GRACIE FIELDS ARRIVES

Southland Times, Issue 25737, 30 July 1945, Page 4

GRACIE FIELDS ARRIVES

CHEERING CROWDS AT AUCKLAND (P.A.) AUCKLAND, July 29. When a charming, golden-hairea women stepped ashore from the Sydney flying boat at Mechanics Hay on Saturday afternoon and said with a broad “A bit of orl right, eh? the waiting crowd knew that Oracle Fields was in their midst and was delighted that the renowned comedienne, actress and singer, the lass from Lancashire, had arrived. Trying hard not to appear excited, the crowd on the quayside had gazed curiously at the famous visitor. Waiting politely to be spoken to, Gracie said: “Good afternoon, everyone,” and whistled piercingly. Its a lovely, day, it’s been a lovely trip, and it’s lovely to get ’ere,’ she went on in dialect. Then the crowd forgot its spurious phlegm and became really friendly, almost boisterous. There was a lot of shouting and cheering, and a lot of comment about Lancashire ana Rochdale as the party moved towards the Tasman Airways offices. Apart from an official welcome by her theatrical sponsors in New Zealand, Gracie received the good wishes of the Auckland Lancashire Society and a bouquet was thrust into her hands with a ribbon bearing the name of her home county. She posed for photographs, spoke into microphones, signed autographs and shook every hand that was thrust across the protecting barrier.

CROWD SURGES ROUND “ ’Aint ’e lovely,” she crooned as she took up a wondering small girl when passing out of the offices towards her car. The crowd surged round and she was unable to give the child back to its parents. Gracie held the child firmly and waited at the car door while the crowd opened to let the mother come through. Hie child changed hands again, still wondering, but quite happy. Amid cheers Gracie drove away past a large notice which said, “Welcome from Lancashire.” More people waited at the air base gates on the Waterfront road. Cheering broke out afresh and there was a rush for the car, which was forced to stop. Eventually Gracie was hoisted to the hood of her car and spoke briefly. She good humouredly declined to sing on the ground that she would be unable to stop. Auckland, she thought, was just about as good as Rochdale. The car finally escaped down a long avenue of excited people. There was yet another welcoming group outside the Grand Hotel. Gracie alighted, smilingly spoke a litte more in Lancashire, signed autographs, shook hands and presented her bouquet to a small girl who said, “Hullo!”

VISIT TO MILITARY HOSPITAL (P.A.) AUCKLAND, July 29. Choosing sick and wounded servicemen as her first audience in the Dominion, Gracie Fields descended upon the domain military annexe this afternoon like a bright ray of sunshine and for over an hour entertained patients and staff alike with a medley of songs and patter, all delivered in her wellknown manner. After the performance, which was held in the annexe’s Patriotic Fund Board hut, she went through the wards, visiting all the patients too sick to be moved for the show, and spoke a few cheery words to each. The scene at the hospital entrance when she finally drove away resembled that at the flying boat base when she arrived on Saturday, a huge crowd of people having gathered to see her. It took the efforts of several policemen to clear her path to the waiting car, and it was with reluctance that the cheering crowd slowly parted to allow her to drive away.