New Zealand is helping Los Angeles to celebrate

Press, 5 August 1981, Page 20

New Zealand is helping Los Angeles to celebrate

By

JOHN HUTCHISON

in Los Angeles.

New Zealand is one of eight foreign nations taking part in the 200th birthday party being celebrated by Los Angeles. Los Angeles is reciprocating by celebrating New Zealand week. The mayor of Auckland, Mr Colin Kay, will unvail in Los Angeles, on August 5, a full-scale replica of the aircraft built and flown near Temuka by Richard William Pearse in. 1903. The New Zealand dance company, Limbs, will perform on August 16 at the Los Angeles International Dance Festival. The Continental Power Brass Band from New Zealand will perform in the city. Los Angeles was established as a .desert hamlet on September 4. 1781. It was

then called El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora la Reina de los Angeles de Porciuncula (The Town of Our Lady The Queen of the Angels of Porciuncula) by its Spanish founders. In the 200 years while its name has shrunk until it is frequently referred to only as “L.A.”, its municipal population has grown to nearly 3 million and its metropolitan population is more than 11 million.

The city began last September a year of observances and special events, including social and cultural exchanges with Canada, England. Israel, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Spain and West Berlin. Auckland is a Los Angeles sister city. Collaborating with civic.

trade and official city bodies here are the 150-member New Zealand Connection, an association with dual interests in the United States and New Zealand, the New Zealand Consulate General and Air New Zealand. Mr Kay, who arrived on August 2, will appear during the week before the International Club, the Bar Association, a combined meeting of five Rotary clubs, and at a dinner arranged by the New Zealand trade commissioner.

The dance company, on tour in the United States, will perform under sponsorship of the Bicentennial Committee at the University of California at Los Angeles and will be hosted at a reception after by Mr David Gamble, the consul general.