* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Magic New Zealand * www.watson.co.nz/ezine.html * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Issue Number: #177 Date: Sunday 29th May 2003 Editor: Alan Watson www.magicianz.com www.alan-watson.com e-mail: AW@Alan-Watson.com ================================ Hi here is the latest news ================================   1. Editor’s Message   2. The Magic Circle Centenary - 2005   3. No More Rabbits   4. WAM Stands For Watford Association Of Magicians   5. Null And Void Poster In My Collection   6. Day At The Races - IBM Ring 26 - New York City   7. "Cobb & Co" Restaurant And Bar - Taupo   8. Brendan Montana Tour Schedule   9. `Lance Burton's Magic & Comedy All-Stars'   10. Pete's Purse   11. The Amazing ‘Orchante’ Saga - Vol. Two - The Australian Years   Magic New Zealand   12. e-zine archives   13. Subscription Management ------------------------------------ 1. Editor's Message ------------------------------------- Message from Alan Watson - The Magic One Michele and I leave tomorrow to attend the Wanganui Mini Convention over this coming weekend (Queens Birthday holiday weekend). Magic New Zealand e-zine will next be published on Sunday 8th June. ------------------------------------- Pictures of Bill and Mandy’s new baby son Liam can be viewed at: http://www.magicians.co.nz/photos.htm ----------------------------------------- Remember if you have any magic news drop me a line: AW@Alan-Watson.com ---------------------------------- 2. The Magic Circle Centenary - 2005 ---------------------------------- 1995  to  2005 Join in the biggest celebration of magic London has ever seen: Non-stop magic for four amazing days! Stage and close-up Gala Shows; World Class Acts; Top Lecturers; International Dealers' Fair; specially commissioned Magic Revue; The All Winners Show; Unique Heritage Display; Grand Opening Event ... and more, much more. Every registrant will be presented with a free commemorative gift and a copy of the new colour-illustrated history of The Magic Circle. Staged at the University of London in Bedford Way, just minutes from The Magic Circle Headquarters and very close to London's West End theatreland and shopping districts. The Celebrations are open to all magicians and their partners. Reserved seats will be allocated on a strictly first-come basis (and these are limited) so early booking is strongly advised. Registration opens for Members of The Magic Circle and partners on 1 April 2003. Non-member magicians and their partners can register from 1 July 2003. For further information (and online registration form) go to www.TheMagicCircleCentenary.co.uk Be part of magical history in 2005! ------------------------------------ 3. No More Rabbits ------------------------------------- Message from Robin & Sharon Lucas (NZ) Magicians in Newcastle, England, had to think of a new trick after their city council banned them from using live rabbits in their shows.  That meant no more putting a rabbit out of the hat. "The whole show builds up to my pulling a rabbit from the hat. It's what the kids get excited about and expect," said magician, Martin Duffy. Newcastle has a ban on animals in circus shows, but a miscommunication among city staff resulted in notification going to magicians that they could no longer use animals either.   The city council later apologized and lifted the ban for magicians. ---------------------------------- 4. WAM Stands For Watford Association Of Magicians ---------------------------------- Message from Terry Seabrooke When will the world of magic wake up that WAM stands for Watford Association of Magicians and has done for over 50 years, but still this Alliance gang still call themselves WAM and protest about ethics in magic but do not have any themselves by still despite many requests calling themselves WAM. Any comment Mr Blaney???. ---------------------------------- 5. Null And Void Poster In My Collection ---------------------------------- Message from Bill Walsh (Aust) I read with interest Kent Blackormore`s tribute to Clifford Warne, I and a lot of Sydney magicians were part of the several hundred people who attended Clifford`s funeral. However just a little bit of trivia regarding part of the tribute, Kent mentioned that Clifford gained his magic interest from