SILENCING A BAND

Taranaki Daily News, 18 October 1927, Page 5

SILENCING A BAND

AMERICAN UNION’S ACTION. AUSTRALIAN PLAYERS RETURN. I’otced by>the hostility' of the American Federation of, Musicians to cancel contracts worth 20,000 dollars, and refused permission to play in the United States, the Australian Commonwealth Band is returning to Sydney by the Aorangi, which has arrived at Auckland from \ ancon ver. Mr.* 11. Baile, Ihe conductor, who is well known to New Zealanders, since the combination lias twice toured the Dominion, stated the American union simply and unreasonably said, “We do not want you.” Leaving Australia in May, the band entered upon the Canadian section of the tour without hindrance and with conspicuous success. It was the principal feature at a series of fairs and exhibitions, and the Canadians, who last year enjoyed the famous Coldstream Guards’ Band, accorded the Australians a wonderful reception and the highest praise. All then went well, even though the Lnitecl States and Canadian musicians’ unions are affiliated, until Calgary was reached.

There H was that the head of fthe American Federation of Musicians advised from its New York office that the visiting company' would no longer be allowed to perform in the country. “This, in spite of the fact that I offered to make every one of the 39 members of our band a unionist by paying the entrance fee of 25 dollars a bead,” said Mr. Baile. “When American musicians come to Australia, and many do, they join up with our union and are made ‘as welcome as the Howers in May.’

“But the powerful union of America appears to bo under the complete autocratic dominance of its New York chief. Our manager even went to New York and waited on Mr. Webber, head of the American union, to negotiate and point out the utter unreasonableness of the ban placed upon ns. With him he took many extracts from Australian papers showing bow well American musicians were treated in the Commonwealth. It was pointed out that even now there are two American combinations touring Australia, following in the path of about ten others which have visited our part of the world in recent years. It was made patent that our presence in America was throwing no one out of employment, but all to no purpose. “Mr. Webber’s answer was. ‘I do not care about that.’ ” Rather than precipitate a strike or go to the expense of contesting the rights of the prohibition in the Equity Court, said Mr. Baile, it was decided to cancel forward contracts worth, he estimated, 20.000 dollars. By special arrangement a few United States towns were “played.” In them, as in the Canadian centres, were found appreciative audiences and press. In the light of the circumstances the tour could not be expected to prove anything but a financial failure, but Mr. Baile said a future itinerary had been planned. Australia and Africa were next ahead. England will be visited during 1925, and it is probable that New Zealand will be toured the following year. The old saw, “it is an ill wind. . lias been applicable to the band’s plight in so far as the Aorangis’ SOO passengers were concerned. On the voyage from Vancouver the company gave two concerts. and rehearsals have been liberally attended by those on board,