PIPE BANDS’ CONTEST

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28223, 11 March 1957, Page 10

PIPE BANDS’ CONTEST

Championship At Dunedin (New Zealand Press Association) DUNEDIN, March 10. A • military pipe band from Wanganui won the aggregate at the New Zealand C grade championships at Dunedin during the week-end. It was the band of the Ist Battalion. WellingtonWest Coast-Taranaki Regiment, which had to make a last-minute public appeal to finance the trip when it became known that Army Department funds would not be available. This combination took the honours in the music sections and one of its. leaders, Pipe-Major J. Allan Macgee, won three medals. These were for the highest music points in the selection, quickstep and street march competitions. Mr Macgee’s son, Drum-Ser-geant lain Macgee. also won a medal as leader of the best drumming corps, while the drummajor’, Mr J. Fitchet, won a medal as a result of the band attaining second highest military points ip the quickstep. Pipe-Major Macgee came to New Zealand from Scotland a few years ago and took control of the Invercargill Pipe Band. This combination later won the A grade national championship, while its leader won a national reputation as a trainer and piper. Two years ago, Mr Macgee took charge of the regimental band and this 'was the first national contest in which this unit has competed since. Most of the members were trained solely by Mr Macgee. The Christchurch Ladies’ Pipe Band, which filled second place in the aggregate, showed remarkable enthusiasm during the contest. This band won the quickstep from nine other entrants, of which two were women’s bands.

The music judge was Mr W. Boyle (Christchurch). In, other classes, the judges were: Messrs W. E. Loasby (Christchurch) drumming, T. Gordon (Christchurch) dress, C. G. Maher (Dunedin) staff flourishing and Messrs Maher E. Musgrave (Blenheim) and M. A. Cameron (Temuka) drum majors’ display. The chief military judge, Captain N. O. Mangin, was assisted by senior non-commissioned officers from the Southern Military District and the R.N.Z.A.F. station at Taieri. Results: — Aggregate (Inspection, Quickstep, Selection) Ist Battalion Wellington - West Coast - Taranaki Regiment (428.575 points) 1, Christchurch Ladies’ (420.2) 2, Tuatapere (401.85) 3, Christchurch Metropolitan (399.9) 4, Kaitangata (392.825) 5, Methven (384.7) 6, Dunedin Ladies’ Scottish (365) 7, Timaru Ladies’ (362.425) 8, Mackenzie (South Canterbury) (359.2) 9. Dunedin Ladies’ Highland (332.1) 10.

Test Selection Ist Battalion Wellington - West Coast - Taranaki’ Regiment (music points 128, drumming points 18.9 iotab 146.9 points) 1, Tuatapere (127.5, 17.4—144.9) 2, Christchurch Ladies’ (123.5, 18.4—141.9 3, Christchurch Metropolitan (124.5’, 15—139.5) 4, Kaitangata (125.5, 10.4—135.9) 5 Quickstep Christchurch Ladies’ (drill 162 points, music 96.3 points—total 258.3 points) 1. Ist Battalion WellingtonWest Coast - Taranaki Regiment (157.2. 98.8—256) 2, Christchurch Metropolitan (150.25, 93.4—243.65) 3, Tuatapere (149.3, 92.2—241.7) 4, Kaitangata (148.25, 90.8—239.05) 5, Methven (151.5, 86.4—237.9) 6. Dunedin Ladies’ Scottish (149.25, 78.2—227.45) 7. Mackenzie (South Canterbury) Highland (149.75. 73.2—222.95) 8, Timaru Ladies’ (139.75, 77—216.75) 9. Dunedin Ladies’ Highland (127, 71.6 198.6) 10

Inspection Dunedin Ladies' Scottish (drill 18.75 points, dress 69 points—total 97.75 points) 1, Christchurch Ladies' (20, 65.5—85.8) 2, Methven Caledonian (19, 65.5—84.5) 3, Kaitangata (17.875, 64.5—375) 4, Mackenzie (South Canterbury) Highland (16.25, 65.5—81.75) 5. Dunedin Ladies’ Highland (16.5, 64—80.5) 6, Christchurch Metropolitan (16.75, 63.5—80.25) 7, Tuatapere (15.25, 61.5—76.75) 8, Timaru Ladies’ (18.875, J?2—>70.875) 9. Ist Battalion Wellington - West Coast - Taranaki Regiment (20.625, 44—64.625) 10.

Street March Mackenzie (37.91 points) 1, Methyen (37.75) 2, Christchurch Ladies’ (37.08) 3, Christchurch Metropolitan (36.75) 4, Kaitangata (36.41) 5, Ist Battalion Wellington- West CoastTaranaki Regiment (36.25) 6, Tuatapere (35.91) 7, Dunedin Ladies' Scottish (33.91) 8, Timaru Ladies’ (32.42) 9, Dunedin Ladies’ Highland (31.41) Drum Majors’ Display Christchurch Metropolitan (DrumMajor A. McAlpine (101 points) 1, Methven (Drum-Major G. M. Dickson) (84.5) 2. Only two competitors. Staff Flourishing Drum-Major L. N. Carlton (Mackenzie) (41 points) 1, Drum-Major Mrs eller (Christchurch Ladies') (37) 2, Drum-Major Miss M. Griffin (Dunedin Ladies’ Scottish (36) 3.