GOOD MARCHING

Evening Post, Issue 58, 9 March 1936, Page 3

GOOD MARCHING

PORT NICHOLSON BAND

RECENT NATIONAL CONTEST

Reproduced on the illustrations page is a picture of the gold medal won by Sergeant-Major J. Duncan, DrumMajor of the Port Nicholson Band, al the recent New Zealand Brass Band Contest at New Plymouth. = The medal was presented by .Mr. G. T. Wardell, of Timaru,' and was competed, for by drum»majors from all parts of New Zealand. This was not the only success achieved by the ''band at New Plymouth. The feature of the band's general performance was the very high, standard of marching and drill displayed by it at the various functions. One afternoon, in association with the Returned Soldiers' Association, S wreath was placed on the cenotaph by the conductor, Mr. J. J. Drew, tha band playing the hymn "Nearer My God to Thee" and the National Anthem. The movements of, the .band at the Cenotaph were carried out with full ceremonial honours, the. band being highly commended by prominent citizens and military authorities of high rank. The band' has since received aT letter of appreciation and thanks from the Returned • Soldiers' Association. ' What is considered the most severe and trying test of marching was the street march and review, from the Post Office to Pukekura Park, by all bands, both A and B grades, there being. twelve all told. Military, judges were posted at unknown positions along the, route; therefore, the bands were under their critical eye from start to finish. The whining of this event by the Port Nicholson Band was meritorious, in view of;the fact that it had a formidable contender for the honour in the Cairns Citizens (31st Battalion) North Queensland Band, which has become famous throughout Australia in this section of band contest work and in which it holds an outstanding record, haying on many occasions won this section. The placings in this event, were as follows: —Port Nicholson Band, 1; Cairns .Citizens 31st Battalion Band,2; Timaru Municipal Band, 3. .. In the quickstep event, held at Pukekura.Park, the Port Nicholson Band gave an outstanding performance from a military point of view. In the quartet event the, Port. Nicholson Band also secured first place. ' At the concluding stages of the contest the band was publicly complimented by the chairman of the contest executive for the standard it set oil and OH parade, .in both dress and behaviour, and it thus worthily upheld the honour of the capital city.