Random reminder

Press, 29 November 1976, Page 25

Random reminder

THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS

Mention has already ben made in this space of the unexpected benefits to be derived from perusing the “New Zealand Gazette.” It is a publication with all sorts of uses, some of them quite timely. For example, at this time of the year, everybody is racking his or her brains trying to think of Christmas presents to give members of the family which have not been given to those same members of the family by those same donors on the three or four if not the 20 or 30 previous Christmases. Here the “New Zealand Gazettee’’ comes into its own. At the back of the publication is a list of bulletins put out by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. Some of these are really quite extraordinarily fascinating. And not only are they fascinating but they

seem, to us at any rate, to constitute the ideal unusual gift. Just imagine Father s face, for instance if instead of the usual socks, which he dreads, or bottle of Scotch, which he drinks, you give him Bulletin No. 187: “Ech= inozoan Fauna of the New Zealand Subantarctic Islands. Macquarie Island and the Chatham Rise. Price 65c.” To be sure, you may feel you have to buy Father something else to go with this bulletin, in view of its amazing low price, but what publication could better be calculated to induce him to doze off on a hot summer’s afternoon? And the list of bullentins can be used creatively, or at any rate mildly maliciously. You may have the commonplace type of relative who always gives you unwearable ties or undisplayable ornaments. The way to deal with such a

person is by the judicious donation of Bulletin No. 172: “Marine Fauna of New Zealand: Spider Crabs. Family Majidae (Crustacea Brachyura).” It doesn’t say in the “Gazette” whether this bulletin is illustrated ori not, but the mere name “Spider Crabs” ought to keep the relative quiet for a bit Then again, some of the bulletins might be suitable by way of a treat for oneself, or alternatively could be sent by way of a gift to persons in the North Island in whom one wished to reinforce a subtle sense of inferiority. For example, if there is someone in Napier whom you don’t like, but to whom you feel obliged to give presents every year, what would be better calculated to induce in this person a sense of unease than the bulletin entitled “Sedimentation in Hawkes Bay?”