THE BAND CONTEST.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 4637, 16 April 1902, Page 7

THE BAND CONTEST.

HOW THE SPOIL IS DIVIDED.

(By “Comet.’’)

The committee of the above-named function having made a good haul over its venture, is now squabbling over a division of the spoil, and as the leading paper in New Plymouth will not allow' discussion in its columns over the natter. my reason for wilting you is apparent, particularly as your paper has now as large a circulation here as the other New Plymouth paper. As a subscriber to the funds, I am very pleased to see the committee has decided to give th» town band .£4O. But I art very grieved to see our Recreation Board has onlybeen granted ,£75. In my opiniQii 'he Beard should have had at least -£l2O. The’ Garrison Band is to receive about Pi r ( n AVhv. a great many here are at a loss to know. A fair thing would have been to have voted it £4O. Ihe Garrison Baud bad as ranch chance of winning prizes as any other competing band at the contest. I should like to ask the committee what its band contest would have resulted in if we had nat had our beautiful Recreation Ground

lor the purpose of the marching contesi. live Recreation Board has a standiut rule stipulating that 25 per cent, of tin gross proceeds of any gate money smu; be received by the Board. The Boaru, hewover, on this occasion agreed to ao cept a minimum of £2O, leaving it K ihe committee controlling the hand contest to augment this if the contest win substantially successful. The Recreation Board laid out a sum of £l6 on using seats, etc., and I am sure your iV elhngton band will admit that a better place could not have been designed than the New Plymouth Recreation Ground for such a contest as that of band marching. la my opinion a mistake was made m allowing so many of the leading spirits who distinguished themselves over a former carnival held iu New Plymouth some two years ago to foist themselves into a prominent position in the band contest. One item they voted (60 guineas to the secretary) is very much criticised.W hat. in the name of all that is wonderful, does this committee think the public subscribed so handsomely to this affair for ? Certainly not to make / such votes as £63 to the secretary and £l5O (at least) to the Garrison Band. I subscribed my mite, thinking any surplus would have been equally distributed among our musical societies and the Recreation Beard, with a douceur, say, of £4O, to the secretary. Some suggestions made by an individual who hopes to have the ordering of new instruments for this Garrison Band (and the> usual commission, of course) have convinced the “fundfinding ” portion of the community of the necessity of being >i little more careful in future iu contributing to anything “Tom, Dick and Hairy” may evolve from their fertile brains. lam sure a majority of subscribers would have been better pleased P tho surplus had been divided equally between the musical societies of the town after the Recreation Board had received £IOO.