Reporter's Diary

Press, 26 May 1979, Page 2

Reporter's Diary

Drawing the line

THE TRICKY question of where one Christchurch suburb ends and another begins has been raised by a reader who wants to know why the Wainoni Post Office is in Aranui and the Aranui Post Office is in Wainoni. To the local residents, the question is no doubt a good one, as the two post offices are not far apart and do seem to encroach into their neighbouring suburb. But a quick glance at “The Press” map of Christchurch shows that the Wainoni Post Office is closer to Wainoni Road and to the suburb of Wainoni than it is to Aranui. The Chief Postmaster at Christchurch (Mr E. A. G. Grandi) says it would take “a better man than 1 to decide where to say one suburb ends and another begins. But I don’t really think the block of shops in Hampshire Street, where the Wainoni Post Office is situated, is Aranui.” By another name ANYONE who has spent some time in hospital will be familiar with the nicknames given to the nurses who come round in the mornings to take blood samples from patients. A

reader said yesterday that there were 'several' nicknames for these nurses, including “leeches,” “vampires,” and even “bleeding nurses.” But, he said, he had just learned the proper names for the nurses of the needles. “Officially, they are known as venesectionists and phlebotomists,” he said. “No wonder they don’t mind some of their nicknames.” Mystery car TRAFFIC officers in Auckland have temporarily turned detc -fives to try to trace the owner of a $lO,OOO XJ6 Jaguar car, which was abandoned on a street in Remuera in February. In that time, the unlocked car has not been reported stolen and, even more amazing, it has not been attacked by vandals or converted by thieves. The only things wrong with it are a flat battery and two flat tyres. But what baffles the traffic officers is that the owner cannot be found. He was traced to an address in the East Coast Bays, but the house was unoccupied. A check with his employer showed that he had left his job suddenly and had gone to North America. If he has not been found within two months, the Auckland City

Council, which has the car in its pound, will apply for magisterial permission to auction it.

Breadwinners A READER of the March issue of the “Labour and Employment Gazette,” put out by the Department of Labour, telephoned yesterday to comment on signs of inequality. This time, it is the women who are coming out on top, he says. On pages 47 and 48, the publication shows that women have been earning an average of $4.77 an hour, while men have been earning only $3.83 an hour. In spite of the desirability, from a feminine viewpoint, of such a state of affairs, it appears that the columns designating gender have become muddled. However, it does, for a while at least, give the impression that women have become the breadwinners. Open day NEXT MONTH, the Christchurch Fire Service will hold an open day in aid of the Telethon. On display will be turntable ladders, fire-safety equipment and methods, and rescue services, and there will be demonstrations of fire-fighting methods. It will be held at the Central Fire Station, in Kilmore Street, on June 9. All proceeds will go to the Telethon, which this year is in aid of the International Year of the Child.

Flying low THE AUSTRALIAN tourist industry had a boost earlier this week with an Air New Zealand plane which flew extra low over the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. The flight was undertaken for promotional photographs for a General Electric calendar. The DC-10 aircraft has a General Electric engine. An Air New Zealand spokesman said the photograph was taken from a high-rise vantage spot in Lavender Bay. The calendar would be distributed throughout the world. He said Air New Zealand also took film of the plane passing over the bridge, and the film would be shown as an international cinema advertisement. The plane, piloted by Captain L. McCreddy, was a regular flight from Auckland with 181 passengers on board. It was given a special clearance from the Australian Department of Transport and air traffic control to fly over the harbour at 1500 ft instead of the usual 3000 ft. Up the spout AMONG recent runners at Lingfield Park racecourse in Surrey was a horse called Tea Pot. The jockey, appropriately enough, was M. Kettle. But punters who hoped for a cosy win got only the dregs. -—Felicity Price