Reporter's Diary

Press, 29 April 1978, Page 2

Reporter's Diary

Back to front MEMBERS of the News Media Club netball team were issued with their own club T-Shirts during practice at the Hagley Park courts. All but one of the players were wearing brassieres, and so there was very little coyness about making the change of clothing on the spot. But to avoid embarrassment to the others, the bra-less one modestly turned her back on the netball courts as she drew her old T-shirt over her head. The player, an exceedingly shapely young woman by all accounts, was blissfully unaware that her act was treating appreciative traffic on nearby Hagley Avenue to a full-frontal view. Rain to blame THE STATE of graves in the returned servicemen’s section of the Ruru Lawn Cemetery 7 was very upsetting to a number of people who visited the cemetery on Anzac Day. Mr G. W. Levy, of Wainoni described it as a case of “blatant disrespect to our late loved ones.” He and his wife found that a whole row of headstones

had disappeared under about 10cm of soil on which grass was growing". City Council officials said no disrespect was intended to the families of those with relatives buried in that section of the cemetery. The whole area had been topdressed and resown with grass seed just before Christchurch experienced its worst-ever week of rain. Everything had turned to mud. and although cemetery workers had done their best to clear it all away from the sunken headstones in the one fine day before Anzac Day, they had not been successful. Bag of clocks A MERIVALE family which has lived in the same house for the last decade found the usual residue of the years when it came time to move house this week. The husband is a compulsive hoarder, and his wife was not entirely surprised when no fewer than five old alarm clocks were unearthed from cupboards and boxes. All were disinclined to work for more than a short time, and so were consigned to a blue plastic rubbish bag in the

bedroom of Peter, aged 13. Peter went to bed about 9 p.m., but appeared again at 10 p.m., rather put out. He had been awakened by a loud and mysterious chorus of ticking but his long search of all cupboards, cases, boxes, and shelves had failed to find the cause. .1 new one IF the English language is a living thing, the Values Party is doing its best to help evolution along. Its most recent election publication spurns the titles “chairman,” “chairwoman,” and even “chairperson” in favour of something completely different — “chairer.” Her cue A WELL KNOWN Christchurch identity, now retired, was reclining peacefully in front of the television set one recent evening when a commercial appeared in which a man held up a paintbrush and said: “Look, this paint won’t drip.” Quick as a flash, his wife retorted: “Look, this drip won’t paint.” It had the right effect; when last seen, the husband was hunting the town for housepaint at bargain prices. Local lotteries GAMBLING as a source of local-body finance has come to London while the idea is still being touted in New Zealand. Littlewoods, the football pools people, in conjunction with an American concern, are launching municipal lotteries this week on behalf of London’s local authorities. The City Corporation, the Greater London Council, and the 15 borough councils taking part are each said to be guaranteed £40,000 (NZ73.000) a week income. Punters are reckoned to have a better than 13 to one chance of winning prizes of up to $lOOO ($1800). The organisers plan to sell tickets through shops, super-

markets, and kiosks all over London, including those boroughs which are not taking part in the lottery. Those that are taking part will use the money for public amenities, recreation facilities, sponsorship of the arts, and environmental projects.

set/ Cross helped THE RED CROSS Society has enabled a worried New Zealand mother to talk by telephone to her I badly injured son who is j encased in plaster in hospital at Seville, Spain. Robin Edward, aged 26, of Tahuna, Waikato, was travelling through Spain with a brother when their van was burgled. They gave chase, and Mr Edward jumped off a bridge parapet to head off the thieves. He broke his back and both legs in the jump and was taken to hospital at Seville. Only brief details reached Mrs Edward at Tahuna, but the Red Cross Society got in touch by telex with the Spanish Red Cross in Madrid. An English-speak- j ing representative went to Seville to see the injured man, and arranged for him to telephone his mother from his hospital bed. The Spanish Red Cross also . put him in touch with I English-speaking families 5 in Seville. Mr Edward, . who has both arms in plaster, and another plaster cast from the neck ; down, expects to be in | hospital for another three 1 months. His little joke A SUBURBAN garage : owner has been having I fun at the National Party’s I expense. He bought tickets I in a recent Labour Party raffle and filled in the stubs with such names as 1 Minogue, Young. Taiboys, i and Muldoon. The “Muldoon” ticket won the $3OO prize, and the winner says ' that some of the winnings j will be contributed to | party funds — the Labour i Party, that is. — Garry Arthur