Reporter's Diary

Press, 2 October 1979, Page 2

Reporter's Diary

(t >1 lector s’ items

LONG AGO, when the nearest thing to an oxidation pond was an open drain in a city street, the nearest thing to a deodorant was a tiny silver box called a vinaigrette. Whenever the people of Georgian and Victorian England got a whiff of something unpleasant, they opened their little silver boxes which contained aromatic herbs and spices, and took a sniff — delicately or vigorously, depending on the nastiness of the offending smell. A selection of five antique sterling-silver vinaigrettes will be on display in a Christchurch gallery from Wednesday. Vinaigrettes, it seems, are a special collector's item, because no two are the same. The smaller the vinaigrette, the higher the price. Those on display range front $350 to almost $6OO — prices that are not to be sniffed at. Vice-like A BRITISH exponent of moral rearmament, in Christchurch yesterday as par<. of a tour of New Zealand, produced a small book by Sydney Cook and Garth Lean. Called “The Black and White Book.” the tiny volume is subtitled “A handbook for

revolution.” It claims to be a “guide to the world we live in — and how to change it,” and a “challenge in black and white for everyone.” It urges everyone to “live straight” and to “create a new society” free from violence, sex and drugs. “In the grip of sex,” it says,

“people get’ moody, selfcentred, dull-eved, badtempered, sloppy at work.” Whereas “purity gives you a sparkle and a gaiety that do not have to be put on. It satisfies you deep down.” In that case, roil on purity. Caught napping THE DINING room at one of Christchurch’s big city hotels was doing a roaring trade last Sunday evening. There was a small band — two guitarists and pianist — and the diners were dancing to the music and generally having an enjoyable time. Later in the evening, the dancers nearest the band started laughing. The ripple of laughter graduallv spread through the dining room until the staff noticed it and looked to see what it was all about. It turned out that the guitarists were playing unaccompanied. The pianist had fallen asleep on the job. his bards resting on the keyboards and his head slumped forward.

The diningroom manager tried to wake him without success. The guitarists stopped playing, put their instruments away, and left the stage. Finally, after several attempts, the pianist was woken, and an expression of abject, horror crossed his face as he realised that he had been asleep. At the same time, in an automatic reaction,' his fingers started tinkling the ivories again and he started to play the closing number — until he realised that there was no band.

4cross party lines?

EYEBROWS were raised in the bar of Brighton’s Grand Hotel, in England, at the week-end. when Mrs Margaret Thatcher walked in and chatted to delegates for the Labour Party conference. As she wandered on to the terrace of the hotel, where the conference is being held. passers-by could scarcely believe their eyes. She kissed Lord Shinwell, the Labour peer saying: "We’d better not do this too.-often — Denis will be worried.” As Lord Shinwell kissed her in return, he said with relish: “1 will get expelled from the Labour Party if this goes on.” Then the penny dropped. It wasn’t Mrs

Thatcher at all. It was the Impersonator. Janet Brown, immaculately coiffured and looking just like the Prime Minister. Private schooling THIS YEAR, for the first time, Christ’s College is doing its bit to reverse the flow of New Zealanders to Australia. It has advertised in an Australian newspaper for prospective college pupils next year. There are several reasons for taking such a step, according to the headmaster (Mr A. M. Brough). “At the time of advertising, we had the prospect of two or three empty beds in the boarding house, and so we thought we might as well try to fill them,” he said. "It’s the first time this has happened.” Mr Brough said that economic pressures in the community might have something to do with it. Another reason for advertising in Australia was the price differential, he said. “Private school fees are much higher there. The difference would be equivalent to more than three return air trips across the Tasman.” Also, the academic standard was higher than in Australia, he said. If any boys did come from Australia as a result of the advertisements, they would not be the first Australians to attend Christ’s College. Several boys have commuted from Australia in the past — most of them with New Zealand connections. Mr Brough said that so far there had been one reply to the advertisement, placed a week ago. Rrief relie f THE LATEST graffiti on the garage door in Carlton Mill Road is topical: “Let’s all enjoy ourselves while he’s away.” No prizes for guessing who “he” is.