THE BANDS.

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 20013, 17 February 1914, Page 24

THE BANDS.

Although the championship has been lost, the people of Wianganui have no reason to feel discredited by the performances of the local .bands in the Auckland contest. It must be assumed that for once at least the Garrison Band met a superior combination and was consequently beaten on its imerits. The only other alternative is to suggest that the judge was either incompetent or partial, and a community noted for its sportsmanship is not likely to so far forget how to " play the game" as to lend a willing ear to such a suggestion. The Band has a splendid record —a, record of successful achievement unequalled by any other band in Australasia —and its reputation is not going to be seriously impaired by what im-ay prove to be but a temporary forfeiture of the honour it ihas held so long and guardfed so zealously and well. That the defeat will spur the bandsmen on to greater efficiency in the coming year may be taken for granted, and supporters of the band may rest assiirred that when next the opportunity offers a strenuous and determined effort will be made to regain the lost laurels. Meanwhile the victors are deserving of ungrudging congratulation. As for Queen Alexandra's Band, its members have every reason to be proud of their achievement. Their work in the solo competitions, in. the test selections, and in the quickstep justified their claim to rank in the A Grade, though at the-same time it strengthens the opinion of those who hold that itwould have been "better tactics" to have entered for the B Grade, in which, in all probability, the championship might have been carried off with comparative ease. However, both bands have done well, and the members of both are entitled to a hearty welcome home. The Queen Alexandra's returned somewhat unexpectedly yesterday afternoon, but the Garrison is not due until the JD o'clock train to-night. We are pleased to know that arrangements have been made to give Conductor Wade and his men ia fitting reception.