watching old magicians Null and Void and The Mighty Chang at the Sydney Tivoli Theatre. Thanks to Brian McCullagh I have the only Null and Void (I think) poster in existence in my collection. And thanks to Mike Caveney for restoring it I also have the original Mighty Chang poster that hung in Harry Job’s magic shop for many years in my collection. If any of your subscribers would like to see these and other magic posters just give me a call. ---------------------------------- 6. Day At The Races - IBM Ring 26 - New York City ---------------------------------- Message from Jerry Wiesenberg, President - Ring 26 IBM Ring 26 in New York City is having a Day at the Races on Sunday, June 8th.  We will be meeting in the picnic area where tables for our group will be reserved.  Guests are invited to watch/perform magic in-between the races. Admission is $15 which includes park admission, program and souvenir anniversary t-shirt with a beautiful original Mickey O'Malley design of a rabbit in a hat. For additional information write Jerry Wiesenberg, President - Ring 26 at: magicwies@aol.com ---------------------------------- 7. "Cobb & Co" Restaurant And Bar - Taupo ---------------------------------- Message from John Ferguson Jan and I are moving permanently to our home in Taupo. We have going to operate the new "Cobb & Co" restaurant and Bar, presently being built on the lakefront in Taupo. (Opens 25 June) The address of Cobb  & Co is no 8 Northcroft Street, Taupo. My new contact address for mail etc is P.O. Box 1095 Taupo. Telephone 025 546 551. Any Magicians coming thru this way will be well looked after !! ---------------------------------- 8. Brendan Montana Tour Schedule ---------------------------------- Message from Brendan Montana (Aust) Tour dates: July 19 St Johns bowling club July 26 Fair field RSL Aug 2 Wenthworthville leagues Aug 8 Club Macquarie Aug 15 Adamstown RSL Aug 16 Belmont 16 footers club Aug 21 Soldiers RSL club Aug 22 Maitland City Bowls Aug 23  Raymond Terrace Bowling Aug 29  Shortland RSL Sep 5 Forster Tuncurry RSL Sep 6 Greta Workers Sep 13 Wangi Workers Sep 20 Blacktown Workers Sep 27 Bankstown Sports Club ---------------------------------- 9. `Lance Burton's Magic & Comedy All-Stars' ---------------------------------- Message from Wayne Bernath – Lance Burton’s Director of Publicity `Lance Burton's Magic & Comedy All-Stars' Hosts Special Shows Johnny Thompson, Fielding West, Jeff McBride, Tyler Linkin & Dana Daniels featured The Monte Carlo's headlining magician is embarking on another first by hosting a special magic and comedy show with some of the best magicians who will be doing a show that has universal appeal to be held at 8 p.m. from Friday-Sunday, May 30-June 1. If you like to be amazed and you like to laugh this is the show for you with a special appeal to families. "Lance Burton's Magic and Comedy All-Stars" is for the kids and their grandparents as well. The show is $10 less than his regular price at $49.95 for lower level and $44.95 for the balcony including taxes. Some of the most renowned magicians in the world will perform including Johnny Thompson, Fielding West, Jeff McBride, Tyler Linkin and Dana Daniels. Lance Burton will not only host the show but perform some magic of his own. For ticket reservations call (702) 730-7160 or (877) 386-8224. Lance Burton has been named "Best Magician" in virtually every poll and The Lance Burton Theatre has won "Best Theatre" with its West End London charm. Also don't miss "National Lampoon's Funny Money" at 10 p.m. Sunday, June 29 on The Game Show Network or "Lance Burton's Guerrilla Magic: Taking it to the Streets" on Animal Planet at 9 p.m. Tuesday, July 1st. ---------------------------------- 10. Pete's Purse ---------------------------------- Message from Pete Petrashek Had a nice letter from Zaney Blaney's daughter Becky. She has been busy doing cruise ships and college gigs.  She told me the ships wanted her to do more audience participation tricks with women and children, so I suggested she try my  PETE'S PURSE which I invented to go with the old PAPER TEAR.  after producing the paper hat,  you take her half of the papers, and put the hat on her head., then  fole, twist, tear and manipulate HER papers until you have produced a one-foot square purse, with a long  strap on it.  