VETERAN PIPER

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 February 1939, Page 6

VETERAN PIPER

MR MURDO McKtNZIE. LONG LIST OF CHAMPIONSHIP AWARDS. Probably no more colourful figure was seen al the Highland gathering al Pukekura Park, New Plymouth, on Saturday. January 21, than that of 70-year-old Mr Murdo McKenzie, veteran of two wars and bagpipe champion of two countries.

Dressed in the full ceremonial dress of the Seaforth Highlanders, with which regiment he served as ; a pipemajor. Mr McKenzie, is a fine type of Highlander. A veteran competitor at Highland games both in Scotland and New Zealand, he added to his already long list of championship awards by gaining the New Zealand championship for strathspey and reel at New Plymouth, beating many younger men. As long ago as 1899, Murdo McKenzie was a name to conjure with among lovers of the pipes, for about that year he won his first Scottish bagpipe championship. Since then he lias "bagged" a score or so every year at the various Highland games. Thirteen years ago in. an effort to improve the standard of Scottish music in the Dominion, the New Zealand Piping and Dancing Association brought him out from Scotland. Every major New Zealand award for pipe music has been won by Mr McKenzie since his arrival here, and his total number of championships is said to rim into three figures. Now a resident of Maslerlon. Mr McKenzie is a popular figure among Scots ii. New Zealand—"Taranaki Herald.”