Reporter's Diary

Press, 14 September 1976, Page 2

Reporter's Diary

Home on the range COWBOYS never lose their feel for the saddle. They always walk a bit bow-legged, with a rolling gait that speaks of countless hours riding herd. One such refugee from the wilds of Oregon was in his element at the weekend when he and some other Americans found a horse-hire service at Akaroa. They were not quite like the horses back home on the range, being older, quieter, and more reluctant to go faster than a man could walk. But they were genuine horse flesh, and the former cowboy was soon sitting tall in the saddle and urging his mount on to greater things. Suddenly, the horizon started to tilt. The faster the horse cantered, the more the cowboy slipped sideways, and no amount of corrective action did any good. The girth had not been properly tightened, and in no time the star of the lone prairie was riding at an undignified angle. He muttered something about being used to western saddles. not English ones, and thereafter had very little indeed to say about ranching out west. Sign of summer WITH six "winter” flights just completed, the United States Navy is not wasting any time waiting for summer. On Sunday a Starlifter jet transport with 38 members of the summer advance party is due at Christchurch from the United States. Their job will be to prepare the

airport base for the arrival of the main body in October. Although onlysix Starlifters will be used, they will make about 30 flights moving men and cargo between Christchurch and the Antarctic. Road hazard RON MEARES. of the St Martins Harrier Club, was about a third of the way up to the Hilltop during the Akaroa relay race on Saturday when he felt a sudden whack on the back of the head. He looked around, thinking someone was playing an ill-timed practical joke, and saw a magpie diving at him for a second attack. “I had to run backwards for a bit.” he said yesterday, “to fend it off. It made four attempts to get me. before a truck came along and it shied off.” He thinks the magpie must have had a nest in a nearby willow tree. It gave him a nasty moment, but he doesn’t think it delayed him much. Mistaken identity THE REPORTER who had the worst day yesterday was the one who was singled out for attention at the Magistrate’s Court. Depositions were being taken on a charge of sodomy. and the prosecuting sergeant asked the young complainant if he could see the offender in court. The boy said he could and pointed’ at the reporter, a shortish fellow, somewhat thin on top. “Er, are you sure it’s not this man?” asked the prosecutor, pointing to the accused — a much taller man with black hair. The boy agreed that he had made a mistake.

Programming fault THE Public Library’s computer has accused a reader of failing to return a book called “Great Houses of Italy.” He’s never heard of it; the four books he borrowed were all about the working conditions of the proletariat — as far removed from the great houses of the aristocracy as it is possible to get. Other borrowers who have received overdue notices a bit early have been told to ignore them, as the library’s computer has been a little bit of trouble,” said Mr John Stringleman, the City Librarian, yesterday. “There may have been a slight programming fault. We're looking for it now.” But in defence of the computer. he calculated that as a proportion of the 30.000 to 40.000 transactions done each week, the rate of error was only about 0.02 per cent. Old elothes guarded SO MUCH valuable property has been collected from throughout Canterbury for the annual "Clothes Shop” charity sale in the Horticultural Hall, starting at 12.30 p.m. on Friday, that uniformed and plain-clothes police will be on duty to guard against thefts. Fur coats, beautiful Bond Street suits, and antiques from some of Canterbury's oldest homes will be among the thousands of articles on sale. The “Clothes Shop” sale has been held annually for the last 40 years, but this year's contributions of valuables, including clothing and household effects, are of a higher standard than ever before, says the committee convener, Mrs Joan Allan. The “Clothes Shop" has been a social institution in Canterbury since Mrs J. G. Collins, wife of a prominent architect. began riding round Christchurch on a battered old bicycle collecting sale-

able articles to raise funds for the needy in the depression of the 19305. Articles for the sale can be left with D. S. Dodds, chemist, in Papanui Road, the Holmwood stores, at the Hillview supermarket in Cashmere Road, or at the hah on Thursday. The committee will even pay the freight on country parcels if the donors first telephone the secretary (Mrs Edna Cargill) at 77-706. Theft al court THERE are some places — like the Hereford Street police headquarters, or the precincts of the Supreme Court — where you would expect the light-fingered to restrain their impulses out of a sense of sheer self-preservation. But some cheekv felon has been at work around the Supreme Court lately. A judge’s associate had her purse stolen not long ago, and now Mrs Eileen Polson, who makes the tea at court, has had her purse containing about S5O stolen from a table right outside the office of the Sheriff of Christchurch (Mr P. D. Clancy). Dangerous ties

STRIPED ties of the regimental variety are dominating the display racks in men’s wear stores. A Christchurch man who has sworn never to wear one • again has a word of can- ; tion for the unwary. He I bought a tie of interesting I stripes at a sale a few I years ago. The first time i he wore it into his favour- i ite pub. a man of military • bearing steamed up to him, I dropped anchor alongside, i and barked: "You don’t I look old enough to be a i member of the Ex Royal ; Navalmen’s Association" • He grabbed rhe unwitting imposter by the knot of the tie and nearly strangled j him in his rage. GARRY ARTHUR.