RANDOM REMINDER

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32677, 5 August 1971, Page 18

RANDOM REMINDER

A MATTER OF TIME

The telephone is a wonderful accessory in almost any home. One has only to pick it up to get into touch with a friend on the other side of the world, to get the groceries delivered, to have a chat with a friend (in the case of women, a sort of talkin). And in cases of emergency, it is worth all its considerable cost, and its habit of ringing in the middle of the night at the instance of strangers with wrong numbers. This was an emergency. A woman living somewhere near Kaikoura had to get m touch with ner sister in Christchurch, a toll call was put througn about 6.30 pan., but the Christchurch telephone was not answered. Swallowing several remarks he would have liked

to have passed on women who were never at home, the Kaikoura husband told his wife the best thing she could do was to ring again early in the morning at, say, 7.15 a.m. The date? June 23, near enough to the shortest day, its cold and its hours of darkness. Next morning she was awakened by her husband, who was telling her it was 20 past seven and time for her call. Seconds later, the woman was in conversation with her Christchurch sister, who rather sleepily inquired after their business had been transacted, about the hour. She was told it was 20 past seven. The Christchurch woman thanked, her sister for preventing her from sleeping in. The man of the Kaikoura house was up and

about by this time and was off to the gate to collect his newspaper. He was puzzled that it was not there. As it was still dark, he decided to get a little more sleep. Which, man fashion, he did. But he was awake before long, informing his wife • that he could hear “The Press” vehicle coming down the road and that it must therefore be just after 4 a.m. And back in Christchurch, a puzzled woman reckoned her clock had gone wrong, had ' turned on her radio to get the time, and had also retired to bed again.' Because the call was made not at 7.20 a.m. hut 3.35 a.m. ; y> The watch makers ‘ should see to it that the short hands are made shorter, and the long hands longer.