Reporter's Diary

Press, 27 November 1980, Page 2

Reporter's Diary

All they want . . . SANTAS these days have to be right up with the latest developments and know all the names of the new toys and games, because most children seem to know already exactly what they want for Christmas. It’s nothing as simple as a bicycle or two front teeth. Farmers and Haywrights had their third annual Father Christmas phone-in session on Tuesday evening, and with his usual dexterity, Santa managed to answer 20 telephones at the same time. In just two hours, he logged 1800 requests from boys and girls, aged from three to 11, and coming from all over Christchurch. Some calls even came in from the country. “It’s a very demanding job for a Santa,” said the advertising manager of the store. Mr Bill Scott, who listened in to a lot of the calls. “He didn’t even have time for a cuppa.” Some of the calls started to come in at 5.30 p.m. on the direct line to Santa, but none of the 20 lines were answered until the official 6 pun. starting time. “At six o’clock, all 2C lights on the switchboard suddenly lit up. It was an amazing sight,” Mr Scott said.

. . . for Christmas SADLY, not all ths childdren who tried to telephona-. Father Christmas

on Tuesday evening got through. But most of them did, and those who missed could always. come and see him when the roof above the store opened on December 10, Mr Scott said. What about those who did get through? What did most of those 1800 boys and girls want to find in their Christmas stocking? Quite a few wanted something called the “Operation” game, and a lot would have liked the new “Simon” game. (It’s funny how these newfangled games always come out in plenty of time for Christmas buying). But by far the most popular present of all, Mr Scott said, was a plain old pair' of roller skates. Solo skier

SNOW on ‘he Port Hills yesterday morning and a thick, whitp mantle on the Southern Alps brought several inquiries from hopeful skiers. Would Mount Hutt reopen at the week-end? Unfortunately, no. The shortage of petrol has nothing to do with it Much as Mount Hutt would have liked to be able to boast that it stayed open to December this year, it had to close last week after ‘ strong north-westerly winds and a warm spell turned the snow into slush. “There just isn’t a thick enough base, on the .ski-field now

for , ski-ing,” said the chairman of the Mount Hutt Ski company, Mr Peter Yeoman, yesterday. “Even though there has been a lot of snow in the last two days, it just is not suitable for ski-ing.” However, one skier will make the most of the late snowfall. Miss Jamie Marshall, a ski-ing journalist from Vermont, who writes for the American “Powder” magazine, will be given VJ.P. treatment by the company today.' Mount Hutt will open specially for the day so that she can take a look at the field, making her the last skier on the mountain this year. However, if she wants to ski more than the lower platter lifts, she will have to walk up the slopes herself. When the ski-field closed last week, all the staff were sent home, and so the T-bar lifts will not be working. Warts and all!

TEACHERS usually go to a lot of trouble when expecting a ■ visit from a .member of Parliament or other prominent public figures. But perhaps they should not, suggests an item in the November issue of the Kindergarten Teachers’ Association newsletter. "Perhaps we are defeating our purpose,” it says. “Shouldn’t they see a kindergarten as it really is?” The item, which comes an Auckland kindergarten teacher, relates what happened when the local member of Parliament

popped in for an unex-, pected visit. Of three teachers, there was only one on duty. One was off sick, and the other- had gone home sick during the day. Thirty-eight children had just arrived for the eight of whom had only just started kindergarten, and so a large group of mums had stayed on to help; them settle in. "Then the Public Health Nurse arrived and wanted to count the toilets and find out how many children were on the roll, anddear little Mandy, our intellectually handicapped child, chose that moment to saturate herself. Chaos reigned supreme. I can assure you, that one M.P. now knows only too well the needs of a kindergarten teacher.” Footing it IF THE petrol-tanker drivers continue their strike much longer, the Lands and Survey Department’s “Get off the roads and walk” promotion next week may prove something of a necessity for. ev«. eryone. The department is organising a “Walkweek” campaign .to persuade people to “discover the real New Zealand” by walking instead of drivings The promotion is particu? larly aimed at the walkways round Christchurch. but if people are unable to ■ buy petrol or catch buses next week to get to work,y they may well be walking, instead of driving.