Marching Association Formed

Te Puke Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 13, 18 February 1949, Page 2

Marching Association Formed

REVIVAL OF INTEREST IN TE PUKE TEAM MAY GIVE DISPLAY ON SHOW DAY “She is mil king a tour ot those districts where the sport is* more or less on the down •’•rude, and is endeavouririff to lift it out of that state,” said the chairman of the Te Puke March inn- Association (Mr E. 11. Raymond) when extending: a welcome to Miss Woods, a member of the executive of flic New Zealand Marchinn' Association, at a meeting in Te Puke (in Tuesday.

Miss Woods has spent the past few days in Te Puke and had been busy interviewing prospective girls for a team, and others who were likely to assist the sport in other ways. In a brief address, Miss-Woods said that the main object of her visit w.as to bring about the revival of the Te Puke Marching Girls team. It would seem that the Te Puke public would give ft. every assistance and full support. The N.Z. organisation was fairly large cornrising approximately 3000 girgs and 1000 instructors and officials.

The next speaker, Mr McMillan, of Rotorua, and secretary of the Bay of Plenty Marching Centre,' gave an outline of the centre. At present there were only two active associations, namely Tauranga and Rotorua, in an area the boundaries of which extended to Opotiki in the East and Taupo in the South. Each association was entitled to two delegates on the executive -iommittee: The; headquarters was: situated in Rotorua and a management committee comprising five members from the Rotorua clubs handled minor matters on behalf of the Bay of-Plenty Centre. An association usually held two championship meetings in a season. The first Bay of Plenty championships had been allotted to Te Puke last season but did not take place on account of the outbreak of poliomyelitis. Mr McMillan also urged the meeting to form an Association rather than a club, as previously. An association Was a controlling body which received direct information from the N.Z. Marching Centre. At this stage of the meeting it was decided that aieam could be assembled and that it would commence training immediately. It was too late this season for the team to enter competitions but it Was suggested that it might give on exhibition march at the A. and P. /Show oil the 2Gth of this month.

Mr Salt, coach of the Robin Hood team (Rotorua), said that members of that team would be prepared to visit Te Puke during a weekend to demonstrate the new steps. . It was also decided to revive the organisation to conduct the girls marching in Te Puke, and that this organisation be known as the Te Puke Marching Association which would be affiliated to the Bay of Plenty Centre. The apoitnment of the working committee and the delegates to the Bay of Plenty Centre was left until the next meeting but the following office-bearers elected in August will be asked to continue in their various capacities: Patron, Mr F. Doidge, M.P.. president, Mr E. Raymond: vice-presidents, Messrs W. Tlookey and T. Fenton, L. Manning and A. Agnew secretary, Miss M. Kerr. Mr T.. Redwood was chosen as team coach and was empowered to co-opt an assistant. Among those present at the meeting were Misses H. Watson, P. Patterson, B. Tregidga, A. Brownnlee. I. Martelletti, M. Bennett, J, Carpenter, and T. Atkinson (Rotorua), and Messrs Knaggs, McMillan, and Salt (Rotorua), and T. Redwood.