TIMARU MUNICIPAL BAND CONTROL

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIV, Issue 21052, 2 June 1938, Page 14

TIMARU MUNICIPAL BAND CONTROL

To the Editor ot " The Timaru Herald " Sir,—l should like to utilise a little space in your paper in order to air a few of my ideas regarding this Timaru Municipal Band problem. In the first place I think the public of Timaru are showing rather an undue (or should I say overdue) Interest in Band affabs. When the machinery of the Band is running smoothly, interest I am sorry to say is sadly lacking. But when a crisis, such as the present one arises, what do we have? People writing letters to your paper demanding a pubhc inquiry? Why should there be such a.i inquiry? Why I say. should the public sit in judgment 'on those who are whole-heartedly serving them without remuneration of any kind. A bandsman's life after all is a thankless one. At contest time, there are practises

three or four times a week, all day Sunday, and during the year numerous attendances at garden parties, race meetings, etc. What of the bandsman s wife who sacrifices her husband fdr tliis work? What thanks do the bandsmen and their wives receive? None whatever! Therefore sir, I think the members of the Band should have full say in their own affairs without interference of any. kind by the community. “Old Bandsman” suggests weeding out the old players. I say that this is grossly unfair to men who have given years of service to Timaru. Allow the older men to play as long as they like but keep up the contest numerical strength with younger men. He has painted rather a dramatic picture in Tuesday’s issue of your paper and laid a deep rooted plot at the feet of one he calls the sergeant. What a marvellous man this sergeant must be. Another Hitler or Mussolini one wou.d suppose. It is utter trash and a very unconvincing statement, to say that one man could have swayed three quarters of the Band to his way of thinking. The men are not lobots. They have minds of their own and can think for themselves. If they have a grievance against their conductor, well, you may take it that it is a sound one. After all a Municipal Band is not run on the lines cf a Military Band and a little more leniency is required. Forceful measures will pot prevail. It is suggested that the bandsmen couid not stand reprimanding by Lieutenant Simpson, and yet I have recollections of Mr Simpson’s predecessor severely dressing down individual members «f the Band at different practices. The men bore him no ill-will for that. They always held him in respect and wou d always do their best for “Billy' <*s they called him. Councillor Richards lays stress on the fact that people from Invercargill came to Timaru and asked if Mr Simpson vould be released from his Timaru appointment but may I ask, were those people bandsmen or representatives of the Invercargill Band or were they just Interfering citizens such as we have m Timaru to-day? Councillor Richards Is very concerned about the feelings of the people of Timaru. I would suggest to him that he forgets all about it. aS their feelings do not matter. I am a ratepayer myself and I hold this contention. In closing, sir, I should like to thank you for allowing me space m your paper. ’ am pleased to state also that by last Sunday’s performance the band is retaining itc usual high standard of playing.—l am. jtc., SYMPATHY. Timaru. June 1.