CITY OF WELLINGTON PIPE BAND’S WIN

Wanganui Chronicle, 8 March 1947, Page 6

CITY OF WELLINGTON PIPE BAND’S WIN

‘ NEW ZEALAND B GRADE CONTEST DECIDED AT WANGANUI City of Wellington Highland Pipe Band graduated from the ranks of the B grade when it won both the quickstep and selection in the B grade contests of the New Zealand Highland Pipe Band Association yesterday and last night. Runner-up was the Port Ahuriri Caledonian Society Band, 8J points behind Wellington and points ahead of City of Christchurch. Then followed the Ashburton County Scottish Society's Band and the Auckland and District Band equal for fourth. Points of the different bands for selection, quickstep and

Although they were not the best band at marching, nor at playing, the all round high standard of the City of Wellington Band gave them a comfortable lead of 7i points in the quickstep held during the afternoon. Musical honours went to Ihe Port Ahuriri Caledonian Society Band, which scored 95 of a possible 100, but their marching and general appearance was not of the same excellence, and they were 10th. in that section. However, their points for music were high enough to place them second in the aggregate. The smartest band was that of the Hastings and District Scots' Society, and they were rated highest for marching and general appearance, but were teheed to concede up to 25 points for music, in which section they were placed 10th. Port Ahuriri (95> and City of Wellington (94) were the only bands to score better than 90 for music, Temuku, with 84, being third. Nearest rivals to Hastings and District’s 1761 points for marching, He, were City of Christchurch (172 i and Auckland and District (170$). QUICKSTEP

City of Wellington, playing last in the selection, was outstanding, and gave a fine finish to the evening’s entertainment. Tailing them by one point was the Port Ahuriri Band, which acquitted itself well. Both these bands, in the view of the music judge, Mr. A. McMillan, Dunedin, were outstanding, and the standard shown by them was sufficiently good for them to be able to hold their own in the A Grade. Wanganui Collegiate School and Feilding Agricultural College withdrew from the test selections Test selections points were:— SELECTION. City of Wellington 86 Port Ahuriri 85 Tauranga 83 Canterbury Caledonian 83 Ashburton County 81 Nelson City 80 New Plymouth 79 Hastings and District 78 City of Christchurch 77 Patea District 70 St. Andrews’ College 70 Temuka 68 The test selection pieces were a alow march, a march, a strathspey and a reel in that order. The contests were declared officially open by the deputy-Mayor (Mr. J. W. F. Broad> and associated with him in the brief ceremony were Messrs. Andrew McSkimming, president of the Wanganui centre of the New Zealand Highianu Pipe Band Association), and lan Cameron, Dominion president. The weather was penect lor the opening and Cook’s Gardens were at their best for the occasion. Admirably suited as the gardens are for a function such as this, it was noticed that the hillocks threw back a distorted echo, particularly when tne bands were playing near the northern end, and this tended to make the music sound a little off colour. Considering that it was a Friday afternoon and that most people were not free to attend, the size ot the gathering can be considered as most satisfactory. For those lucky enough to be present it was indeed a great show anu the audience was not slow to show its appreciation. the pageantry, spectacle and stirring music could not be anything but exhilarating, and the climax ol the massed bands was truly magnificent, providing a fitting finale. In all ;SUO pipers and drummers from the 15 B grade bands participated in the mass display, whicn was <ne oi the biggest seen in New Zealand for many years.

Port Ahuriri and City of Wellington provided particularly good music the oands being rich in tone, with tne drones in time and the percussion work lifting. The B grade staff swinging contest was a feature of the afternoon and was won by Tauranga (Drum-Major J. M. Crocker), who was accorded a spontaneous ovation for his brilliant performance. The parade ground precision was oi a higher standard than that seen at many quickstep contests. The size of the attendance for the selections was gratifying, and for their ■ part Illg audience was most receptive There was dampness in the air last night, and this had its effects on the drums particularly the basses, which in. some bards sounded rather fiat. The Auckland and District Band played the lest selections in the evening on borrowed drums. Their own had been left out in the night air for a short period, resulting in a loosening of the skin, and they could not be put right In time. The organisation functioned smoothly and the programme was put through in surprisingly good time. Thanks for this are due to Dominion*

secretary, Mr. Harold Johnston, and the Wanganui Centre and contest secretary. Mr. D. A. Almond, and their helpers. Corimenting on the music of the quicksteps, the judge. Mr. McMillan, said the two top bands (City of Wellington and Port Ahuriri) were outstanding and really of A grade standard. Although the playing of some of the bands was mediocre, the average compared favourably with that at Timaru last year, Confirmation of his opinion on the playing of the two leading bands was given in the performances of th e selections in the evening, and the same two bands again rated much higher than the other contestants. Judging of th e selections had been a diflicult job, he said, some of the bands being very e\en. The standard of play for the selections had been higher than that for the quickstep, Mr. McMillan commented. BRILLIANT DISPLAY OF STAFF SWINGING A brilliant display of staff swinging was given by Tauranga (Drum-Major J. M. Crocker) who, with a light staff, performed evolution which won him the popular support of the crowd. Their judgment was in accord with that of a judge and he was placed first with 45 points, 5i clear of Nelson City (Drum-Major J. R. Sim), placed second. Sixteen-year-old John Musgrove, deputising for 'his elder brother, Drum-Major E. W. Musgrove, performed creditably and showed plenty of pomise in gaining 36 points and third place. The overall display > the contests was good, though oi l Ahuriri’s (Drum-Major W. Budge) chances wer e ruined by the dropping of the staff on three occasions. The judge..’ platings were: Tauranga (Drum-Major J. M. Croker) 45 Nelson City (Drum-Major R. J. Sim> 4 .„ 39 i St Andrew’s College (Drum-Major J. P. Musgrove) 36 Canterbury Caledonian Society (Drum-Major N. L. Bilk-Jiff) 35. Wanganui Collegiate (DrumMajor W. Gow) 35* New Plymouth (Drum-Major K. J. Campbell) 34* Port Ahuriri (Drum-Major W. W. Buoge) 29 i

aggregate are: Selection Quickstep Aggregate Citv of Wellington 86 2621 3481 Port Ahuriri __ 85 255 340 Citv of Christchurch — — 77 253 j 330J Auckland District ._. 82 247 J 3291 Ashburton County _ 81 248.1 3294 Tauranga _ 83 244J 3271 Canterbury Caledonian — 83 242:1 3253 New Plymouth — __ 79 245J 324J Hastings .... 78 2461 3241 St. Andrew’s __ 70 2504 3204 Teinuka „ 68 2501 3.181 Nelson Citv ... 80 2214 3014 Patea. _ 70 2121 282J Feilding Agricultural College ... — 203 203 Wanganui Collegiate — — 1941 1941

Marching Music Total City of Wellington ... 168J 94 2621 Port Ahuriri — ... 160 95 255 City of Christchurch ... 172j 81 253 i St. Andrew’s College _ 168; 82 250i Temuka - ... 1661 84 2501 Ashburton County _ 168i 80 248 ; Auckland and District •• ... 170J 77 247.1 Hastings and District 176; 70 2461 New Plymouth „ 169; 76 245| Tauranga „ 167; 77 244; Canterbury Caledonian - ... 164 J 78 2421 Nelson City ... 156 j 65 2214 Patea District _ 157; 55 212| Feilding Agricultural College .. 143 60 203 Wanganui Collegiate _ 1391 55 194f