GUARD ON JUDGE AT BAND CONTEST.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17758, 30 January 1926, Page 1

GUARD ON JUDGE AT BAND CONTEST.

PROPOSAL NOT FAVOURED BY N.I. ASSOCIATION. (Special to the “ Star.”) WANGANUI, January 30. “ That when the judge has entered the tent before the draw takes place a policeman shall be placed in charge of the tent, and no official whatever allowed within ten yards of the tent during the progress of the contest.” The above remit drew some pertinent remarks at the annual meeting of the North Island Brass Bands Association last evening. “ Make it ten miles,” said one delegate facetiously. “It is getting back to prehistoric days, and will be a retrograde step to pass it,” said the president, Mr E. R. Holben. “If we have no confidence in the judges and officials to run the contest we should shut down. It is imperative sometimes owing to some oversight that the supervisor should get in touch with the judge, and like-

wise the judge might want to get in touch with the supervisor. It would be a disgraceful resolution to pass. A delegate: It came from the South Island. “We have tried to run our contests cleanly,” added the president. “We have always endeavoured to do so, and I don’t like the idea of a policeman outside the tent. Mr Hall (Wanganui) said that the remit came from a man who was not a colonial, and for the reason that a similar provision had been adopted at the Crystal Palace and Belle Vue contests. The president: We run things differently in New Zealand. I don’t think our bands would put up with what takes place there. They had three reception rooms in rotation, and the bands were locked up in turn. You can imagine a band locked up in New Zealand on contest night. There would be a riot. No other man but a policeman would take on the job. The remit was lost. “ The time has arrived,” said the president, “ when associated bands should take into consideration the advisability of getting from England students from Kneller Hall, who could be engaged by contract to come out as coaches to North and South Island bands. Kneller Hall is the hall mark for conductors, and stands for all that is brightest and best in British Army bands. This association should? get from different bands an expression of opinion about bringing out two or four Kneller Hall students, as there is always something to be learned from a first-class man.” The president believed that the Home Government would be glad to assist, as they sent out trainers for the Army and Navy. If bands were prepared to assist probably something could be done. It was decided to communicate with Kneller Hall to see if students would be available for coaching in the Dominion.