PIPING AND DANCING DISPUTE

Southland Times, Issue 24003, 19 December 1939, Page 12

PIPING AND DANCING DISPUTE

To The Editor Sir,—As Mr Sutherland persists in snaking capital out of the erroneous and misleading Press reports of the Piping and Dancing Association’s Ingleside gathering, I should like you to publish the official placings in the Highland dancing championship event of last vear, that is, for most points in open Highland dancing'events during the 1938-1939 season: 1. Norma Marshall. 2. Peggy Anderson. 3. Mavis Todd. These placings are copied from the enclosed official annual report of the Southland Piping and Dancing Association, 1939. . It must be admitted that the Press reports were incorrect, but that does not excuse one with Mr Sutherland’s intimate knowledge of, and interest in, dancing for pleading ignorance to the true position. Several fixtures he attended personally, and must know quite well' that the juvenile he mentions did not compete in open or senior classes. I think that Mr Blackley made this quite clear in a, recent letter. 1 Why, then, does Mr Sutherland reiterate in your columns what he knows to be contrary to fact? If he thinks it will lend any weight to the recent assertion regarding the standard of dancing last season, he is mistaken, as most persons are prepared to accept unreservedly the opinion of Madame May Thorn, whose knowledge, experience and record as a judge, teacher and competitor, both in New Zealand and overseas, are well known. In fairness to the Press, I might add that neither of the Invercargill papers was represented at the Ingleside gathering. The report was compiled by an official of the Piping and Dancing Association and was handed in.—Yours, etc., INTERESTED. December 18, 1939.