BRASS BAND CONTEST

Taranaki Daily News, 25 February 1935, Page 16

BRASS BAND CONTEST

BIG CROWD SEES QUICKSTEP. ST. KILDA WINS IN A GRADE. (Bv Telegraph—Special to News.) Timaru, Last Night. The New Zealand brass bands contest was brought to a successful conclusion on Saturday when the quickstep contests were staged at the showgrounds, which were considered by the officials the finest for the purpose in the Dominion. The attendance was estimated at over 12,000. The winner of the A grade, St. Kilda, was brilliant'on the march and also outstanding in music and fully deserved its win. The B grade was won by Ashburton, which also gave a fine performance, music giving it the win over Gore Municipal, the marching of which was almost equal to that of St. Kilda. An element of luck entered into the competition, inasmuch as there did not appear to be as many military judges as usual watching for defects. Some bands were able to “get away” with loose periods in their work. It was impossible for one man to detect faults in dressing and covering at the same time. Outside this aspect, displays were very fine and if a band failed in time and paces that was the end of it. Ashburton, Gore and Dunedin Artillery really performed up to A grade standard, in drill, while the recognised top-graders, with one exception, gave marvellous performances. The markings for music in some cases appeared to be unduly high whereas others, who did not impress the judge, suffered from the musical pruning knife, resulting in the margin between the top and bottom bands in both quicksteps amounting to about 30 points. The massed band effect was good, 16 bands playing . Lithgow’s “Victoria?’ under the baton of the judge. St. Kilda, winner of the A grade march, gave a special display benefit for Mr. Baile, who had not seen New Zealand quickstep evolutions. Quickstep results were:— A grade: St. Kilda, drill '182%, music 147, total 329%, 1; Port Nicholson Silver, 181%, 144, 325%, 2; Timaru, 175%, 145, 320%, 3; Invercargill Civic, 182, 138, 320; Palmerston North Garrison, 178%, 137, 315%; Queen Alexandra’s Own, 170, 142, 312; Oamaru Municipal, 166, 137, 303. B grade: Ashburton Silver, 179, 143, 322; Gore Municipal, 182, 137, 319; Westport Municipal, 168, 142, 310; Artillery Southern Command, 173, 132, 305; Palmerston North Silver, 167%, 133, 300%; Wellington Boys’ Institute, 164, 135, 299; Greymouth Municipal, 160, 138, 298; Christchurch Municipal and Taranaki Regimental, 159%, 133, 292%. Other results were:— Bass drum competition: W. Wallace (St. Kilda), 89, 1; R. Allen (Timaru), 88, 2. Side drum: J. Lees (St. Kilda), 89, 1; S. Chittock (Timaru), 88, 2. Timaru» won the first A grade test and St. Kilda the second test. The full test points were: St. Kilda, first test 143, second 144, total 287; Timaru Municipal, 146, 140, 286; Port Nicholson Silver, 145, 141; 286; Queen Alexandra’s Own, 138, 142, 280; Invercargill Civic,. 139, 137, 276; Palmerston North Garrison, 140, 136, 276; Oamaru Municipal, 137, 139, 276.