THE BAND CONTEST.

Southland Times, Issue 19264, 30 January 1904, Page 2

THE BAND CONTEST.

. o The- public meeting hold on Thursday night to consider tho question of holding an intercolonial hand contest in InvercargiU in the latter part of this year was exceedingly well attended, as public meetings in Invercargill go, and the manner in which the proposal was supported augurs well for the success of the contest. It is now many years since a band contest was last held in InvercargiU, and there is no conceivable reason why the project set on foot thug early should not bo carried to success. I3y immediately fixing the date and issuing the programme the committee aet up will forestall action in othor places and avoid competition, and we feel sure that Invercargill citizens can be relied upon to provide a programme so attractive that no other town will entertain the thought of organising a rival gathering. Tlie prizes have necessarily to be large to attract bonds from northern cities and from the Commonwealth, but the guarantee which business people may bo asked to give is, we take it, purely nominal, since a band contest has only to assume dimensions of suflicient importance in order to prove a payable venture. As the standing of the contest depends largely upon the money offered in tho programme, it is to be hoped that the committee will j set their ideas high, and rely upon the public to justify their confidence, | As was pointed out at the meeting, a band contest is an excellent thing for tho town. It draws a large number of visiting bandsmen and thousand^ of spectators, who spend two or three days in the town to {.ho advantage of the business peoplo. That consideration, apart, however, Invercargill is eminently suited to be tho scene of a musical contest. It is a musical town, and its band in one- of the best in the colony, and one of the most regular of the competitors in contests in other places. The band also boasts soloists who rank as the best hi the colony, and it is not at all out of place that an intercolonial contest should b e held in Invercargill. We are g|ad to see this matter so heartily taken up, and wo navo no doubt that with an active committee and public-spirited citizens, a contest will bo promoted that will be a credit to the town, and a source of enjoyment, not only to the people of tlio district, but also to the ban. is vho enter for the competitions,

The trn.de of Bluff harbour largely reflects the commercial condition of Southland,. nnd therefore the admiraWc statenent made by Mr Bain at yesterday's ueeting of the liar.bour Board teems with interest. The main parts of it arc given it eomp length ou page four, j