National Band popular

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32406, 19 September 1970, Page 2

National Band popular

lopcuku urapdt. N.Z.P.A.) SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 18.

Lunch-time crowds in San Francisco’s Union Square have applauded the New Zealand National Band.

In a colourful plaza bounded by trim lawns, the band presented- a brief marching display which was televised by two television channels in newscasts covering the New Zealanders arrival in the cosmopolitan city. Thousands of San Franciscans, many expatriate New Zealanders, and tourists crowded the square, in the heart of the city’s most fashionable shopping area. Among them was a former American Ambassador in New Zealand, Mr John Henning, now resident again in San Francisco.

Mr Henning also exchanged greetings with bandsmen and officials and received a Maori nose-rub welcome from a Maori dancer, Myra Oheroa. Later, band officials, including the musical director, Elgar Clayton, were received by the Mayor of San Francisco (Mr J. Alioto). The band has spent 10 days in the San Francisco Bay area, making recordings and performing at San Mateo, Oakland, and Marin County. Tomorrow the band will appear in Vancouver at the beginning of a two-month concert tour of Western Canada and the north-west United States.

“Problem of benefits”.— The Auckland Trades Coun--cil has decided to ask the national executive of the Federation of Labour for a national approach to the problem of benefits for pension-1 ers and beneficiaries.—(P.A.) I