4m Saw N.Z. Show

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31985, 12 May 1969, Page 14

4m Saw N.Z. Show

CN.Z.P.A. Staff Correspondent)

SYDNEY, May 11.

Four million Australians saw a major segment of the “C’mon to New Zealand” travel promotion show on television last night.

The singers, Ray Columbus, Yolande Gibson and Jacqui James, appeared with the show's three go-go dancers on “Bandstand”, Australia’s top musical variety programme. “Bandstand’’ is screened on 29 stations in every state of Australia.

The New Zealand artists, who have performed before 700 travel agents in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne in the last week, had a nine-minute slot on “Bandstand.”

Ray Newell, the programme's producer-director, who signed the “C’mon” group after auditioning them in New Zealand recently, was enthusiastic about their performance.

“It’s good, bright, happy entertainment, fine for television viewing,” he said. “There’s a future in Australia for any of them if they want to come over here.” An Aucklander, Kevan Moore, producer of “C’mon to New Zealand,” said in Sydney that some of the members of the team had had definite offers to work in Australia.

The show had had a “tremendous” response in Australia.

The three-city tour ended in Melbourne with a performance for travel agents in the Southern Cross Hotel.

The hotel’s general manager (Mr J. Carrodus) said the show was one of the best productions for travel promotion he had seen. He had sent a cable to New

Zealand’s Minister of Tourism commending the show.

New Zealand television viewers will be able to see the numbers performed in Australia on the 13-part “C’mon ’69” programme, which will begin on the N.Z.B.C. on May 28, the first programme will be devoted exclusively to the Australian items.

“C’mon to New Zealand” is a $13,000 joint travel project by the Tourist and Publicity Department, the Tourist Hotel Corporation, Air New Zealand and National Airways Corporation. In addition to the live segment of the show Australian travel agents also saw a quar-ter-hour film on New Zealand.