Protest A Duty

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32251, 20 March 1970, Page 2

Protest A Duty

(N.Z. Press Association)

AUCKLAND, Mar. 18.

A folk singer who demonstrates—2 B-year-old Julie Felix—arrived in Auckland today and spoke about her responsibilities as a performer. Wearing grape - coloured crushed - velvet trousers, matching shoes and a floral blouse, she faced 30 pressmen at her hotel.

On protest marches and demonstrations she said: “The whole world today is striving towards peace, and I think everybody has to take some kind of part. I think it’s because I am a performer I have some responsibility.” How did her responsibility relate to drugs? (In 1968 Miss Felix was fined for possessing cannabis.)

“I don’t relate it at all. As far as the drugs thing, that was two years ago. I have forgotten about it. I hope everybody else has.”

Some demonstrations can be fun. “I was at one of the Springboks demonstrations and I sang to a lot of policemen. I walked down a row of policemen singing ‘Blowing In The Wind,’ and one policeman was singing in the chorus with me.” She arrived at Auckland today for her concerts in New Zealand with two suitcases—and lots of shoes, which the Customs Department took great interest in—“ Looking for hoof and mouth, or something”—but it did not seem to worry her. “I haven’t found inner peace yet. I don’t think anybody has. But I’m haippy with my life,” she said.