Reporter's Diary

Press, 31 March 1980, Page 2

Reporter's Diary

Emblem for 1981 NEXT YEAR is'' designated au the International Year of Disabled Persons, and the United Nations has selected the above design as its'emblem for the’year. It represents "two people holding hands in solidarity and support of each other in a position of equality, and it is intended to reflect equality, hope and support,” says the chairman of the New Zealand committee (Ms- Ann Ballin) ■' Belated jubilee BETTER late than never, the Arthur’s Pass township will celebrate its jubilee on Easter Saturday and Sunday. The township was founded in 1929, six years after the opening of the Otira Tunnel. The Arthur’s Pass people intended to hold their jubilee celebrations last October. But, for various reasons, ' they were prevented" from.’holding it for. another-five months. The organisers arg expecting a good turnout for the week-end’s jubilee events. On Easter Saturday, there will'be a walk over' the pass to Otira.' a church service in the evening, followed by the annual meeting ofT the Arthur’s Pass Association,,- a film and supper.” On Easter Day there -.willy be ’ a morning,; race to the top of the low' peak- of Mount Bealey.-and - back, via the shingle slide,

a wheelbarrow race in the afternoon, - and a buffet dinner 1 at the ' Chalet Restaurant in the evening. Early exhibits DURING the Arthur’s Pass jubilee celebrations at Easter, there will be a display of paintings, photographs and handcrafts in the Park Headquarters. As well as exhibits from the Canterbury. Musejv and the Robert McDougall Art Gallery,/there will be several photographs from the photographic library of “The Press” in the display: The organisers are hoping to hear from some of the' early bach owners at Arthur’s Pass, ithe secretary, Mr Len ; Harvey, has been having difficulty in tracing all of them, and he would be interested to hear from . anyone who knows anything about the early cottages at the pass and who owned them. His telephone number is 41005.

Songs of tear RANNERDALE Veterans’ Home, in Upper Riccarton, is the next venue for the Robert McDougall Art •Gallery’s . Outreach programme a one-woman revue of stories, verses and songs aimed at bringing, art into the community/ Called “Collections of a Magpie.” with Mrs Jill Wilcox,.The magpie, the revue has so far visited 14 different venues in Christ--hurch since it began, las* October. For the Rannerdale visit. Mrs Wilcox who adapts each performance to the particular audience, would Fke to present several old wartime songs, such as “Lili Marlene.” or some of the rVera-Lvnn.-favourites. To ♦his end. she would like to 'hear from anyone who ■could provide her with the . • words and music. Her •' teiephone.numbgr; is.-.- 555-. 243.

Hats off WHILE last year’s graduates from the University of Canterbury are busying themselves in preparation, for the Capping ceremonies, traditionally held in May,, they may be interested to learn that, at some universities in Britain, caps are the subject of some controversy. Not long ago, a small revolution took place at Oxford University where only since the end of February have women students been allowed to discard their soft caps (described _ by female dons as reminiscent of “dead pancakes”) for mortar boards. The decision to change the rules about academic headgear has been; taken because Oxford is about to have its first female proctor, - Miss Theodora Cooper'. -As all Oxonians apparently know, the main function of proctors is to Constantly doff their caps at degree ceremonies, and realising that doffing dead pancakes could provide difficulties, the Vice-Chan-cellor has decreed that Miss Cooper and all others of her sex may now wear mortar boards. •- To cap it all AT CAMBRIDGE University, women have had the right to: wear . mortar hoards for a long time. But at St Andrew’s University, in Scotland, mortar boards are worn only hv women. Apparently, when girls were first Admitted to St Andrew’s ♦ t the end of the last century, the men were so disgusted that thev went en masse to the end of the nier- and huHed their trerichards, as they call mortar boards in Scotland, into ' the sea. -They have gone bare-headed ever since.