ENTHUSIASTIC, BUT UNCONTROLLED

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 91, 11 January 1935, Page 2

ENTHUSIASTIC, BUT UNCONTROLLED

New Zealand Crowds

Criticised

BANDMASTER’S OPINIONS

“We simply cannot make a show under such circumstances,” declared Major Miller, conductor of the Grenadier Guards Band, in commenting to a Dunedin “Star” reporter upon the .' conduct of the great crowd ’hat lined the streets on Friday afternoon on the occasion of the march to the Cenotaph. Major Miller said that the band could not do justice to itself with people crushing into its ranks, but this was the experience it encountered in every city in the Dominion. “I find that this country has adopted a proprietary attitude towards us—the King’s own band is their band, so to speak,” said Major Miller, “and I feel that it is a great honour that they have wished to confer on us. At the same time our reception has been somewhat trying on occasions, when we have been expected to do frequent march parades in a glaring sun—this when we have been covering two towns in a day and our uniforms are not dry from the previous parade.” If there was one thing that struck a visitor to the Dominion It was the lack of civic sense among the populace, declared Major Miller. Of course, this was hardly to be wondered at, considering the scarcity of civic processions, visits by Royalty, find other public demonstrations. “And I would like to suggest that when there is a procession motor-cars should be prohibited from parking in the main thoroughfares and that trams be diverted, so that the public is not forced on to the streets from the pavement.

“In London, a policeman puts up his hand and everyone knows immediately that he .cannot go on—here such an action seems to be valueless."