THE BRASS BANDS' CONTEST.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 769, 18 March 1910, Page 6

THE BRASS BANDS' CONTEST.

QUICKSTEP AND QUARTETTE. TWO PRESENTATIONS MADE. (By TeleerftDli.—Fr«u AnocUUon.l Wanganui, March 17. The band contest, held under the auspices of the North Island Brass Bands' Association was continued to-day. The weather was . gloriously fine,. and the quickstep competition took place in the prcsenco of a record crowd, the gate taking amounting to ,£360. Twelve bands competed, and the Wanganui Garrison Band carried off first prize, with a total of 285|. points. Of these 130 were for music. Blenheim was second with 283 points. 122 being for music. Petone came third with 265 points, 126 being for music. The others -finished as follow:—Nelson 261J points, Wanganui City 233, Manaia 247J, Gisborne 247 i Cambridge 243, Wellington Tramways 233J, Waitara 232}, Feilding 223 i and Opunake 217. During the afternoon, Mr. James Crichton was presented with a gold medal, to commemorate the fact that he had been the conductor of the finest performance by any massed band in New Zealand, viz., that at the garden party on Tuesday. Mr. Maurice Cohen was also presented with a handsome oil painting on the occasion of resigning the presidency of the North Island Brass Bands' Association, after holding office for twelve years. This evening the quartette competition took place, only four competitors entering. Results: Nelson 132 points, Wanganui No. 1 129 points, Wanganui No. 2 121 points, Gisbome 107 points. The judge said that the winning quartette was the best which he had ever heard.

ASSOCIATION'S ANNUAL MEETING. : The annual meeting of the North Island Brass Bands' Association was held this evening, 50 delegates being present. Mr. Louis Cohen was elected president, Messrs. , Hblben and Charlcer were reelected secretary and treasurer respectively j time-keeper, Mr. J. Hunter; executive, Messrs. J. T. Muir, J. Tmsscll (Wanganui),- Pederson (Martori), Hovbittle (Feilding), M'Conneli; (Waitara), Patchett, and Jupp (Wellington), Jonc*, Pringle, and Mounsey (Palmerston North). The disqualification of five Wellington players who' applied for reinstatement was removed. It was decided to make no change in the grading system. The .next contest, is to be held in Palmerston North, Gisborne's claims for the 1912 contest to be favourably considered.

OTHER ITEMS. , (By Telegraph.—Special Correspondent.) Wanganui, March 17. ■ The weather continues deligliifully fine for the Band Contest, and to-day the conditions were perfect for the quickstop competition, which attracted an attendance of some GOOO or 7000 people. The winners (Wanganui Garrison Band) marched better than was anticipated by their most ardent supporters, and they were only beaten by one band (Blenheim) in military points. The latter scored 161 for drill, as compared with ;Wanganui Garrison's 155}, but the latter secured 130 points; for music, as against Blenheim's 122. Petone scored 126 in music and 139 in military points. To-morrow the contest will be brought to a close by the decision of the bass trombone and E-flat tenor horn solos' in the morning and the second test pieces in the evening.