You hang it over her arm, and take the applause...THEN..you tell her there is something IN  the purse...reaching in, you pull out a candy kiss..dpending on the age of the    assistant...you can either let it go at that...or collect a kiss on the cheek from the surprised assistant..There are othervariations to the trick, and can lead up to four different climaxes to the old HAT TEAR  trick. A big improvement on an old classic ---------------------------------- 11. The Amazing ‘Orchante’ Saga - Vol. Two - The Australian Years Magic New Zealand ---------------------------------- Message from Tommy Orchard (The Amazing Orchante)(UK ex-pat Kiwi) Page 8 Z – SPECIAL UNIT The operation, jointly planned by Australian and British Commandos and Intelligence Officers, was to take place at the same time when the Salamaua, Lae and Finschafen operations were taking place against the Japanese in New Guinea. Creating total upheaval and chaotic disruption to Japanese shipping was determined to be an essential factor in the success of these operations. So great was the secrecy of ‘Operation Jaywick’, that Major Bob Page of GRAFTON, New South Wales, Australia, died in a later operation without knowing he had been decorated for his part in it. For nine months the party trained at a secret camp on the Queensland coast. The three canoes with their six raiders apiece, reached Dongas at 8:30 on September 22nd. The gruelling and perilous long paddle necessitated a day of rest for the canoeists; the next day Singapore Harbour was reconnoitred for likely targets, and during their five-day surveillance, there was never less than 100,000 tons of shipping present in the harbour. On September 24th the three canoes attempted infiltration of the harbour but unfavourable tides forced them to reject the mission. During this entire period the raiders were under the constant threat of being detected by the numerous and active Japanese water and shore patrols. The next night the base of operations was altered to Palau Sambu where the tides were more favourable and on the night of the 26th September the successful raid was launched. Canoe No.1 reached a 10,000-ton tanker and two limpet mines were attached to her hull, one at the place of the engine room and another on her propeller shaft. Canoe No.2 twice crossed the boom of the harbour in search of worthy targets, finally selecting three of the most tempting - two 5,000 ton freighters, and the 6,000 ton ‘Taisyo Maru’ . Canoe No.3 stealthily examined ships and sentries along the lighted wharves before selecting the modern freighters - ‘Nasusan Maru’ and ‘Yamataga Maru’. The attacks began soon after 8:00 pm. At dawn, the canoes were back at their operations base camp and there the crews settled back to watch the forthcoming fireworks. Seven separate explosions were heard between 5:15 am and 5:50 am and both sea and air patrols were observed setting out searching for the attackers. At dusk on 27th September the raiders set out for their rendezvous with Krait, which was cruising in the vicinity of Pompong Island and, despite the frantic and exhaustive air and sea searches by the enraged Japanese, the canoeists slipped through the net and made their rendezvous. Lieutenant Carse and the seven-member crew of Krait had been waiting and playing cat and mouse with Japanese patrols for 16 anxious days when all of the raiders were picked up safely. The Krait then stole away unnoticed bound for Australia where there were one or two close calls along the way - such as being interrogated by an inquisitive enemy destroyer, but she reached Australia without the loss of a single man (a remarkable achievement for such a hazardous mission); the seemingly impossible ‘Operation Jaywick’ had been a resounding success. After the Singapore raid Krait was sent to Darwin to join the Lugger Maintenance Patrol of the famous Z Special Unit. At the end of WWII she was taken over by the occupation authorities at Labuan Island (Victoria) off British North Borneo (Sabah) and sold to a local trading company, which for the next twenty years used her to haul timber down the Jungle Rivers of Borneo. In 1963 The ‘Krait Committee’ was formed in Sydney, with the intention of bringing her back to Australia for permanent preservation. The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) donated