Girl Marchers Having First Big Day Out

Chronicle (Levin), 3 November 1949, Page 7

Girl Marchers Having First Big Day Out

Girl marchers will have their first big day out this season when 'a number of teams, including Foxton, Levin and Palmerston North and district, will give a display at the Royal Agricultural Show at Palmerston North on Saturday. A handsome trophy has been donated for a street marching contest, which will inclu'de several drill movements. It will be judged by five oificial judges placed at various points along the route. The contest will begin at 2.15 p.m. In the evening a grand display of maze marching and the serpentine march will be staged on the oval at the showgrounds. Installed on the grounds will be a j tent for the purchasing of the Manawatu Centre's £100 alluvial gold art union tickets. The tent will be manned by Mr. P. Young, of Levin. November 12 will see the grand gala opening of the local season and it is hoped that all junior; aird senior teams throughout the centre will be present for thpbfirst display of what appears at tliis stage to be a most screnuous one. Although this is not sclieduled as a contest, the chief judge infonns us that all teams will be judged according to the uniform standard as laid down for the season, and after Ihe points have been allotted coaches and teams will have a grand opportunity of assessing " their performances in comoarison with the other teams. This procedure will also assist the coaches and teams to iron out or eradicate various minor faults which have crept into the practices up to the present. The Caledonian senior team will in future have a reserve team on which to call, as Mrs. J. Macfar- 1 laiie has sponsored a junior team which will give its first display over the junior march plan at the above mentioned display. Place In Empire Games. A suggestion that girls' marching should be given a place in the Empire Games was made by Mr. G. Austad, executive chairman of' the New Zealand Marching Association, when he officially opened ihe Wellington marching season at Tanera Crescent Park, Brooklyn. "The extraordinary growth of , our sport and its increased popularity with girls and the public," he said, "are such that it merits inclusion in the biggest event in the history of New Zealand sport. Furthennore, the fact that New Zealand is the only country in the world where the sport is conducted on an organised and competitive baisis would make a display at

the Empire Games of great interest to overseas visitors." Mr. Austad said that a big display by marching teams would be given at Carlaw Park, Auckland, the day after the opening of the Games.