THE GARRISON BAND BAZAAR.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XIX, Issue 6047, 12 September 1894, Page 4

THE GARRISON BAND BAZAAR.

TO the editor. Sir, —Mr Jas. Bee's, or the Garrison Band's, column ot words and figures are, I suppose, intended to completely crush "Publico," and, with the addition of Major Headland's enclosure, he is to be flattened out. But you cannot crush truth with falsehood, so " Publico" is not crushed, and again thanks Mr Jas. BeeMitchell or the Garrison Band for their polite letter and for the figures which they supply. Their remark as to my living in an atmosphere of falsehood is a strange one for them to make; after their letters, figures and erroneous statements, they should be more careful, and not pass remarks that apply to themselves. To say I have a perverted and evil-disposed mind is a poor way of proving the Garrison Band requires help from the public to buy clothes. In my last letter I showed that the Garrison Band should have a credit of L-540. The Garrison Band say that is too much by L 72, but that leaves a balance of L46S, which, with the amount deducted that Mr Jas. Bee gives us of expenses L 133, leaves a credit of L 335 Surely Mr Jas. Bee will not tell us that they have spent it in gas and maintenance of the hall. Mr James Bee does not say anything about their annual picnics or the concerts they have had, so here we have, by Mr Jas. Bee-Mitchell's or the Garrison Band's own figures, a sum of L 335, plus the takings from picnics and concerts, etc., and to account for it we have Major Headland's letter to say the Garrison i Band have always paid their contribution of the headquarters' expenses. Major Headland might have given the amount. Mr Jas. Bee does a great deal of juggling with my dates and figures and tries to make much of my error of L 45 in the amount of prize money. I explained how that arose, and if Mr Bee adds in this year's capitation, as I did, he will find I am not so very far wrong in that. The figures given in this letter are supplied by Mr Jas. Bee-Mitchell, or the Garrison Band, and I must thank them for doing so; also for coming forward and proving my contention—that the Oamaru Garrison Band should have a substantial credit balance—was, and is, a correct one. The Garrison Band's remarks about the Naval's Band may be correct, —though I doubt it—but I do not intend to discuss bands. My letters were only written to find out w hat the Garrison Band did with their money and though Mr Jas. Bee lias supplied the figures of the balance they should have, viz., L 335, plus picnics and concerts, where it is, or has gone to, the public are left to imagine. I am, etc., Publico.