COLLEGE PIPE BAND

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 February 1940, Page 4

COLLEGE PIPE BAND

MEMBERS ENTERTAINED

RECOGNITION OF WINNING CHAMPIONSHIP.

GATHERING ON SATURDAY EVENING.

It was a happy inspiration that prompted Mrs A. W. McKenzie to suggest to the other parents of members of the Wairarapa College Pipe Band that they celebrate the band's success at the recent Dominion Centennial Pipe Bands Contest by entertaining at a party the members of the band who participated in the contest and their friends. The party was held at the Savage Club Rooms on Saturday evening, and was the huge success it deserved to be. There was hardly a parent who was not present, and all worked hard to ensure the entertainment of the guests. The greater part of the preliminary work, of course, fell upon the mothers, but in the provision of entertainment the fathers were by no means wanting. The band, of course, has attained a unique position in making itself the first boys’ band ever to win a pipe band contest in New Zealand. The trophies won by the band at the recent contest include the Robert Thomson Trophy for deportment in the test selection, the Alasdair Macdonald Challenge Cup for highest points in the quickstep, and the Timaru Challenge Cup awarded to the band gaining the highest aggregate points for test selection, music in the quickstep, and military points. The band thus acquired the distinction of becoming the champion B grade pipe band of the Dominion, and automatically is promoted to A grade—the first school band to attain that distinction. The band also won the B grade streetmarching competition. In addition to the trophies, a number of medals go to individual members of the band. Actually, the military points gained by the College Band exceeded those allotted to the winning A grade band. The entertainment provided for the members of the band on Saturday evening included games, competitions and dancing and among the dances were appropriately included several Scots’ items. For the latter, pipe music was supplied by Pipe-Corporal Stewart and Piper Dickel. The band itself performed a selection. During the supper interval, the opportunity was taken to propose a number of toasts, all of which were accorded musical honours, and. where appropriate, hearty cheers. After Mr A. W. McKenzie had proposed "The King," Mr H. Mackenzie Douglas, as the “Father of the Band.” was called upon to propose the toast of “The Band.” In referring to the band’s success at the contest, Mr Douglas pointed out that he had met many Masterton people who, though they knew that the band had had some success, did

not realise the full extent of it. Greater publicity, he thought, should be given to the fact that Masterton could boast that, in the Wairarapa College Band, it had New Zealand’s champion B grade pipe band, now promoted to A grade. In this achievement, the band had not only given the College the best advertisement it had ever had of could have, but had put Masterton. “on the map.” The band had worthily shown that it merited the full support and assistance of the public of Mas-

terton. Mr Douglas referred also to the band’s meritorious winning of the deportment trophy, and mentioned that still more meritorious was the deportment. and general behaviour, of the members of the band “off the field.” The toast was coupled with the names of the two smallest members of the band, Piper Bond and Drummer Rogers, both of whom briefly and suitably expressed the band’s acknowledgement. Pipe-Sergeant Allan Mackenzie Douglas proposed the health of the Drum-Major (Major J. W. Bird), and referred to his enthusiasm for the good of the band, and his sacrifice of part of his holiday to prepare the band for the contest.

In his reply, Major Bird emphasised the fact that the sacrifice of holidays had been equally shared by the boys of the band, and spoke of the keenness and team spirit of the boys which had been prime factors in the band's success.

Pipe-Corporal Lawson Pither proposed the health of Pipe-Major Murdo Mackenzie (who unfortunately was unavoidably absent) and spoke enthusiastically of the band’s good fortune in having as tutor such a highlyskilled piper. In the Pipe-Major’s absence, Mr lan Cameron suitably responded on his behalf and stated that Pipe-Major Mackenzie was recognised as one of the world’s leading pipers. Mr G. G. Hancox, Principal of Wairarapa College, then proposed the toast of the parents, and thanked them for their,kindly thought in entertaining the band. The college itself, he indicated, would not be backward in displaying pride in the band's achievements, and would provide special entertainment for the band members one evening during the coming week. Messrs Dickel, Whyte and Simpson responded on behalf of the parents. Besides providing entertainment for the band, Saturday evening’s party afforded opportunity of farewelling band members who cease to be members of the band on leaving school, notably Pipe-Sergeant A. Mackenzie Douglas, Pipe-Corporal Lawson Pither and Pipers Malcolm Stuart and Alister McKenzie. A specially invited guest, who came from Wellington expressly for the party, was the founder and first pipe-major of the band, Mr John Mackenzie Douglas. To him, as may be supposed, the progress of the band has been exceptionally gratifying.