WINTON’S BAND

Southland Times, Issue 21834, 11 October 1932, Page 12

WINTON’S BAND

ATTITUDE OF BOROUGH COUNCIL.

“NO RESPONSIBILITY WHAT-

EVER.”

(From Our Winton Correspondent.) Although it is known to Winton residents as the Winton Municipal Band, from the tone of Friday evening’s meeting of the Winton Borough Council the Band of the town is no way connected with the municipality, and although the Council passed a donation to this organization, it was freely mentioned in a discussion, that the Council was in no way responsible for the band, whom it was said by one member was about £lOO in debt and “was sort of involved.” The attitude of the Council

was somewhat unusual for although it wished to assist the Band it did not desire to become in anyway connected with it. The meeting of the Council was presided over by the Mayor, Mr W. Hamilton, when the following Councillors were present: A. Watson, A. Baird, J. Gullick and R. C. Stenhouse.

A letter from the secretary (Miss I. G. Russell) of the Winton Athenaeum Committee _ requesting a donation from the Council to the committee’s funds brought forward the discussion. The letter read: “When the Council was generating its own power it agreed to give the Athenaeum Committee light at half rate in consideration of a reduction in rent charged to the Winton Municipal Band. The rent has not been increased though full charges are now being charged for lighting. The Band owes £9. The revenue of the committee has been considerably reduced and as the Band can give no definite promise when the amount owing will be paid the committee seek to request a donation from the Council.”

After some discussion as to the position of the Athenaeum committee’s finances the question of the Band arose and Councillor Watson said that he understood that this body was about £loo_ in debt to its conductor. He mentioned that if the Council was going to be hit for £lOO to £l5O it would be out of business too.

The Mayor suggested that instead of making a donation straight out to the Athenaeum committee the Council make a donation to the Band on the condition that it pay the money to the Athenaeum committee in payment of rent dues. If this was done, he declared, the Council would be assisting both the committee and the Band, for as it was placed at the present time the latter body would be unable to pay any rent on its own account. He said that he favoured assisting the Band if possible.

“There will be no responsibility whatever as far as we are concerned,” replied Mr Hamilton. “The donation will simply be one to the Athenaeum Committee. We will pay £6 to the Athenaeum Committee and for this amount the Band will obtain a receipt.” A fairly lengthy discussion ensued on the subject and the ‘responsibility question’ as far as the Council went, seemed to be the point of the issue, and was the cause of Councillor Watson remarking. “we don’t want to get tangled u- in any of that heavy stuff.” Upon the Mayor assuring the Council that it would be clear of any responsibility it was agreed to pay the Athenaeum committee £6, in payment of portion of the arrears of rent for the Band.