The sound system operator, the video man, the television people and other key figures telephoned NZAVS office several times on 23 April anticipating that the WDLA march scheduled for the following day would be cancelled. Continuous torrential rain had swept Wellington for days and the situation looked grim. Gambling that the weather might ease, the march went ahead and for one crucial hour at midday the rain miraculously stopped. Once again NZAVS World Days for Laboratory Animals March made impact on the throngs of lunchtime onlookers crowding the central business area of New Zealand's capital city.

Despite stunning visuals of simulated victims of the DPT vaccine, La-Gactil tranquilisers, Fenoterol and Clioquinol being trundled around the city streets in wheelchairs, and despite comprehensive filming by TV1, TV3, and the coverage by the march by The Dominion and Evening Post, it was not surprising that the event was not screened on either channel or reported in either newspaper.

Fortunately the march is captured on the Society's own video and viewers will see from the following extract from Bette Overell's speech that the total media censorship of the event was anticipated by NZAVS organisers:

"Why have our Society's marches been stifled, manipulated and trivialised by the news-media? Because the news-media must promote their client's interests, or at least not write or broadcast anything contrary to those interests, if they wish to retain their continued advertising revenues."

At the usual get-together after the march at the Overell's place it was great to meet the people who had travelled from Auckland, Hamilton, Levin, the South Island and elsewhere.

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