A BAND SUBSIDY,

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 58, Issue 142, 18 July 1929, Page 13

A BAND SUBSIDY,

"ONE OF THE PEOPLE."

To the Editor. Sir, — In reply to your various correspondents' on the above subject: — ''Bandsman" grows facetious at the idea of an Anzac parade to the music of a gramophone. If sufficient volume of sound mere assured it would he just as stimulating to mareh to the music as playotl hy tho famous "Guards Band" at Home as to a local band. Of course tliere is a type of individual who greets any new idea with a guffaw of vaeuous laugliter; at one time ihe musio in connection with cliurch seu'vices was supplied hy musiciaus playing various instruments. Probably if a bandsman of those days liad heen told that a time would come when his services would not be required to supply music for the cliurch tho statemeht would liave been received with hilarious incredulity. Your correspondent, "H. J. Cairns," chuckles on the idea of string band leading troops to a thanksgiving service, but I never suggested such a thing, as in my opinion there is no obligation on the municipality to provide a band for liiililtary purposes, anv more than to provide one for the fealvation Army, wliich provides its own band, and I have no doubt tbat the militnry can do the same. The object of the band subsidv is to brighten up the town and make it more attractive to visitors. Putting my personal opinions as to hrass bands on one side, the fact remains that a haud that probably only plays in public in the evenings, ahout twice a week, will do very little to brighten up tlie town. "YVhat the visitor wants is somo attraction during the afternoon. My idea was not a large professional orcliestra, but something on the lines of what used to exist in Sydney yoars ago, when small bands pf musiciaus playing violins, harp, Aute, ete., plaved vev.v sweet aud attractive musio at suitahlo places in the city. Tliey received no subsidv, but were dependent upon the puhlic for their support. If the council was to subsidise a small band of musiciaus of this character and give theni permission to take up a collection from the publio as the bands do at present (and possibly thev would receiye a retainer from some of the largc business houses) no doubt tliey could supplement their 'enrnings hy playing at dances. I think this would have a niuch greater efxect in brightening np the town tlian occasional band concerts in the evening. With the mechanising of tlie army at Home, and the trausporting of troop hy motor vehicles from j point to point tho rnison d'etrc for | a regimental band will soon cease to j exist, and may heconiG a romantie tra- j dition of the past, like the stage coach. ; and it is quito possihle that the majority of regiments will niarch and parade to what I might term mechanised ! music. So your esteemed correspondcnt, "H. J. Cairns," inay yet live to see a band of territorinls marching to stirring music without any visible lio n/lcTnnn — T mn

Westshore, July 16, 1929.