THE MUNICIPAL BAND

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 57, Issue 4116, 26 October 1938, Page 7

THE MUNICIPAL BAND

FINANCE MATTERS DISCUSSED. BOROUGH COUNCIL ATTITUDE. Municipal Band matters were discussed briefly at last evening’s meeting of Te Awamutu Borough Council. The secretary of the Municipal Band Committee asked that the Council, out of the subsidy, should ii/imediately meet all Band accounts. Cr J. Sterritt said he and Cr E. W. Hancock had attended last meeting of the Band Committee, and it was found that several accounts were well overdue. These should be paid, but the Borough Council’s subsidy had not been paid. Traders had supplied goods to the Band, and were entitled to payment. The Band had been playing in severs! of the country districts, working up goodwill. That night the Band was playing in the street, and was going to play out again that evening. Cr Hancock said .liability should not have been incurred. Traders were entitled to be paid. He noticed there were legacies from a time before his appointment to the Band Committee, and ho would decline to act on the Committee if that practice was continued. The Mayor (Mr George Spinley) l.ravei-sed the earlier arrangement with the Band, and told the Council I hat everything was all right while the town clerk was receiving all funds earned. The latter official paid all accounts. But afterwards there were liabilities incurred, and the money enrneff was not paid in.

Cr A. Rowan said the town clerk (Mr D. Bockett) had resumed the troasnrership about three months ago. but it was prior to that that the debts were incurred. He added that Hie Band was playing in the country, and he suggested that a contribution should bn sought from the Waipa County Council. Cr Hancock commented that there seemed to have been no control over the incurring of debts, and he had seen accounts rendered with a footnote demanding payment. He considered the position very unsatisfacI ory.

To a question, the Mayor said it was clearly understood by the Band executive that no liabilities were to 1«: incurred without the approval of the joint committee of four, known as the Band Committee, Mention was made of the Band having about £l4 in hand.

To Cr A. C. Brookes, the Mayor said that strictly speaking the Council had no control over the internal expenditure, but it ,-ould withhold any subsidy.

To Cr Hancock, the Mayor said the Council had no knowledge of a liability of £22 for the purchase of a drum last January of at any time. The sum on the estimates had not been passed for payment by the Council.

The Mayor added that the Band Committee was to comprise two borough councillors (one to be chairman) and two Band members. Those four were to certify any expenditure by the Band.

It was decided to require the Band to submit full details of liabilities and receipts before the Council would consider paying any subsidy.