NEW RECORDS ESTABLISHED

Evening Star, Issue 25750, 25 March 1946, Page 6

NEW RECORDS ESTABLISHED

ST. KILBA'S SPLENDID PERFORMANCE [By Gladstone Hill, for the ' Star.'} f March 25. The curtain has just been rung down on the most successful band contest in the history of New Zealand. Records have been smashed right and left. In the first place, the boys on whom the future depends have attained a standard that has definitely displaced the champions of yesteryear in the number of entries. An easy record has been established, so much so that the future conduct of such contests will have to be recast to meet the rising tide of youthful competitors. Finally, an easy record' has been established in public patronage. The weather, of course, has been ideal for the two big outside performances, the hymn test last Sunday and the quickstep championships to'day. Two additional bands competed as compared' with the hymn test. They were the Dunedin Ladies' Band and the Temuka Municipal. In all, 25 bands took part, with a total official personnel of 675 men, and we have to add now the women. There were six in the O grade, 13 in the B, and six in the A grade. On a population basis this is surely an easy record, and what a day it had been. I arrived at Lancaster Park at 30 minutes after noon to learn that the gates had been opened at 10.30. There was an estimated crowd of 10,000 already in the ground. The crowds literally poured in until at 2 o'clock 20,000 people had paid for admission. Every seat in the stands was reserved, and at 2 o'clock all were occupied. In all ■ the years I have been associated with .bands and contests I cannot remember one in which the public displayed such intense, interest in and knowledge of a quickstep competition. It was the most colourful scene, imaginable. Twenty-five bands moved in, played and marched, and then went out again. Band followed band from 1.5 until 5.15 without a break. The contest opened with the C grade, and the Dunedin Ladies' Band drew No. 1. Thus for the first time in the history of the Dominion a girls' band competed at a contest, and it drew first , in its grade and first on the programme. Those -who saw some favourable portent in this succession of firsts must have been diappointed, for the girls were a long way from first in the final count. That does not say their performance had not merit. On the contrary, it had, but the ordeal must have been great to these girls. The crowd was immediately and gave them a wonderful reception. In the music they defeated the' Auckland Waterside junior band, which was below form, by two points, and the Temuka Municipal, which is quite a good band, by four points. Summing up, at the end of the day, it can be said that St. Kilda justified all that has been said about it, and that the Auckland Waterside Silver Band is a grand combination. St. Kilda won the A grade with 175 J points for marching and 95 foT miisic. Auckland won the B grade with 178§, the highest marks given for the day, and 81 for music. Wellington Waterside Silver Band received 167 f for marching and 93 for music to.win second place in the A grade. This band was third in the hymn test, -won the A grade championship, and was second in the quickstep championship, a .most creditable performance. St. Kilda was second in the hymn test, tied for second place in the A grade championships, and won the quickstep championship, a splendid performance, well merited and deservedly popular. <■