SPECTACULAR GIRLS MARCHING DISPLAY ON SATURDAY NIGHT

Wanganui Chronicle, 24 February 1947, Page 7

SPECTACULAR GIRLS MARCHING DISPLAY ON SATURDAY NIGHT

With a parade through town and a display by twelve girls’ marching teams on Cook’s Gardens, the “High Jinks’’ Carnival concluded on Saturday night. Led by the Wanganui Highland Banc’ t the teams marened from Taupo Quay through Victoria Avenue, entering Cook’s Gardens by the Guyton Street entrance, where the spectacle of massed costumes intertwining in several complicated movements provided an excellent exhibition. The “Inverted Ws’ and the “Maltese Cross” movements were executed by the Fusiliers, winners of the New Zealand championship last week, the Guards, Relax and Victory. With the marching season practically concluded, the display was a most fitting one for what will probably be the last appearance oi the teams before the pumic this year. The twelve teams, including tne sensational Junior Fusiliers’ combination, provided the “Catherine Wheel” movement, probably the most spectacular and intricate routine known to the sport. Eoilowing on in single file, the teams s/owiy formed themselves into the form oi a gigantic wheel complete with hub, spokes and rim. Once in their iormation, and lo the trains of the pipes, the wheel began to revolve, providing a brilliant mass ot colour, and the spectacle of precision dressing and marching. First one way and then the other, the wheel revolved, sometimes with its hub working together with the rim and spokes, and then with the hub spinning in the opposite direction. rhe wheel finally stopped and, one by one, the teams came away, marching around the arena and splitting up into a fork formation. For practically '2O minutes they continued to march up and down the Gardens, forming pairs, then fours and eights, as they came together, and back to pairs, all the time sorting themselves out into their respective teams, after having beecomc mixed in the wheel. This sport has become part of the life of Wanganui, its birthplace, and the appreciation of the crowd on Saturday night resounded about the grounds for several minutes after the Gismissal of the teams.