BAND AFFAIRS

Waipa Post, Volume XXIV, Issue 1690, 24 November 1925, Page 5

BAND AFFAIRS

SECRETARY PRESENTS FINANCIAL STATEMENT. TO BO ROUGH COUNCIL. Mr J. Findlay, secretary of the Municipal Band (now in recess) waited on the Borough Council last evening and presented an audited balance sheet up to date. Receipts since April Ist were shown as £155 7s, and expenditure a like amount. Liabilities were shown as:— Due to Bank of N.Z., £2 15s Id; handmaster’s honorarium to 31st December, £3l; L. G. Armstrong, £4 10s; Advance Taxi Co., £1 15s; Waipa Post, £8 13s; Lawless (Hamilton). £1 10s: 0. Hull Brown, £2 12s lOd; Rickit and Sons, £1 13s 4d; Eeles and Co., 8s 3d; total, £54 17s 6d. Assets were shown as:—27 band instruments, 7 instruments (old pattern), 21 uniforms, 6 odd coats, 8 odd trousers, 28 caps, the case of bandoliers (used), 2 new bandoliers, music stands, chairs, etc. These were estimated to be worth about £4OO.

Mr Findlay, at the same time, handed in his resignation as secretary of the Band. In expressing his regret at the decision to dissolve, Mr Findlay said that the primary cause of the decision to give up was the failure to secure public patronage at a recent band dance, the door receipts thereat being only £7 3s, whereas at dances for two other local organisations held within the following fortnight the receipts were in the vicinity of £9O. The bandsmen contended that this was abundant proof that their organisation was not appreciated. Mr Findlay proceeded to explain the various items in the balance sheet, pointing out at the outset that the year was commenced with a deficit of £39. He also quoted amounts given to the band in preparation for its participation in the contest at' Auckland last year. In the current year’s receipts he showed the total collections in Te Awamutu as £3 18s 6d, which with £4 10s collected at Te Kuiti and the Borough Council’s contribution of £25. brought the total to £32 odd. The band had been greatly hampered by lack of competent players for public performances. There were several other musical combinations in Te Awamutu and bandsmen were members of these institutions, thus occupying much of their available time that otherwise would have been utilised for practices and public performances. Mr Findlay said he understood there was a movement afoot to raise funds in. the town to resuscitate the band, but he could give no further/information on that point at present. But if the band is reconstructed it would perhaps be advisable to reconstruct it on a different basis. The assets were valued at a very low figure—he was confident the equipment was worth more than £SO. The Mayor questioned whether the bandsmen were not legally responsible for the liabilities. He was not sure of the actual position, but acceptance of the keys of the bandroom was distinctly without prejudice. It was a position without precedent in his experience and therefore the Council would have to look further into the position. It would be a very nice thing if anybody could incur liabilities and then repudiate indebtedness. ■Mr Findlay said he would like to see the position defined. ICr. Jeffery,, referring to the bandmaster’s honorarium, considered that as the appointment had been made by bandsmen they should surely be liable for that payment, not the Council. The Mayor said the situation was one that days itself open for a lot of comment, but he could see little use in openly discussing the position at this present juncture.