WOOLSTON BAND

Stratford Evening Post, Volume III, Issue 200, 13 November 1934, Page 8

WOOLSTON BAND

RECORD OF SECOND PLACES BALLARAT COMPETITIONS Press Association—-Oc-Dyrteht. Wellington, November 12. “The band’s record has been almost entirely one of second places,” commented Mr. J. G. Osborne, tour manager of the Woolston Band, Christchurch, on that combination’s return from the Ballarat band festival by the Monowai this afternoon. The bond was placed second in the quickstep, second in the selections aggregate and second in the championship aggregate. W. Stevenson was placed second in the cornet championship and E. Williams second in the tenor trombone championship. One of Woolston’s leading cornetists, A. Partridge, had taken ill just before the contest and was still in hospital when the others left for home. His illness left the band one man short. Mr. Osborne said it was disappointing to learn on arrival at Melbourne that the Melbourne centenary band' festival had been postponed until March, 1935. That was one of the festivals for which the Woolston band had made the voyage, and there was no chance of its going over again. It had cost between £ISOO and £I6OO to send the band across. Summed up, said Mr. Osborne, it could be said the bands in Australia marched very well, particularly the B grade bands, but in musical technique, grade for grade, New Zealand bands were equally as good.