GIRLS’ MARCHING

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26362, 5 March 1951, Page 8

GIRLS’ MARCHING

N.Z. CHAMPIONSHIP TQ WHANGAREI TEAM (New Zealand Press Assoctatimi) NEW PLYMOUTH, March 4. Before a crowd of. 8000 at Pukakgn Park, New Plymouth, on Saturday, tti Grenadiers Girls' marching team qt Whangarei won the New Zealand manh» ing championship. The holder and Noi* Island champions, Sargettes. of WelUa*. ton, gained second place, four potato bo< hind. The South Island champioii tMUL Balmoral (Timaru), was unplaced. Grenadiers also secured the ’hiAM aggregate points by providing the chM> pion leader, Miss G. Sissons, who was M points ahead of her closest rival, Mtaa K ■ McLeod (Sargettes), and the GrenadlM’ instructor, Mr R. Sissons, received taa instructor's trophy. Eighteen teams—l 7 centre champMl.' and the North Island champions MB . ' peted in humid weather and under a cloudy sky. Rain, which leaned tti event in the two previous years. Held 40, however, until the judging had bean e<ta«. pleted. but a heavy shower cancelled. Am day’s big spectacle, the "serpent? mana' by the massed teams. . ' The Secretary of Internal Affairs (Mf • A. G. Harper), who presented some of th* awards to the successful competitors, MM that during his recent visit to Britain. tM question of establishing girls’ marchiM there was discussed, and it was sugnstM that a New Zealand team should visit tM country. People to whom he film of marching girls were .ftsMl enamoured with the movement, and toM. him that in this respect "New Zealand had something to show the world.”. M had also been told that the marching « the girls compared favourably, with UUt of the Grenadier Guards "and that Wu said to me in all seriousness," added W. Harper. Results were:---Championshlp March. Grenddißri (Whangarei). 270 J points, 1; Sargettes (Wellington). 266 J points. 2; Rochdale (Tk Awamutu), 2571 points, 3. Champion Leader.— Miss G. StoselU (Grenadiers). 97 points. I; Miss F. McLbod (Sargettes). 87. 2; Misses C. Camobell (Balmoral. Tlmaro). J. Clarke (Roebucks. New Plymouth), and N. Morris. (Rot** dale), equal. 79 points. 3. _? , jit Championship Aggregate.—Grensdtdts 367 j points. 1; Sargettes, 3534 poinki. I; Rochdale, 3384 points. 3. _ ~ ■ Costumes. —Sirgettes. 951. 1; Whipstejs (Woolston). Aotea (Dunedin), and Web’dale, 95. equal. 2. Champion Marker.—Miss S. Regan (811- . • ver Arrow, Wellington). ■ / Champion Instructor—Mrs R. Siasani (Grenadiers).