BRASS BANDS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXI, Issue 19049, 28 June 1924, Page 5

BRASS BANDS

FIRST DOMINION CHAMPION-' SHIP AUCKLAND THE VENUE. C GRADE CONTEST ARRANGED A meeting of the executive of tin North Island Brass Bands’ Associativa was held last evening. The following delegates were present:—Messrs J. Meuli, Wanganui (chair), C. J. Humphries (Wanganui), H. R. Cattley (New Plymouth), F. Crawford (Wangan«2)» T. Goodall (Wellington), L. Brough (Lower Hutt), J. Anderson (Wanganui), J. Williamson (Auckland), E. G< Sodden, Wanganui (secretary). CHAMPIONSHIP CONTEST. The programme for the first DnmiiH ion championship contest, which will ba held at Auckland in February next, approved. The prize-money, apart fioni trophies, is fixed at £lOOO, allocated ad follows:A GRADE SELECTION. » First test £4O, £2O, £lO. Second te>t £4O, £2O, £lO. Aggregate £ISU, £<5 f £3O, £.15. A Grade March: Ist, £5O; 2nd, £2s;' 3rd, £10; 4th, £5. B GRADE SELECTION. Fir*t test £35, £l2 10s, £5. Seecni! test £25, £l2 10s, £5. Aggregate XU’t, £5O, £25, £lO. B Grade Alarch: Ist,, £10; 2nd, £2O; 3rd, £10; -*lll, £5. C Grade Selection: Ist, £4O; 2nd, £l5; 3rd, £lO. Hymn Selection: Ist, £5O; 2nd, £25; 3rd, £10; 4th, £5. C GRADE. There was some discussion on the advisability of introducing a C grade '.ontest. Air Crawford suggested that the C grade be eliminated. There was :»o rule on it, and they could not say what constituted a C grade band. Air Goodall said that the whole thing lay in the classification. Some in B grade should be in A grade. He had seen a B grade band go to a contest with two-thirds of- the players fit for A grade. With a C class it would bo necessary for all to bo in the proper grade. In New South Wales they had a fine grading system, and there wai no difficulty about it. If the same were adopted in New Zealand, it W’ouid not be necessary to have three grades. Air Williamson said the matter was threshed out in his district. They proposed to cut out the garden party to pit the C grade on. There were four grades at Ballarat. It had to be remembered that the juniors would bo the future A bands. Mr Anderson said that the young players should be encouraged. It was quite true some B bands were better than others, but if they were forced out of their grade it might stop them going to a contest. Air Goodall suggested that the winner of C grade should be allowed to compete in B grade also. The chaiifian agreed that the young bandsmen should be encouraged, as that was one of the aims of the assecaI tion.

On Mr Williamson’s motion the C grade contest was approved THE JUDGES. The judges appointed wore:— Test judge, Mr Percy Code, Ballarat, solo judge, Mr E. Smith, Auckland. GRADING OF BANDS. The North Island bands were graded as follows: — A GRADE. Auckland Artillery, Palmerston Alunfcipal, Wanganui Garrison, Queen Alexandra Band (Wanganui), Wellington Tramways, Wellington Artillery, Woolston Band, 2nd Otago Regimental, Invercargill Hibernian, St. Kilda Band, Port Nicholson Band, 3rd Battalion Auckland Regiment, Waihi Federal, First Battalion Wellington Regiment. B GRADE. Lower Hutt Municipal, Pctone Con* tral, Danncvirke Municipal, Masterton Citizens, - Hastings Band, Hamilton Citizens, Auckland Temperance Guards, Whangarei Municipal, Feilding Band, Marton Municipal, 3rd Wellington Regiment, Napier Garrison, Whakatanc Citizens, Auckland Watersidcra. Masterton Alunicipal, Central Mission. Wellington, Onchunga Alunicipal, 41 h Battalion Auckland Infantry, Gisborne Citv.

C GRADE. Te Awamutu Alunicipal, Papa toetoe Alunicipal, Papakura Town Band, Otahuhu Alunicipal, Pukekohe Alunicipal, Dargaville Town Band, Waipawa Municipal, Waipukurau, To Aroha Municipal, Tauranga Municipal, Stratford, Patea, Ponsonby Boys, Miramar Brass. Birkenhead. MISCELLANEOUS. The Papatoetoe Band (near Auckland) was granted permission to hold a district contest at Papatoetoe, a and B grade bands not being eligible to compete. The Lower Hutt Band was granted permission to hold a quickstep competition on October 28. It was decided that no shields nor other challenge trophies should bo allowed to leave the Dominion.