BAND CONTEST.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LI, Issue 16674, 2 March 1925, Page 6

BAND CONTEST.

GISBORNE CITY FOURTH IN B-GRADE. j (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, last night. Yesterday was a heavy day in the hand contest, and proceedings did not conclude till half an hour after midnight. The quickstep competition was held in (lie afternoon, slight showers of rain falling for the first time during the contest. The attendance was estimated at 12,(XX). The march played by the A-grade bands was “Jack O’ Lantern,” by W. Dimmer. This was a particularly charming piece, containing many haunting passages, and was exceptionally well suited for repetition. The piece for the B and C' grade was “The British Legion.” Mr Percy Code judged the music, and the military Captain Bittmor, M.C., and Staff judges were Cap- j tatij L. Andrews, V.U., Sergts.-Major Walker. Srnoal, and Green. Drill is the, deciding factor in the quickstep events,| for tlie higher points are allotted in this j department. Auckland Artillery, winners of the J A-grade quickstep, gave probably the finest exposition ever seen in Auckland. Their movements were magnificently executed and evoked great applause from the crowd. It was easily the finest performance of the day. The music was excellent and the tempo almost perfect. They w r ere only 2-sth of a second out in the 1(X) yards test. A GRADE! BANDS. Auckland Artillery (2763 points) ... 1 Palmerston North (247-3) 2 Malvern Tranrwavs (2473) 3 St. Kiida (2343) ' 4 B GRADE BANDS. Greymouth (234 points) 1 Otago Artillery (2243) 2 Onelninga (2163) 3 Gisborne City (2113) 4 Tho hymn contest was held in the evening, several thousand persons attending, despite the rain at intervals. The music was own choice, and comprised three verses of any well-known hymn. Results; — Malvern Tramways (96 points) ... .1 Woolston (95) 2 Queen Alexandra’s Own (91) ... 3 Auckland Artillery and St. Kiida (equal, 89) 4 The Malvern Tramways secured all the A-grade .shields and the McLeod Cup; the Otago Artillery Band won the B-grado shield, and the Ponsonby Boys’ Band the C-grade. The winners were all given a great reception by a surprisingly large number of people, who wailed till after midnight, Malvern being accorded a. particularly hearty greeting. The winner of the second prize in the (t Trombone solo competition hand contest was H. Willis (Malvern Tramways), not 1). Kerr (Otago Artillery). JUDGES Ilian. TRIBUTE. (Special to the Herald.) AUCKLAND, this day. The Auckland Artillery band was the prime favorite for the quickstep, giving an exhibition such as Jiad not been seen since the visit of the Royal Artillery band. The performance was so convincing that even rival bandsmen ticked off the band as the winning one. So it proved, for when the judges’ awards were announced, it not only outstripped the next highest in drill by 20 points, bul. the playing so pleased tho musical judge, Mr. Code, that lie allotted the band equal top marks with Malvern, a high honor indeed. A peculiar ineid>ent occurred as the Malvern band marched past the judge’s tent. Soon after the playing commenced the. sidedrum skin on which the drummer was smartly tapping burst, and for the remainder of the performance the sidedrum was out of action. St. Ivilda baud was fourth, and Southland Battalion one point away, fifth. It is understood that a protest has been entered by the Invercargill band on the grounds, that in deducting the points for errors in time one point for every one-fifth second out was taken off, instead of only half a point. The Invercargill band was allotted only 12 points' for time out of 25, wbereas.it claimed it should have received 183 points. Woolston was sixth, with 259 Queen Alexandra’s Own seventh, 237; Wanganui Garrison, tenth, 2263In the R grade Gisborne City was fourth with 2113. Then came New Plymouth', 210. Malvern, winners of the hymn selection, played “Nearer, my God, to Thee.” Wanganui Garrison scored 80 points, New Plymouth Citizens’ 73, and Gisborne City 70. The judge, Mr. Code, speaking a,t the presentation of contest prizes, said the playing at the contest was among the best lie had ever heard.

A message received later from Auckland to-day states that a recount has placed tlie Gisborne City Band third (riot fourth) in the quickstep competition at the band contest.