to the fund and, with the aid of newspaper appeals etc. money was raised; so it was that in March 1964 a rather battered Krait arrived in Brisbane aboard the P&O ship Nellore. ANZAC Day 1964, Krait sailed unpretentiously into Sydney Harbour, escorted down Port Jackson by an armada of small craft. Received by the State Governor at historic Farm Cove, she was dedicated as a – ‘Floating War Memorial’, then presented to the Volunteer Coastal Patrol to use in training and rescue work. She is now settled serenely at the National Maritime Museum in Darling Harbour, Sydney. The plucky little fishing boat is home to stay. Page – 9 Epilogue As I mentioned at the beginning of this epoch, we had a four day booking at the Ex Services Club in Grafton, and that the club had previously arranged, in conjunction the Jacaranda Festival Committee, for the ‘KRAIT’ to be sailed up from Sydney to be ‘In Attendance’ on the Clarence River: ‘To Honour The Memory Of The Late - Major Bob Page’, see Page 8 - first paragraph. It is through Bob Page’s heroic activities in collusion with the Krait (along with the rest of the brave men who were part of Top Secret ‘Operation Jaywick’), that Grafton will forever be a part of Australia’s Naval history. I had the privilege to been personally invited aboard this legendary craft by two of the original members of  ‘Operation Jaywick’, whom I had met after a show one night at the Ex Services Club (whose names I am ashamed to say, I have long forgotten), who took me for a ‘sail ’; and as we chugged down the river, regaled me with tales of some of their hair- raising exploits, as we downed a few cans of – ‘The Amber liquor’!   That is why the Krait is special to me. TO THIS DAY, I FEEL HUMBLED TO HAVE BEEN INVITED - BY TWO HEROES OF THE KRAIT NO LESS, TO TREAD ON THE SAME TEAK PLANKING AS THEY, THE LATE MAJOR BOB PAGE OF GRAFTON, AND THE REST OF THEIR COMPANIONS, HAD ALL VALIANTLY FOUGHT THE JAPANESE – SIXTY YEARS AGO. ------------------------------------- 12. Magic New Zealand e-zine archives ------------------------------------- Back issues of the Magic New Zealand e-zine go to: www.watson.co.nz/ezine.html Both the User Name and Password MUST be entered in lower case to gain access. User Name: magic Password: kiwi When you enter the archive the e-zines are in issue order and are coded. Eg 001 Nov06 1999.txt first three numbers (001) denote issue number, then the date (Nov06) and the last figures the year (1999) Both the User Name and Password MUST be entered in lower case to gain access. ------------------------------------- 13. Subscription Management ------------------------------------- Our subscriber list is NOT made available to other companies or individuals. We value every subscriber and respect your privacy. To subscribe or unsubscribe from the Magic New Zealand e-zine: www.watson.co.nz/ezine.html Magic New Zealand e-zine is published weekly, on Sunday. The opinions expressed in this e-zine are those of the individual contributors and not those of Magic New Zealand. Neither Magic New Zealand or Alan Watson can vouch for the accuracy or reliability of any opinion, message, statement, or other information reported via Magic New Zealand e-zine. Subscribers to this publication and authors who contribute to it by doing so agree that they will not hold Magic New Zealand and/or Alan Watson liable or responsible in any way for the opinions expressed herein. We reserve the right to edit, correct or, in our discretion, choose not to publish any submissions provided to Magic New Zealand for potential publication. Magic New Zealand welcomes readers to submit timely articles or news items which appear to be of interest to our readers. Those submitting to this e-zine agree that we have permission to publish their submissions and that they have the full copyright to the material submitted. All works published by Magic New Zealand are fully protected by international copyright as provided by law, and articles cannot be published for profit by anyone other than the individual author without the written permission of Magic New Zealand. >>This publication may be freely redistributed (but not sold) to other magicians if copied in its ENTIRETY including the copyright notice below and the above disclaimer.<< © Copyright 2003 Alan Watson