Reporter’s Diary

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 34021, 9 December 1975, Page 3

Reporter’s Diary

“Eggers memorial” TELEVISION TWO’S programme about the West Coast on Sunday evening tantalised viewers with a segment about a roadside memorial between Greymouth and Runanga. It was a memorial to two men who died near there in “tragic circumstances” in 1917 — but neither the inscription nor Hanafi Hayes, the programme’s presenter, explained the circumstances. West Coasters call it the Eggers Memorial, which is more than somewhat ironical as William Frederick Eggers is the last man it is intended to immortalise. It was erected in memory of John Coulthard, a driver, and William Hall, paymaster of the Runanga State coalmine, who were held up and shot by Eggers on November 9, 1917, as they were taking the payroll to the mine. Eggers got away with the fortnight’s wages — £3659 — but was arrested soon after, and most of it was recovered. He is said to have watched the funeral procession of his victims from the balcony of a Greymouth hotel before his capture, and to have remarked: “The bloke who did that should be hung.” Eggers was convicted, and hanged in Lyttelton Gaol. Fertiliser

THE most prosperous population in the world, judged on average income, is that of the tiny island of Nauru, according to the American business magazine, “Fortune.” Nauru, which is also the world’s smallest independent republic, derives its wealth from rich deposits of phosphate, bought by the millions of tons by farming countries like New Zealand. The market price

of phosphate has been rising at about the same rate as oil, and last year Nauru shipped out 1.9 m tons at an average price of about SNZ7O a ton. It cost only about $9,30 a ton to produce, so the total profit was more than $21.7m — or nearly $28,900 for every Nauruan citizen. Nauru has 4000 citizens. Student ratio “RADIO U,” a special station for university students, may be heard from the University of Canterbury campus next year. The Students’ Association has applied for a licence to broadcast from February 23 to March 6 during the enrolment and orientation period. The idea is to help new students — especially those from out of town — to tune in to what is going on in the strange Ilam environment. It is planned to broadcast music, university information, directions for getting around Christchurch, and some drama, between the hours of 8 and 9 a.m., 12 a.m. and 1 p.m., and 5 and 7 p.m. Radio U has the university council’s blessing as an "enterprising proposal.” Good ship “Nessie” AN AMATEUR investigator of the secrets of Loch Ness claims that the underwater photographs taken by the Boston explorer, Robert Rines, only confirm what he has suspected for years — that the Loch Ness monster is really an old boat. Leo Sheridan told the London “Sunday Observer” that he believed that “Nessie” was an old Viking boat, with a rudder shaped like a flipper and a long-necked prow topped by an ugly head. But how did the Viking boat get into

the loch? “Rollers,” says Mr Sheridan. How does he account for the mysterious movements of whatever it is? “Currents,” he says. Liberated MRS H. B. HEWITT, a familiar figure to thousands of University of Canterbury students, retires this year after 25 years on the staff. The deputy registrar, she has spent most of this academic year as acting registrar during the absence overseas of Mr Garth Turbott. The Vice-Chancellor (Professor Neville Phillips) told the university council yesterday that Mrs Hewitt had been doing every kind of administrative duty that a man could do—"but much more charmingly” — long before women’s liberation was heard of. “She’s been the repository of thousands of secrets,” he said, "and the betrayer of none.” Human rights THE ADOPTION of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations General Assembly 27 years ago will be marked in Cathedral Square tomorrow by a publicity display organised by the Humanist Society. Other organisations concerned with human rights — Amnesty International. C.A.R.E., and the United Nations Association — will also take part. Their aim is to publicise Human Rights Day and their own activities. Picture windows INSTEAD of filling their many display windows with tempting Christmas goodies, The Farmers’ in Cashel Street have devoted all of them to the portrayal of children’s stories —“Sleeping Beauty,” “Rumpelstiltskin,” “Puss in Boots.” and many others — with large illustrations and •hand-lettered narratives of the stories.