N.Z. BANDS COMPARE WELL WITH AUSTRALIAN

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 420, 31 July 1928, Page 13

N.Z. BANDS COMPARE WELL WITH AUSTRALIAN

VISITING MUSICIAN’S VIEWS “New Zealand bands have improved wonderfully in the last few years, and they compare favourably with any we have in Australia,” said Mr. Harry Shugg, conductor of the Malvern Tramway Band in Melbourne, who is a through passenger by the Aorangi. Mr Shugg is on Tils way to Los Angeles, where lie intends to study American methods and American bands. He will then tour America and possibly England before he returns to Australia. "I was invited to the Majestic last evening,” said Mr. Shugg. “and I was Surprised and delighted, at the quality of the orchestra there. It is easily equa.l to anything we have in Australia.” Mr. Shugg was in New Zealand in 1925 with the Malvern Tramway Band and he was also here in 1922, when he came to act a l s judge at the Wellington band contests. "New Zealanders,” he said, “take far more interest in band music than do Australians. When 1 was here with the band in 1925 we collected £4OO in two Sundays in Aukcland alone, by voluntary contribution.” Mr. Shugg has been conductor of the Malvern Tramway Band for 14 years, during which time the band has won the Australian championship nine times and has never been defeated.