WATERSIDERS TO FLY BAND TO AUSTRALIA

Chronicle (Levin), 23 July 1947, Page 6

WATERSIDERS TO FLY BAND TO AUSTRALIA

-Press Association

By Telegraph

AUCKLAND, July 22. The lirst band ever to be flown from New Zealand to Australia, the Auckland Watersiders' Junior Band, will travel from Auckland to Sydney in two .parties on Angust 31 and September 1, to take part in the Australasian Brass Bands' ehampionships at Newcastle. The band has 72 members, boys of an average age of about 15 years, but the eombination to go to Australia will have about 40 players. The Wellington Watersiders S.enior Band which is also taking part in .the contest, will leUve Auckland by air some days after the Aueklanders. The cost of the Auckland Band's visit, about £3000, will be met by members of the union which -decided at its last stopwork 'meeting, to levy £1 a member, a resolution which met with some dissent from a small seetion of the union. The Auckland and National Presi•dent of the Union, Mr. H. Barnes, holds a high opinion of the band and described its flight and that of the Wellington Band, as an epoch-making event in trades uniop. history. The Watersiders' Junior Band made its lirst contest appearance at last ye^ar's band ehampionships at Christchurch when it won the national C grade championship. This year, although eligible for the C grade, it took part in-tlie B grade championship at the Wanganui national contest and aequitted itself well. It took second place in tlre quickstep championship and gained highest military points in its grade and second highest in the

contest. It has been entered for the B and C grade ehampionships at Newcastle and some members will also compete for solo ehampionships.