In Appreciation

Manawatu Times, Volume LVI, Issue 7066, 27 January 1933, Page 8

In Appreciation

To the Editor. Sir, —It is really hard to realise that there is a person in our midst who takes such an apparent delight in decrying and belittling the efforts of our worthy Junior Band, -which recently won the contest at Napier, and also the efforts of a body of men such as are giving their services entirely free for the welfare of our local bands and other city institutions. I refer to a correspondent in your issue of yesterday who writes under the nom de plume of “Credit Where Credit is Due," and who so wilfully and deliberately makes statements that are entirely ' contrary to fact. Surely, Mr. Editor, all who know Mr. Ered Oakley, who wa3 manager of the band at the Napier contest, and Colonel Whyte, tho president, and other townsmen of very high standing who are members of the executive, will regard your correspondent’s letter as a deliberate insult to tho'se. men and Palmerston North city residents generally. I am confident there is not a single official of the Garrison Band, from the president down to the individual players, who would stand for the slightest infringement of contest rules in any shape or form, or stoop to any trickery to gain a victory su'ch as appears to be at tho back of the correspondent’s mind. The facts are that contest rules entitle one senior player to be included, and the contest committee were well aware that this was being done. It was a wonderful sight* to witness the contest, and see a band consisting of our local youngsters standing up to it against many senior players in some of the other contesting bands, one of whom had playing with them a Palmerstonian who can claim to be the champion cornet player of the Dominion, and another player who was decked from head to foot with medals. In conclusion, I say: “Well done, you Palmerston boys, and may you repeat the performance at some future date.”—l am, etc., SPORT.