The Band Contest.

Mataura Ensign, Volume 17, Issue 17, 12 October 1894, Page 5

The Band Contest.

(Invercargill Correspondent.) t Daring the last two days Invercargill has been all alive in music. We have bad melody without and melody within ; melody singly and melody in concert. To crown all a kilted savage, hailing originally from the " far Lochabar," put in appearance, and by way of adding . insult to injury selected as the theme of bis musical discourse tbat particularly objectionable pipe-performanoe to the " Westland Scot"—" Ta* Hau.i ye Whigs in Order." Considering Invercargill has just risen from an ordination service for the First Church, in accordance witb the Btrict fttlea of tbe Solemn League and Covenant, our bagpiper must be esteemed an exceptionally bold, bad man. In otber respects the masiohas been unexceptionable. The full moßter, or what, for want of ofil.ial designation, may be classed the "grand parade," took place at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Parting from the Government Buildings f ■ Bee-street. The several bands bsing amalgamated in order to concentiate the effort, bandsmen formed what ia known as front-rank-line. Iv that position they extend, in tbree or four rows, almost right across the wiie gaping streets of Invercargill. It was both an imposing Bight and enraptured ■ound— the latter in particular being quite «mod enough for a firet-ciasß garrison town. In both march and music the ordsr was well observed— remarkably so considering tba few opportunities they could possibly have had for operating conjointly. Followed by a large concourse of spectators, set down on a rough estimate at 4000, they pro(seeded to what is ktown as the Onion Grounds, where the first part of the contest • was entered upon. There the scene was still more animated, and the programme of the event— a quickstep competibion-for which arises in money and instrum-nts nmiuntod CarSaßt, (2) L 5 and (3) L 2 10s was gone through. Result I.'were1 .' were as folbws :— Drill Mnsic Total 1 Invercargill <Jarrißoo ' 89 71 160 2 Invercargill City Guards 87 70 Jo 7 3K.aikgwi 88 68 W> Sydenham 83 «5 148 Oamatu Navala ... 79 6(5 145 Dnnedin Navala ... 71 67 W8 Dunedin Engineers ... 67 6/ 134 The official record ot the winning band is

INVKRCARQILL GARRISON. (Conductor, Lieut. W. V. Siddall ; Secretary Mr R. Jenkins.) I This baud was firßt organised in 1865 as i 1 flute and drum band, and remained so for i i few yearß, wben it was changed to bras ' under Mr G. T. Stevens, who was follewe* ■ by Mr A. Sangster and Mr Hautria West l The bond was then known as the Invercar- ' gill Volunteer Band, and was organised ii 5 1875 by the late Captain Heywood, whi - succeeded in making it a very popular insti tution, obtained the liberal assistance of th ' public, and provided the band with first r cla«B instrument?, music and uniforms. Ii ■ 1878 tbe name was changed to the Garrisoi i Band, this being the first of tnat name in th I colony. Captaiu Heywood may justly b f teim-jd the fnther of Bn>S9 Bands in tb b colony, and it was under his conductorshii c that the firat prize money was gained by thi • band in Oamaru in 1881. The Invercargil 9 Ga»riaon Band has atteuded seven contests > and bas-, next to the Oamaru Garrison Band f the best recoid, but as regards these twi I bands tbey stand equal with each other ) The following are the contests competed in 3 —Oamaru, 1881— Fiist prize, L2O ; Oamart ■ second. Invercargill, 1883, b.-aten by thi » Oamaru Garrison Rand. Wellington, 1885 ' aecond prize, LSO (beaten by tbree points) Oamaru first. Oamaru, 1886 : First prize • L 2 5; Oamaru second. Dunedin, 1890 - Secoud priz* 4 , LSO (beaten by one point) • Oamaru IS avals first; Oamaru Garrisoi ■ thirl. Dur.edin, 1891 : Fourth prize, L2O, 1 Oamaru Garrison first, Dunedin Garrisoi i second, Chriatchurch Garrison third. Christ : church, 1893 ; First prize, L 75, Oamart • Garrison did not compete. On eaoh occasion • excepting tbat of the firaNnamed contest • tbe band was conducted by Lieuienant W 1 V. Siddall. Tbe band numbers 31 players, 1 including the conductor.