THE BAND CONTEST

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 44, 22 February 1939, Page 6

THE BAND CONTEST

KEEN WANGANUI INTEREST BIG PART BY FRANCIS FAMILY Wanganui has a wider interest in the New Zealand Brass Band contest, now in progress at Christchurch, than in following the fortunes of the Garrison Band. Mr. W. Francis and his family are playing a great part in the contest. Mr. Francis himself plays the soprano cornet for the Wanganui Garrison Band and he has three sons at the contest, all of whom are conductors. Mr. R. Francis, L.R.S.M., of Wanganui, is conductor of the Garrison Band, while Mr. P. Francis holds a similar position with the Taranaki Regiment-Municipal Band, and Mr. L. Francis wields tne baton of the St. Kilda Band, Dunedin. Wanganui also had an interest in the winning of the E flat cornet solo by Mr. A. W. E. Webb, who was formerly a conductor of the Queen’s Own Regimental Band. Mr. Webb, when he was appointed conductor at Wanganui, was the youngest to hold that office in the Domin’.on. He was a pupil of Mr. George Buckley, and when Mr. Buckley left Wanganui to live in Auckland, Mr. Webb took over the conductorship of the Queen Alexandra’s Own Band. He was then employed in the railway workshops at East Town. On leaving Wanganui he went to Dunedin, where he conducted the St. Kilda Band for about 12 months. He also had charge of the Dunedin Municipal Band and later played with Kaikorai Band. Mr. Webb has now had 12 wins in the E flat soprano cornet championship. At one contest he did not compete and this was the only break in his record of championships. It was thought that Mr. Buckley himself would have had a band at the contest, but a decision was made not to go this year and to concentrate on the Centennial contest, at Wellington, in 1940. When that contest comes round, Wanganui will not only have the Garrison Band to follow, but the Queen’s Own will be there and a band from Auckland conducted by Mr. Buckley.