Reporter's Diary

Press, 25 March 1980, Page 2

Reporter's Diary

Favoured felines WHILE by-laws are generally very specific about; dogs. : comparable rules and regulations about cats are few and far between, the Arthur’s Pass National Park Board discovered yesterday. A survey had been conducted in the Arthur’s Pass township to determine the number and variety of domestic pets in the town. Two geese, a lizard, a frog, and an assortment of cats and dogs were found to be living there. The park board encountered difficulty in determining just exactly who was allowed to have what, as the land in the township comprises Railways land. Crown land, and privately owned land. Although there were bylaws prohibiting dogs in the area, no-one could find anything referring specifically to cats. After a long discussion, the park board decided that no cats would be permitted in the park. But the board made a special allowance for the cats already there and owned by permanent residents of the Arthur’s Pass township. The cats will be allowed to remain there for the remainder of their nine lives. Tugs-df-uar ABOUT 30 teams are- expected to take part in the

Christchurch tug-of-war championships during the Ferrymead annual festival at Easter. Various local taverns and businesses' have been ' sponsoring teams, who have recently restarted the Tug-of-War Association, and they .will’ compete for the grand prize in front of the crowds at the festival, which will begin on Easter Saturday and run for three days. Other attractions of the festival include a glassblowing demonstration, marching teams, and demonstrations of dog obedience. All the working exhibits at Ferrymead will be- going, and the temporary post office there will be officially opened. Special first-day covers of the Ferrymead commemorative cancellation stamp, will be on.sale.

Favourable mention PATRICIA Payne, a New Zealander who has been a member of 'Covent Garden, London; for the last five years, has had favourable mention in the “New York Times” for her recent performance as Ulrica in the Metropolitan Opera’s new production of “Un Ballo in Maschera.” It had been her debut role at the' Met, •the.. “New York' Times” critique said, and ‘ “she performed her relatively brief but crucial duties

most ably. Her voice had the requisite strength in the lower range and the top had power if some wobble in tone. She was particularly successful in using the text to project Ulrica’s sinister qualities.”

850th anniversary A SUMNER reader, who wishes to remain anonymous, has been chosen to lead a group of pilgrims who will walk from the Tower of London to Rochester Cathedral, 55km east of London, in July. The occasion is to celebrate the 850th anniversary of the founding of Rochester Cathedral, which featured in “The Press” a few weeks ago. The cathedral, and other Rochester landmarks, are often to be seen in background scenes in the television series, “Softly, Softly, Task Force.” Our informant says that a party of 50 pilgrims will walk from Normandy to Rochester (sailing across the English Channel) to mark the journey of the monk Gundulph, who founded Rochester Cathedral 850 years ago. Other groups, of which our informant is one, will converge on the Tower of London, which Gundulph also built, and then all the pilgrims will gather at Tonbridge, where they will sleep in the church halls for two nights before joining the 1000-strong rally at Rochester Cathedral.

Sign of the times? IN THE BUSY Finchley Road, in North London, an arresting sign caught many a motorist’s attention not long ago, it was reported in the “Daily Telegraph” newspaper. With the insignia of the Royal Automobile Club in the top left corner, the sign said, “Secret Army, keep right.” Among those Londoners not in the know, speculation ran rife. Was it an even more sinister site than the one already revealed for the Post Office telephones security branch? Was it a warning to extreme Leftwingers to mend their ways before it was too late? Those who had been troubled were soon enlightened. The Royal Automobile Club had been asked to point the way to an exhibition connected with the 8.8.C.’s television series about wartime occupied Europe, “Secret Army,” which is now being screened in New Zealand. Fitness freak A READER reports hearing the following from a friend: “I’d say I was pretty fit for a man of 60. First thing in the morning I bend down and touch my bedroom slippers 50 times. Then, if I feel up to it, I get out of bed and put them on.”