SUNDAY CONCERTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23046, 24 November 1936, Page 8

SUNDAY CONCERTS

REGULATIONS ADOPTED PROVISION FOR LIMITATION A DIVISION OF OPINION Regulations setting out the conditions under which Sunday concerts are to be held in future were adopted by the City Council at its meeting last night. The council had before it recommendations from a special committee consisting of the Mayor (the Rev. E. T. Cox), Crs Batchelor and Cameron, Dr Galway (city organist), and Mr A. Walmsley. The suggestions of the committee were adopted with an amendment in one important point. The recommendations were - as follows: 1. That Sunday night concerts be permitted for raising funds for charitable purposes only. 2. That a committee be appointed to grant permits for and exercise a general control over all Sunday night concerts. All members of the committee are agreeable to act on such committee. '

3. That Sunday night concerts be held only in the Concert Chamber or the Town Hall, and commence not earlier than 8.15 p.m.

4. That all programmes for Sunday night concerts be first submitted to the committee for approval, when the date of the performance would be confirmed or otherwise.

5. That admission be by silver coin, the committee to have the right to fix a charge for approved objects. 6. That the promoters of concerts be required to submit a balance sheet to the committee, such statement to be submitted within 14 days of the date ot the concert.

7 That the charge for the use of the hall be the actual amount of out-of-pocket expenses. The adoption of the report was moved by the Mayor and seconded by Cr Cameron. Cr Allen said that he would support the report with the exception that he did not like bringing in two outsiders to act on the committee that would deal with the applications. The council should not delegate the authority vested in it by the ratepayers to two men who nad not been so elected. He moved as an amendment that the names of Dr Galway and Mr Walmsley be deleted and the names of Crs Mitchell and Begg substituted. Cr Scott seconded the amendment. Cr Silverstone said that he did not agree with some of the clauses, but for the sake of reaching finality he was prepared to accept most of them. He intended to move as a further amendment that the word “ charitable ” in the first clause be deleted and that the word “approved” be substituted. The Mayor suggested that Cr Allan might have been fair and included one from each side of the house in his amendment. Cr Mitchell said that, if the Mayor took such a view, he was prepared to withdraw.

Cr Batchelor expressed the view that it was desirable to have someone with musical knowledge on the committee, and he was supported by the Mayor, who said that the object of these men in offering their services was to endeavour to lift the standard of the concerts. Cr Allen’s amendment was declared lest on the voices. Cr Silverstone then moved his amendment. He said that the word “ charitable ” was not wide enough. Concerts were sometimes given to assist institutions that did not come within the meaning of the word charitable but were worthy of assistance. The amendment was seconded by Cr Munro, who pointed out that a majority of the proposed committee would be members of the council. Cr Cameron expressed the hope that the amendment would not be carried. It touched, he said, on the crux of the whole question. If the door were left wide open, the council would be no further ahead than it was to-day. The purpose was to restrict the concerts so that they would be in accordance with the day of the week. There were six other nights for concerts. “ There is something in, what Cr Silverstone says,” said the Mayor. “Some of ihe most popular concerts have been band concerts. One could not say that a concert for band funds was for charitable purposes, but no one would object to such a concert.” Cr Shepherd asked whether Cr Silverstone would add to the word “approved” the words “but non-politi-cal.”

Cr Allen: That is letting the cat out of the bag. Cr Shepherd: Someone has to let it out.

Cr Silverstone: Will you vote for that addition?

Cr Shepherd: Yes. Cr Silverstone; I accept it,

The Mayor asked whether councillors would approve of the addition to the amendment. Cr Allen objected, but on the voices the Mayor ruled that the alteration had been approved. When the amendment was put 1o the meeting the Mayor declared it carried on the voices. A division was requested, and it was disclosed that th* voting was even. Those voting for the amendment were Crs Munro, Silverstone, Shepherd, Batchelor, and the Mayor. Those voting against it were Crs Begg. Scott. Allen, Mitchell, and Cameron. The Mayor gave his casting vote for the amendment.

Cr Begg rose to a point of order, stating that the Mayor, though movingthe original motion, had voted for the amendment.

The Mayor ruled, however, that the council had approved the alteration. He declared the amendment carried as the substantive motion.