Not the Best Welcome in Auckland

When the Beatles landed in Auckland, New Zealand on June 24, 1964, they did not know that they weren't going to have the security that they were accustomed to.    When their plane touched down at the Whenupai Airport, 300 fans were waiting for them, but the fans were not allowed to wave to the Fabs.   The Beatles were taken straight to their Royal Continental to hear for the hotel.   Glenn A. Baker's great book, The Beatles Downunder takes it from there--

(Lloyd Ravenscroft speaking) 'The Royal Continental was rather inconveniently located on a hill with a lane-way running behind it and a tiny car park descending from the lane.  O one occasion our Cadillac got to within 30 feet of their entrance and because there was only a handful of police on duty, it stopped dead in the middle of a surge of people.  So Mal, Neil and I squeezed out, locked the boys inside and pushed in inch by inch towards the garage door, a process that took about 20 minutes.   All through this, girls were fainting in the middle of the crush and we were passing them over our shoulders to safety, only to discover five minutes later that we were handling the same girl.   We managed to get the steel door open and we carried about 200 fans into the garage with us.  So we kept the Beatles locked in the car until we had removed them one by one.' Somehow the fans did get their hands on the group.  John said, 'It was a bit rough.  I thought definitely a big clump of my hair had gone.  I don't mean just a bit.  They'd put about three policemen on for three or four thousand kids and they refused to put more on.  They said, 'We've had all sorts over 'ere, we've seen them all,' they said they h ad seen them all as we went crashing to the ground.'    Dave Lincoln explains, "that was the one time I saw John really lose his temper, particularly as Ringo had got a bit hurt.  He virtually went on strike, refusing to play any more shows until he was assured that there would be enough police when they needed them.  It was times like that he showed very clearly who the leader of the group was.

One fan remembers the being in that crowd:

Sally Reid:"As the car turned down into the ramp it was a real stampede. People were kicking and pushing. I got jammed against the side, right by the window. I remember seeing the Beatles through the glass and being absolutely beside myself but the police and security removed everyone before they let [the Beatles] out of the car."

The Beatles made it inside of the hotel and appeared to the fans in the street below while standing on the fire escape balcony.   Here I will let Bruce Renwick from his book The Beatles in New Zealand explain what occurred

The seething mass erupted and as the four waved to them a girl rushed around the balcony and planted a kiss on Ringo's cheek before a burly security guard picked her up and carried her away.  After a few more more minutes of waving, the Beatles disappeared inside and the crowd started to simmer down and disperse.  

Here is what hotel receptionist, Janette Reid recalls:
 The security brought the Beatles up through the kitchens to the top floor and we didn't see them. We were so naive, we thought they'd have to sign in as guests. My friend Barbara on reception got carried away and said 'let's go up.' Several of us rushed the balcony, but I hung back as I was a bit embarrassed. One of the girls threw her arms around George and shook Paul's hand before a security guard got her."







While inside the hotel, Janette Reid was a receptionist, trying to keep the Beatle fans under control. 

“We didn’t really expect the numbers of people that waited on the streets, not enormous crowds but there were always people at the door, day and night. I can’t remember how the other guests coped with this. There was an Irish actor Michael MacLiammoir doing a one man show about Oscar Wilde, The Importance Of Being Oscar. He was the only other overseas VIP I can remember at the hotel at the same time. It must have been hell for him.”

 “The lines were just absolutely jammed. I don’t know how anyone else got through really, I can’t remember anyone else getting through! The number of people asking ‘Could I speak to Paul?’ ‘Could I speak to Ringo?’ They probably thought ‘I’ll catch them on the hop by saying, Could I speak to Richard Starkey please? and they’ll put me through.’ I think someone tried playing the Aunt Mimi card to get to John. Judging by the calls and the people trying to get in, Paul and Ringo were the most popular, and poor old George was probably the least. But nevertheless a lot of people rang and asked for him.