Another city and another press conference. It was the same old story in a different town for the Beatles, but a new and exciting experience for those who attended the press conference, including one 16 year old reporter named Wendy. This is her memory of the Aukland press conference,
"In June 1964, my journalistic training of six months had comprised of reporting on flower shows, senior citizens' concerts and other tame community activities. The Beatles press conference was daunting. I was 5ft tall, skinny and I had to fulfil my strict editor's high expectations, so brain had to outwit brawn. I crouched down and scuttled under the collective press's armpits until I reached the end of the room, where I bobbed up in front of where the four sat at a long table. The boys seemed pleased to chat to someone close by and not have to deal with all the questions being hollered from beyond. My questions were mainly to Ringo because he was right in front of me, but I also conversed with John. Ringo offered me a cigarette and seemed surprised when I said 'No, thank you, I don't smoke.' I ended my article with: 'My impression of the Beatles is that they are witty, good-natured and very co-operative young men who will go a very long way.'"
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| Scanned by the Gilly from a New Zealand magazine from 1964 |
