Reporter’s Diary

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33741, 14 January 1975, Page 3

Reporter’s Diary

Higher still THERE’S no escape from the world’s chronic inflation, even in the high Himalayas. Our man in Katmandu says in a dispatch from Dudh Khosi (10 days march away) that porters’ rates of pay have jumped from R 9 a day last May when the Christchurch climber Norman Hardie was last there to Rl5 a day at present. That’s equivalent to $l.ll. Porters’ loads are normally 60 to 801 b, but can be as much as 1001 b. They support them with a headband that goes under the pack and over the head. “You meet them on the most precipitous parts of the track,” says our correspondent, “often in bare feet on icy surfaces.” Virtue proclaimed THERE’S little point in being virtuous about the

environment if no-one knows about it. A greyish greeting card received from America makes no bones about the fact that it has not depleted existftig resources. Made by Recycled Paper Products of Chicago, the card bears the statement “This card is printed on 100 per cent recycled paper, made entirely from reclaimed wa.ste paper. No trees were destroyed to make this card.” Bird-watching TWO sightings of native wood pigeons (Kereru) have been reported — one from Cashmere Hills and one from Rollaston Avenue, only half a mile from Cathedra! Square. This is the hatching season, and more than one family of native pigeons has been observed to nest near the centre of Christchurch in the past. As the birds are fully protected by law, birdlovers keep very quiet about any known nesting places. Native pigeons build untidy but strong nesting platforms and produce a single egg. The bird seen in Rolleston avenue was in a laburnum tree, but they usually

favour the berries and young shoots of native trees.

Domesday II

BRITAIN is to have a new Domasday Book. It is in the form of 16,000 pocket books being distributed to children and their parents so that they can note buildings of interest and save them from demolition. The Royal Institute of British Architects calls it Domesday Book 11. The introduction refers to William the Conquerer’s original Dome.sday Book, and says: “Just as in William’s case, something is being stolen away. The ‘something’ is those parts of our towns or suburbs which give them real character. Not grand buildings — more often the bits in between — the pretty, unusual, pleasant buildings and parts of our towns. Unfortunately these precious jewels are disappearing quickly.” The children are urged to enlist support to help save buildings in danger. Squirm in comfort LISTENERS who like to lie back and let the music

wash over them, or to conduct with their feet, w : ll welcome the "cushion concert” planned by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra for the Christchurch Town Hall on Friday, March 21. Patrons will be encouraged to take along their own portable seating (even deck chairs) and lounge about in a relaxed and informal fashion. Part of the Christchurch Arts Festival programme, the concert will feature the chamber group Music Players ’7O and the French pianist, Pascal Roge. The organisers expect the “cushion concert” to be especially popular with people with young families. “Children on the floor have more freedom to squirm (as all children will) without annoying anyone,” says their brochure, "and the smallest members of the family could happily drop off to sleep.” Cowboy baccy SACKS of Bull Durham tobacco which appeared briefly in some city tobacconists’ shops have been

snapped up — presumably by readers of Western novels who want to try the cowboy’s traditional brand for themselves — “riding tall in the salle, Slim held the reins loosely in one hand and rolled a smoke from his sack of Bull Durham with the other.” New Zealand may well be one of the last outposts of hand-rollers; a reporters who visited the United States recently had an audience of Americans spellbound while he sat tall on the edge of his hotel bed and rolled a neat cigarette. It took both hands though. Summer tonic A READER has decided that the weather is now clement enough for the introduction of a delicacy which proved extremely popular during the last British summer (June 1228). The perspiring Poms invented “gin jelly” to be consumed on picnics by adults only. You dissolve gelatine in an appropriate amount of gin, add a dash of bitters, and refrigerate. Moderation is advised.