HIGHLAND DISPLAY

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 77, Issue 6979, 18 October 1948, Page 4

HIGHLAND DISPLAY

SPECTACULAR PARADE AT CLAUDELANDS

AUCKLAND PROVINCIAL PIPE BANDS AND MARCHING TEAMS

Before a large crowd of interested spectators at the Claudeland’s Shoegrounds on Saturday afternoon some 30 pipe bands and 7 girls’ marching teams took part in a spectacular display of massed highland pipe bands, individual pipe band and marching events. The afternoon was somewhat overcast and showery but this deterred neither participants nor spectators.

Although Te Awamutu has no pipe band, it has, as the display proved, an excellent girls’ marching team in “Rochdale”; a group of 12 girls, who have been efficiently coached by Mr F. Waters (ex-2nd N.Z.E.F.), These girls won the marching competitions with a margin of 10 points in their favour—an. admirable performance, in view of the high standard of marching displayed by the other teams. These teams were: Hamilton, Otorohanga, Matamata, Cambridge United, Kiwis (Hamilton), Cambridge Caledonians, and Rochdale. Members of the winning team were:—Laurel Graham (leader), Beryl Sklenars (marker), Pat Dymore-Brown, Nola Morris, Betty Adams, Bernice Bowden, Josie McLiesh, Ailsa Trask, Mary Meldrum, Ruihi Duncan, Ngaire McLiesh, and Joy Crotty. The highland piping events were also of a very high standard—particularly impressive being the massed bands’ displays, which never fail to appeal with their kaleidoscopic splashes of colour, mellowed music, and massed effects.

Early in the afternoon a street march competition was held with Garden Place as the starting point. This attracted a large crowd and temporarily suspended traffic in Victoria St. It was won by Cambridge pipe band, under Drum-Major L. Cooke, with Otorohanga band in second place, and Opctiki third. At the showgrounds the DrumMajors’ marching displays proved popular, as also were exhibitions of staff swinging and displays of massed drumming. The music of pipes and drums has an exhilaration that stirs even the non-highiander, while for sheer grace and dexterity, the DrumMajors’ manipulation of his mace would be difficult to excel. The bands and marching teams were officially welcomed to Hamilton, by Mr H. D. Caro (Mayor), who said that it was not often that Hamilton saw such a grand array—he did not think he’d seen a better one. Practically the whole of the Auckland Province was represented at the competitions.