PIPE BAND’S DETENTION

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19505, 5 February 1926, Page 5

PIPE BAND’S DETENTION

MINISTER STATES REASONS. AUSTRALIAN REQUIREMENTS. COMMENT BY PIPE-MAJOR. According to the Minister-in-Charge of the Passport Department, Hon. R. F. Boilard, the hold-up of the Australian Ladies’ Pipe Band in Auckland is due simply to action by the Commonwealth Government. Pipe-Major Darwin, director of the band, agrees that this is so, but attributes the Commonwealth Government’s behaviour to malign influence by various male bands in Australia. “It is not correct, as stated in some quarters, that the New Zealand oCanadian Governments have placed obstacles in the way of the band in the desire of its members to proceed abroad,” stated the Minister. “It is also untrue that the bond requirements are those of the Canadian Government. The position is simply this: Shortly after the band landed in the Dominion the Australian authorities asked that passports should not be issued until the parents ’ consent to each minor member travelling abroad had been obtained and a satisfactory local surety furnished on the basis of £5O for each member guaranteeing repatriation in the event of stranding. A Request from Melbourne. “The latest advice received by the Government is that the band is to disband, that seven members have decided to return to Australia and that the remaining 11 desire to go to Canada as individuals. The parents’ cc-' , sent in regard to minors has been furnished, but a cablegram was received yesterday from Melbourne asking for full particulars regarding the members of the band desiring to proceed abroad, the object of travel and whether the Department of Internal Affairs was satisfied that they are in possession of funds which will ensure maintenance, repatriation, etc. Further enquiries arc now being made. ’ ’ Mr Bollard added that if assurances satisfactory to the Commonwealth Government were given by the members of the band desiring to travel abroad, no doubt all difficulties would be cleared away. AVhen asked if he had any comments to make upon the Minister’s statement, Mr. Darwin said it was not quite correct in all details. The original holdup occurred in November. A month later, when the parents’ signatures had been obtained from Melbourne, and the band proposed to leave for A’ancouver, he was told that a bond of £35 was required in respect of each of the 18 girls. He obtained bondsmen in Auckland, but then it appeared that each girl would have to possess £35 before being allowed to enter Canada, and in addition there must be a bond of £5O in respect of each before a passport would be issued. Proposed Trip to England. In consequence the band could not leave, but remained in New Zealand, giving concerts. Seven members, including three of the six girls who were under 21, had returned to Australia by the Marama on January 23, and the remaining 11 proposed to travel to England, via Panama, as individuals, and to reassemble as a band upon arrival. “I do not blame the Passport Department for the trouble, except that its officials did not know the position,” said Mr. Darwin. “They kept on asking us to do new things, one after another. I put it all down to underground work in Melbourne. AVhen we were organising the tour some of the male bands were very jealous and I am certain that they have been using influence against us. AVe have been quite honest about the matter. If we had chosen in the first place to say that all the girls were over 21 nobody could have disputed it. AVe told the truth, and this is the result.” Mr. Darwin declared that the band would remain in Auckland until justice was done.