Historic Annual Reports

The annual public meeting of subscribers to the Borough Band was held at the Council Chambers on Monday evening, and was pretty well attended. On the motion of Mr Counihan, Mr Ritchie was voted to the chair.

The Chairman briefly stated the business to be transacted, and called on Mr Coverdale, the hon. secretary of the committee, who read the following report: - "Your committee, in submitting this their first annual report; feel gratified at the considerable measure of success which has attended their efforts to establish permanently a public band. Your committee were, at the beginning of last year, burdened by liabilities of the former organisation amounting to about £40. These were compromised by payments amounting to £25 4s 3d, which crippled the available funds for carrying on to that amount. Recognising the necessity for a thoroughly efficient teacher, your committee, relying upon the help of the public, engaged the services of Mr Samuel Taylor as bandmaster, at a salary of £104 per annum. The result has justified their action, as they now practically show a clear balance sheet, and the efficiency of the Band speaks for itself. The open-air concerts given by the Band have been so much appreciated by the public that your committee hope soon, through the building of a rotunda in the public gardens, to repeat such performances to greater advantage. Finally, your committee bespeak, on behalf of their successors, a continuance of the support accorded to them during the past year, that the permanency of the Band may be assured, and its efficiency increased. For the committee, J. Coverdale, hon. sec."

The balance sheet showed total receipts for the year £172 Is; the expenditure which included a liability of £25 4s 3d, brought over from the previous year leaving a balance of 14s ltd to credit. Existing liabilities amounted to only £1 17s 9d.

The report and balance sheet were unanimously adopted.

Mr Wise then moved the appointment of a committee for the ensuing twelve months as follows:- Dr. Moore, and Messrs Wise, Wishart, Trood, Bowen, Law, Counihan, Dickins, Ritchie, E. H. Carter, R. J. Burrowes, and the trustees, Messrs Coverdale, Peck, and Topping. Mr Wise eulogised the efforts of the committee during the past year in sustaining the Band. There were no difficulties in the way of the new committee, who no doubt would do their best to promote the efficiency of such a creditable institution. (Applause.)

Mr Cherry seconded the motion.

Mr Counihan supported the motion, expressing his belief that the public of Sale would be found willing to contribute to the efficient maintenance of the Band, which, under the leadership of Mr Taylor, would become, not only a credit to Sale, but to Gippsland generally. (Applause.)

The motion was carried.

The hon. secretary said that concluded the formal business, but he desired, on behalf of the committee and the Band, to thank the public of Sale for their contributions. They were not always willing to attend meetings, but were never backward with their subscriptions for any object deserving support. The committee had accepted a heavy responsibility last year, in the engagement of Mr Traylor, of whose ability to train and conduct the Band ample proof had been given. (Applause.)

It was not too much to anticipate that under the direction of Mr Taylor the Sale Band would become second to no volunteer Band in the colony. (Applause.) There was one thing, however, which he (Mr C.) thought was necessary to give them completeness as a body, and that was a uniform. (Applause.) He hoped that in a short time a movement would be organised for the purpose of providing that essential requisite for the proper appearance of the Band on public occasions, and he had no doubt that an appeal to the inhabitants of Sale would result successfully. (Applause.)

A cordial vote of thanks to the hon. secretary, for the valuable services be had rendered, was carried by acclamation, and briefly but warmly acknowledged by Mr Coverdale.

 A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the proceedings. Before the meeting, and at the conclusion, the Band played a selection of airs with much skill and taste.