Reporter’s Diary

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34151, 12 May 1976, Page 3

Reporter’s Diary

Book display “EARTH ISSUES,” a collection of 300 American books on contemporary social and economic issues affecting the lives of people around the world, will be exhibited at the University of Canterbury library from May 17 to May 28. The collection, presented by the United States Information Service, covers food and population, resources and energy, ecology and environment. and general welfare of people. Some of the titles seem to invite elaboration — “Death From Falling Watermelons,” “Thinking Like a Mountain,” “Should Trees Have Standing?” ‘Grand Match 9 ABOUT three-quarters of the 225 numbered copies of “Grand Match,” printed and published by the Nag’s Head Press of Christchurch, had been sold, said Mr Bob Gormack, proprietor of the private press, yesterday. The tiny handset books contain an acacount from the “Lyttelton Times” of a cricket match between the All England XI and the 22 of Canterbury at Haglev Park in February, 1864. Mr Gormack has sent 28 copies to buyers in Australia, and one complimentary copy to the M.C.C. in London, which has acknowledged the gift with thanks. His next publication will be a collection of 44 selected connets by the Christchurch-born poet, D’Arcy Cresswell. He was

n® cricketer. At Christ’s College, according to his entry is “Who’s Who,” he was “distinguished at cricket as having illegally evaded the game for three years.” Effect spoiled MR JUSTICE CASEY has been sporting a shiny new wig in the Supreme Court lately. But it was conspicuously absent when he made his formal entrance to No. 2 Court yesterday. His Honour did not notice it was missing until he leant forward to bow to counsel at the Bar. His Honour hastily retreated to his chambers to retrieve it, explaining to the rest of the Court that it was the first time he had forgotten. Behind the play THE BEST part of a theatre review in a recent issue of the “Illustrated London News” is a footnote by the critic. “Last month,” he says, “I wrote that Albert Finney had played Hamlet at Birmingham Repertory. It should have been Henry V.” The magazine’s readers are probably still wondering whether it was the critic or Albert Finney who made the mistake. Litter leave SOME workers have very understanding employers. One chap we know has just been granted two

weeks maternity leave because his Afghan hound, named Demeter after the goddess of fertility, has just had a litter of seven pups. Maddened INDIAN authorities are testing a theory that Bengal tigers might give up eating men if they drank fresh instead of salt water. The most majestic of India’s tigers, they are estimated to be down to only about 150 specimens. Nevertheless, they manage to kill about 40 people a year in their habitat, the Sunderbans, a 500 sq. mile forest of mangrove swamps and stunted trees inundated by salt water from the neighbouring Bay of Bengal. In an attempt to halt their man-eating and thus save the tigers from being killed in turn, forestry workers are to put up giant troughs which will be filled with fresh water. Watch towers will be built to observe the tigers’ reactions to the new drinking supply. India’s total tiger population was estimated to be about 1800 in 1974, compared with 4000 in 1947. Tigers are also in trouble in Malaysia. The trustee of the World Wildlife Fund in that country, Tun Tan Siew Sin, has reported that there are now only between 500 and 1000 of the great cats in Malaysia and that their number is fast diminishing. The Malaysian Government has declared them a totally protected animal. The wild life Conservation Trust Fund, headed by

Tun Tan, has offered to pay farmers compensation for cattle killed by tigers if the predators are spared. Shake today? WELLINGTONIANS were not sleeping very well last night. Old Moore’s Almanack predicts an earthquake in the capital city today. Those who don’t believe Old Moore are waiting till May 21, the day on which a professional reader of Tarot cards has predicted something similar. Racism MR TREVOR RICHARDS, chairman of H.A.R.T., says expressions of racism are becoming increasingly blatant in New Zealand, leading many more Maoris and Pacific Islanders to declare themselves on the issue of New Zealand’s playing rugby with South Africa. “It is almost as if recent political events and statements have made such racism fashionable.” he says in H.A.R.T.’s information sheet, “Amandla ” In Whangarei a Maori woman had approached him after a meeting to tell him that she had recently experienced South African racism in New Zealand. "At a holiday venue,” he says “a Rhodesian couple running the shop openly served all Europeans before Maoris or other Polynesians, irrespective of the order in which they had entered the shop. With customers in the shop, the male owner turned to his wife and in reference to this ladv said: "Make sure you don't git e anv of these natives credit.”