Reporter's Diary

Press, 16 June 1979, Page 2

Reporter's Diary

Pulled the plug

JEMIMA P. DUCK is most distressed. Someone has pulled the plug on her patch of water in the middle of Hagley Park, and she has written to “The Press” in protest. ‘‘lt may be a minor matter of aesthetics to you humans,” she writes. “But to me and my friends it’s home. Has one of your officials pulled the plug? If so, would she or he mind putting it back. This happened mysteriously before and we fee! we are owed an explanation.” The following reply has been received from the Christchurch City Council: "The lake in Hagley Park has been drained for its annual maintenance, so the banks may be cleaned up and the winter air can do its worst to the water weeds. Soon all will be restored to my feathered friends, but in the meantime, could Jemima please use the sparkling waters of the Avon River. Yours in orange sauce. Donald.” Going for a birdie THE GRISLY tale of a golfer and a goose will be given an airing in the United States Courts. What is not in dispute is that on the seventeenth green of the select Congressional Country. Club course in Maryland, a local physician. Dr Sherman Thomas, did beat to death with his putter a Canada goose, a protected species and one of a pair nesting round the club’s lakes. But there are two versions of why he did it. The first — and the doctor's — is that his approach shot to the seventeenth inadvertently struck the bird, that he quickly ascertained it was mortally wounded. ■ and that he used his putter to end its misery. The second is that he "” ; is bending over a putt on the seventeenth when the goose honked, and that he conseouently missed the putt and. in a rage, slew the bird with the aforementioned putter. The Federal Fish and Wildlife Service has charged the doctor with killing a goose out of Season and with <fi' , gal'v possessing a Canada

goose. Some witnesses say that the goose left the course in the doctor’s golf bag, presumably headed for the pot. Other witnesses deny this. The law says that migratory water fowl may be killed only with shotguns firing steel pellets in a short season that ends on January 26 in Maryland. The law, needless to say, makes no mention of putters. Airport trot STARTING at noon today, at the Officers’ Club, not far from the Christchurch Airport water tower, staff from the United States Navy Antarctic Support Force will hold a brisk run around the airport in aid of Telethon. The route is 12.2 km, and anyone who wants to participate is most welcome. The run attracted 300 last year. It is open to all comers for 24 hours from noon on Saturday, and those runners who complete one or more laps wil receive a certificate. Another effort for Telethon this week-end has been organised by the Woolston Scout and Cub group, which will hold a 48-hour slot-car marathon at the scout den in St Johns Street. It will end at 8 p.m. on Sunday. Sixty boys will take part, all sponsored. Milk for Telethon IF YOU buy an extra bottle of milk on Sunday you will help Telethon and its cause this year, the International Year of the Child. Canterbury milk vendors will give 1c to Telethon this year for every litre of milk bought tomorrow. They expect to raise about $l5OO and are already on their way with a contribution of $36 from Greymouth’s four vendors. The same scheme has been adopted in other centres, and milk vendors throughout New Zealand hope to give more than $lO,OOO to Telethon. Footpath code APROPOS of yesterday’s item about the cyclist in Hagley Park who was knocked over by a group of joggers, a Cashmere man ha# written to add his comment to the ques-

tion raised in the item — who gives way to whom on the footpath. Even more distressing than the unfortunate fate of the cyclist was the fate of an elderly lady walking along the wide footpath of Lincoln Road on her way to church last Sunday week, he says. She was knocked ■ down by a group of joggers and had to be helped to her feet. Her wrist was broken and she must still be suffering from the accident. "It must surely be time that a footpath code for joggers was promulgated by those promoting the sport, so that pedestrians, especially the elderly, can use the paths in safety. Joggers must look where they are going,” he says, “and not blindly follow the pack.” Funny diagnosis AFTER visiting his doctor yesterday, a Christchurch man was sent off for tests at one of the laboratories in town. He was waiting his turn when he noticed that staff members of the laboratory were sniggering and peering furtively at him from behind office doors. Until then, the poor fellow had thought that there was very little wrong with him and that the tests were simply routine, but all the sniggering and giggling made him doubtful. But when his turn came to be tested he discovered the cause of their mirth. His doctor had put the letter “F” to indicate his sex on the form letter to the laboratory. The man is now a little concerned about his doctor. “After all,” he said. “He of all people should know about that sort of thing.” Wholesome image A $50,000 lawsuit has been filed to defend the maidenhood of comic-strip character Charlie Brown’s girlfriend Lucy. United Features, which syndicates the “Peanuts” comic strip around the world, sought damages from a Chicago advertising agency which, it said, portrayed Lucy as pregnant in a promotion for maternity wear. The suit, filed yesterday, charged that Lucy’s pregnant appearance was degrading and offensive, and tarnished her wholesome comic-strip image as a young unmarried girl. —Felicity Price