Reporter's Diary

Press, 6 November 1978, Page 2

Reporter's Diary

/Jig /*«g WHAT must surely be one of the best bags for the opening day of the angling season on Saturday was the seven brown 51b trout caught by Mr J. Jenman, of Christchurch. He was in a group of four fishing in the Ashburton Gorge,

and while the other three ate their breakfast, Mr Jenman caught three of his seven trout. One of his companions caught five, and another caught none at all, much to his chagrin. Mr Jenman we believe, caught six trout on opening day two years ago. Heats the Blits ON A recent day in London all essential services co-operated on a scale “larger than anything since the Blitz,” as part of a flood rehearsal for the citv. The Thames Gas Board, the London Electricity Board, the Water Board, the Post Office, the Army, British Rail, London Transport, selected hospitals, the police, and fire and ambulance services all went on full alert for the exercises. Londoners themselves did not participate but they responded to a survey the day after the exercise to see how many had heard the sirens. The cost of the exercise was $200,000, which will be borne by ratepayers. One piece of valuable advice offered by the authorities, in return for this sum, is: “If your area is flooded, we suggest you go upstairs.” Tables turned STUDIO 54. the New York discotheque notorious for refusing admission to potential customers who fail to reach its exacting standards of fame and fashion, itself faced the ignominy of probably having its plans for a London Studio 54 turned down by Greater London Council plan-

nets. In a thoughtful cosmetic exercise it staged a strategic withdrawal of its planning application for the club premises until all the fuss has died down. The club’s proprietors have engaged a publicrelations firm to counter fears that the club will be noisy. The company engaged, helped persuade the United States that landings by the Concorde were not ear-splitting. Star struck A CHRISTCHURCH man tells us that when he visited Los Angeles not long ago he went into a bookshop to buy a star map. He was interested in astronomy, and hoped to check certain features of the northern skies. However, he had not reckoned with one of the more prominent tourist attractions of Los Angeles. The girl in the bookshop handed him four star maps from which to choose — all of them maps of Hollywood showing where the film stars live. Lifeline IRREGULAR mail deliveries are a sore point with Chatham Island residents. The service has _ never been good, and it is said to be getting worse. There is no television on the Chathams, and radio reception is dependent on tall • aerials and strong receivers. A Kaikoura resident who has just returned from a five-week stay on the islands found the people there far from satisfied with the mail service. One unconfirmed report said that on one occasion, the Post Office in Wellington had forgot?en to send mail to an aircraft bound for the Chathams, another that mail had had to give way to freight and a third that someone had managed to get a consignment of liquor but no mail with that delivery

f Slow boat SURFACE Christmas mail to New Zealand from Britain closed ••n October 9, the “Guardian” newspaper reported recently. According to a spokesman from London’s Central Post Office, “the date was determined by. factors outsi' - the control of the British Pos. Office. The New Zealand Post Office advised us that surface mails from Britain had to be in their hands by December 4. The only ship available, to us to meet that deadline — and it has numerous- ports of call en route —- is set to leave Britain soon.” This gives rise to conjecture that not only,is the mail in a slow boat to New Zealand, but it will also be on a slow train once it gets here — the New Zealand Post Office has allowed three weeks for delivery in time for Christmas. Fair enough! A NOTICE board in a Christchurch office, we hear, bears the following announcement to staff: “There will be no staff Christmas party this year,, owing to the staff Christmas party last year.” —Felicitv Price