The Daily News. MONDAY, MARCH 10, 1902. THE BAND CONTEST.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIV, Issue 65, 10 March 1902, Page 2

The Daily News. MONDAY, MARCH 10, 1902. THE BAND CONTEST.

| ♦ i An event of colonial importance takes ! place in New Plymouth during this 1 | week. We refer to the band contest. ! For this event thirteen of the I best bands in the colony will be asjsembled in New Plymouth, several of them having already arrived. Need-' I less to say the whole of the bands will ! receive a hearty welcome at the hands :'of the people of New Plymouth who j heartily appreciate the honour conferred on the town by its selection as , the scene of tbis great event in the j musical world. It is impossible to over-estimate the value of the sarvices rendered to the people by these (bands. We believe we are right in saying that most, if not all the members of these bands give voluntary service and are entitled to very great credit for the time and labour spent in assisting to bring each particular band to a state of proficiency. What this means is seen by the fact that although there are some eight or ten bands in Taranaki not more than two or three of them have enough members, instruj ments and sufficient training to justify ( them in entering for the contest taking ■jplace this week. The ccst of mainjtaining a band is very considerable, yet we see many instances in which members of bands not only give their •jtime but ofteu have to put their r j hands in their pockets to pay for instruments and instructors. The pnblic is always ready to avail itself of the services of its local band, and indeed generally expects it to be always on haad for every public function, without remembering the strain and worry of preparation and maintenance. There is no doubt but thai the colony is also largely indebted to the numerous excellent bands it contains for the educational value of their services. Good music tends to elevate, refinp, and cultivate the higher tastes. From every standpoint good music is deserving of encouragement. The greatest compli mfant the people of Taranaki can pay to the members of the visiting bands is to heartily patronise the various public functions connected with the contest. A full programme of the events of the week appears elsewhere in this issue, and excursion fares obtain on the railways. We trust that every band will be made to feel welcome and at home amongst us, so that whatever may be the result of the contest from a competitive point of view, every bandsman will carry away with him pleasant recollections of his visit to Taranaki.