Reporter's Diary

Press, 13 June 1979, Page 2

Reporter's Diary

II orth living for THE COST of dying, as much as the cost of living, may be a cause of New Zealanders leaving the country in droves. The Waimairi County Council’s finance committee was told on Monday that burial fees collected in May amounted to $952, a big drop from the $2134 collected in May last year. “Either there has been a remarkable increase in the health of county residents, or the doctors are doing a better job,” said Cr I. G. Lyons. “Or people are going overseas to be buried,” said Cr E. L. Bonisch. Sign of the times? HAVE CIGARETTE smokers been forced through impecunious times to. start usm.g roll-your-, owns in rapidly increasing numbers? Or has it been a particularly good growing season foT marijuana? These are the questions’ being asked by at least one Christchurch shopkeeper, who reports a startling increase in the sale of cigarette papers Recently. In the last few months, he says, he has’ had to stock up on supplies of the papers much more frequently than usual. At first, he says, he thought it must be because of the arrival on the black market of last sum-

mer’s cannabis crop. But now he’s' not so sure, as the demand has shown no signs of letting . up. “I think a lot of people are switching ’ to roll-your-owns because it’s a cheaper way of smoking tobacco,” he says. The plain papers are still the most popular, which supports his theory. “Serious cigarette smokers, after all, are hardly likely to smoke licorice, orange, sfrawbefry or coffee-fla-voured cigarettes. They are even less likely to use cigarette papers printed with stars and stripes or dollar' notes. People might think they were getting stoned.” Motivated AFTER SEEING on Friday the Corso film, “Fair Peal,” as, mentioned in Monday’s “Diary,” TVl’s hews . editor (Mr John Knowles) agreed to collect in the Corsd appeal on Saturday morning. “I can see why TVI. didn’t screen the film.” he said yesterday, “But that is no reason not to collect for a worthy cause.” He joins a select group of local dignitaries and personalities who have pledged their support for this year’s Corso collection. They include the Mayor of Christchurch (Mr Hamish Hay), the champion shotputter, Valerie Young, both Christchurch Bishops, the city’s public relations

officer (Mr Rodney Bryant), and the cricketer, Barry Hadlee. Neiv vocabulary SOMEWHERE BETWEEN Mona Vale and his home not far away, a pert parrot picked up a few choice profane words and added them to his vocabulary, much to the amazement, and dismay, of his owners. The stray cockatiel was looked after for two days by a kind woman who found him in a sad and sorry state. She then spotted an advertisement in “The Press” for a lost cockatiel and dialled the telephone number listed. “No, he doesn’t answer to Percival Charles,” she told the distraught person at the other end of the line. “He swears, though,” she added. “It can’t be ours, then,” the advertiser said. But, just to make sure, they agreed that the cockatiel owner should visit the next day. She arrived at the house near Mona Vale, scarcely a kilometre away as ‘ the cockatiel flies. Sure enough, the bird was indeed hers. She tried to persuade the woman who had found him that cockatiels, in trying circumstances, such is biting a stranger’s finger, can quickly learn new (and bad) words. But to no avail. Both finder and loser are now firmly convinced that the other teaches birds bad language. Only Percival Charles knows who taught him — and he’s not saying.

Saving hands AT SOTHEBY’S, in Landon, today, 2700 diamond;, ruby, emerald and pearl rings that have until now graced some of the wealthiest hands in Britain will go under the auctioneer’s hammer to raise funds for a good cause. For about $lOO, lepers who are suffering from “claw hands” — an effect .of leprosy from which 15 million people are suffering — can undergo a new operation which gives them a new hand. The idea for the sale came from Mrs Valerie Profumo, and she has persuaded such eminent women as the Queen Mother, the Duchess of Gloucester, and many others to give their unwanted rings to finance as many operations as possible. True blue IF ANY confirmation were needed that Mrs Margaret Thatcher, Britain’s new Conservative Prime Minister, has a consistent view of the world, her recent visit to the Soviet Union’s exhibition in London provides it, according to a report from London. As she stepped into the entrance hall, she turned to the Soviet Ambassador, Mr Nicolai Lunkov, and said: “Fm glad to see you’ve chosen a blue carpet.” Stumped for words. Mr Lunkov is reported to have smiled diplomatically. —Felicity Price