7000 Squealed For The Beatles

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30477, 26 June 1964, Page 2

7000 Squealed For The Beatles

(N.Z. Press Association)

AUCKLAND, June 25. Rival groups of vociferous university students and squealing teen-agers today helped the Mayor of Auckland (Mr D. M. Robinson) to give the Beatles the biggest and most boisterous reception on their New Zealand tour.

The crowd outside the Town Hall was estimated by the city traffic department to be about 7000. Thousands more watched a lively “free show” from windows and vantage points in nearby office buildings. The . appearance of the

Beatles with the Mayor and Mayoress, 10 minutes after the proceedings were due to begin, was the signal for a tremendous roar which echoed around the civic square for fully five minutes.

Mr Robinson said the reception was not for the Beatles, but for the young people of Auckland, to give them a chance to see the most outstanding entertainers of their class in the world.

“It is a chance for you to let your hair down,” said Mr Robinson. “The Beatles seem to have done that already.”

A Maori group kept the crowd in lively good humour by presenting the Beatles with pois, and, in the case of three girls-rubbing noses with them. The reaction of the Beatles delighted even the cynics. They made ineffectual attempts to twirl the pois, recoiled in mock horror from the grimaces of the Maori warriors, and shook their long hair violently during the nose-rubbing. After being on view for 25 minutes, the Beatles clambered on to chairs to give the crowd one last good look, and then were gone. Behind them they left some young girls crying uncontrollably for joy, and some flower beds the worse for wear.

A City Councillor, Mr C. S. Passmore, summed up the. function with the comment: “A couple of flattened flower beds Is a small price to pay for the terrific success of the occasion.” When they returned to their hotel the Beatles sent a telegram to Mr Robinson. It read: “Thank you and the Lady Mayoress very much indeed for the best mayoral reception we have ever attended. John, Paul, George and Ringo. The Beatles.” This evening many of the 300 screaming, pushing fans

who gathered to watch the Beatles leave the Royal International Hotel for their performance narrowly missed being run down by the Beatles* black limousine.

When the hotel garage doors flew open at 6.30 p.m. the 20 tall policemen who burst out failed to stem the rushing crowd. A lane that had been cleared through the crowd began to close and the car carrying the Beatles

could not stop once it had entered it In the melee many girls just missed being trampled on after they had fallen down. Many were caught up in the running crowd. They only managed to stay on their feet by grabbing others. The car, which did not reduce speed, drew away from the mob after having travelled about 40 yards.