddell was pleased to fee , such a good number present. Ho thought vben bandsmen gave their , time and talents it was as .little as j tho public could >do to put their hands in their pockets. Mr E. P. Leo, M.P., was present ,to join in any practical scheme. Shortly put, the band wanted funds. He would move that a Citizens' Committee be formed to co-operate with the band. Mr Malcolm seconded the motion. He appreciated (he loyalty shown by Mr Fox to the Band. j The motion was carriod, and the j following gentlemen elected nB a Committee: Messrs WadMl, G. I Jones, M'Diymid, James, Frew, | Malcolm, Watson,. Hereon, Dr t M'Adam, Svinard, J. Bee, C. Bee, | Mottniforto, Skinner, Blyth, W. H. i Paterson, D. Patterson, Tidma'n, j It. Milligan, K. Pamtltoa, W.Whyle, (

James Macdonaid, F.. Marshall, G. Jones, (June,, Procter, Potter, D. Sutherland, Rose, Kent, St. John Buckley, N, Gilchrist, H. Meek, Handel, Burry, Fergusson, P. M'Callum, W. Milne, ' Milncr, l)r Oi'teli, llr Htargrcavw, Hfflnnon. Davys, Armstrong, J. B. Hood, V. Jones, Pincb, Manley, A. G. Creagh, A. J. Grave, Macfie, M'Dnnall, J. Bnlleid, Haines, F. Onglcy, Newton; Vennali; Walton, I'raser, Irving, T. Hutchison, Leo, Church, Strachan, and Ireland. Mr Sherwin was appointed secretary to the Committee, On the motion ol tie Hon, G. Jones ten ladips were added to the Committee, with power to add to thoir number, viz.: -Mesdames Jonos, Rose, Sutherland, Lee, Forrester., Duncan, Mitchell, Nioolls, - Mta riehl and Thompson, The Oommitlteii met after the public meeting, and ideoided to take immediate steps to Wng out four players from Home. •