PROCEEDS £5 TO £10

Taranaki Daily News, 13 February 1935, Page 5

PROCEEDS £5 TO £10

GRENADIER GUARD BAND CONCERT APPEARANCE AT NEW PLYMOUTH. Denying rumours circulated to the effect that members of the Pukekura Park committee had received monetary gain from the concert by the Grenadier Guards Band, Mr. P. E. Stainton stated last night that the net proceeds to the committee after adjustments and the payment of accounts would be between £5 and £lO. In a verbal report on the arrangements made Mr. Stainton said that under the difficult circumstances the committee had carried out satisfactorily its responsibilities as -trustee for the park in arranging for the transfer of the concert from the Opera House. He pointed out that when the management of the band was approached on the subject by longdistance ‘ telephone it was adamant against a change up to the last. The committee decided to go to the absolute limit to persuade the management to change the venue and thus confer a benefit on the public. Mr. Stainton quoted the terms of the agreement between the park committee and the management of the band. This provided that 10 per cent, of the takings above the first £250 should go to the park committee, which was to make all arrangements regarding the staffing and lighting of the grounds. The cost of advertising was to be the responsibility of the band. Although these arrangements were a substantial deviation from the usual terms, the committee felt no effort should be spared to enable members of the public to hear the band in the park at a reasonable charge. The band incurred the expense of engaging the Opera House and the reason a percentage had not been charged on the first £250 was to offset part of this expense.

Mr. Stainton considered the committee achieved its object in persuading the band to play in the park, which was against the inclinations of the officials. New Plymouth demonstrated to those in charge the. possibilities of open-air concerts, with the result that the practice was followed in other towns. The committee confirmed the action taken and endorsed Mr. Stainton’s remarks. Strong exception was taken to the rumours in the town concerning the part played by the committee.