GRACIE FIELDS IN DUNEDIN

Southland Times, Issue 25746, 9 August 1945, Page 4

GRACIE FIELDS IN DUNEDIN

DEPARTURE FOR NORTH DELAYED (P.A.) DUNEDIN, August 8. Gracie Fields was compelled by circumstances to remain in Dunedin today, and it is now expected that she will leave the city between 9.30 a.m. and 10 o’clock tomorrow morning. Miss Fields had arranged to fly to Auckland today so that she could travel to Sydney' today by the Tasman Airways plane, which had been delayed for one day for the purpose. The Lodestar which was sent from Wigram to transport her party north today was, however, delayed by bad flying conditions and did not arrive until 12.45 p.m. Because of the conditions and engine trouble in the plane the journey could not be made and Miss Fields and her party, who had been waiting at Taieri aerodrome since 10.45 a.m., returned to their hotel.

Soon after her arrival, shortly before 3 o’clock, people began to gather outside the hotel and before long several hundreds were waiting patiently in the hope of catching a glimpse of the “Lass from Lancashire.” When the police constables on duty announced that she would not appear the crowd gradually dispersed. Miss Fields had no official engagements and spent the afternoon resting. The visiting entertainer has given six concerts in the main centres within a period of 10 days, and it is calculated that as a result a sum of approximately £20,000 will be handed over to the National Patriotic Fund Board.