MUSICAL SOCIETY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 10052, 10 February 1927, Page 3

MUSICAL SOCIETY.

GERALDINE. ANNUAL, MEETING. . The annual meeting of the Geraldine Musical 'Society was held in the Parish Hall last Monday evening, when Mr White, the conductor, presided. The attendance was not very large, as many members were busy with harvesting. The balance-sheet was read by the treasurer, and in his report he showed that during the year two concerts had been given. The proceeds from the first were donated to the Library Queen in the _ Queen Carnival. The second; though containing s ! ome very good music, was not well patronised, and as the Society partly depends upon public support for its finance, the year was not a financial success. The balance at the end of the year was £9 14s Gel short of the balance at the end of the previous year, but there was still in hand £3 12s 6d, and this, with members' subscriptions, would be enough to carry on with. The balance-sheet and report were adopted. The election of officers resulted as follows:—'Conductor, Mr E. P. White; .pianist, Miss E. Sherratt; secretary, Rev. H. M. Cocks; committee, Mrs Wallach, Mrs Jenkins, Mies Logan, Miss E." Sherratt, and Messrs Logan, Knibb and Co wile. The selection committee appointed, were: —Miss E. Sherratt, Mrs Madill and Mr White. iMiss Sherratt reported that some music had already come to hand, and there was more on the way. It was considered at some length as to whether the Society should practice an oratorio, but it was decided to leave the matter until practices began. . .•'. There followed a lengthy discussion concerning a new rule, that had been. added last year to the rules of the Society. The rule was: "That concerts be given by the Society only within the Borough of Geraldine, and that donations be made fromAhe Society only for purposes within the Borough." Ticketsellers for concerts had met with a good deal of difficulty owing to an unfortunate misunderstanding on the part of some of the country people concerning this rule. Many people, it was stated, were unwalling to support a society which cut itself off from helping the country districts. It was pointed out that the rule was one that, in the first place, had been drawn up in self.defence. The Society was too large to move round the country* besides consisting for the .most part of busy people who could not afford the extra time that would be necessary, and therefore it could not give concerts outside Geraldine. 1 Moreover, the -Society wished to retain a high standard of music, and that must mean that the; whole year must be taken up practising for one or two concerts, and no concert could be given satiisifa'ctorily in Geraldine m.ore than once. While the Society was not primarily a money-making concern, it depended' upon these concerts for some of its own maintenance. It would be very difficult therefore, to give the support to country and other objects that the Society might like to. It was considered less likely to hurt people's feelings to point to a rule of the Society than to refuse to support requests as they came in, as otherwise would have to be done. However, in view of a certain amount of ill-feeling on the subject, Mrs Jenkins gave notice of motion to rescind the rule at the next meeting of the Socielty. New members were then enrolled, and on the motion of Mr Logan, seconded by Mrs Jenkins, it was .decided to meet on Monday evenings at 8 o'clock, in the Parish Hall when possible. * Practices will begin j early in March. "