Reporter's diary

Press, 16 April 1981, Page 2

Reporter's diary

Eyes front PRINCE Charles’ visit has been almost .a windfall for the diary. Before he arrived, the fence surrounding the Christchurch Girls’ High School tennis courts was covered with spray-painted

graffiti on both street frontages. But the steam-clean-ing machine was out on the Armagh Street side before the Royal entourage passed. Spot the di fference in the picture. Perhaps a complete job should have been done. Help! A "LOATHSOME substance called Vegemite” has caused an expatriate English woman, now living in Australia, to appeal to Prince Charles for help. “If and when you become our Gover-nor-General,” she wrote in a letter from Melbourne to Buckingham Palace, "as well as Lady Di, could you please bring us supplies of Marmite?” The Prince’s assistant replied that the request would be borne in mind, but’ suggested that the woman should not be over-hopeful. Beat the gun STARTS of SfcMun run - are .normally a shaiAbles, and the Rotary club’s effort in" Ashburton By.the time the-starter, who) was present by invitation,

got his gun to fire, 199 of the 200 runners had moved off. Only one remained, awaiting the official order. The cloud of smoke and the "bang” indicated that he may have been safer following the example of the 199. First hand ONE of the worst spots of flooding on central city streets yesterday, was on the corner of Latimer Square and- Worcester Street, because of a blocked drain. The flooding was directly opposite the North Canterbury Catchment and Regional Water Board offices. Famine relief EVEN if the international UNICEF-appeal reaches its target for. East African famine relief, the affected people in drought and povertystricken areas would effectively get just §2.65 each. A local spokesman for the organisation said •; that, there were 20 million; people at risk, and the target was $53 million. The regional- com*' -mittee -chairman, .Mrs? IL. Baird, is accepting donations,

at 92C Glandovoy Road, Christchurch. Unlikely THE MILK Promotion Council sent out a press release this week, claiming that its new television commercial which features Murray the Farmer and his “Girls” (cows), is an instant hit with school children throughout New Zealand. A council spokesman said that "within just two days of first showing, the commercial was being quoted by children in playgrounds all ' over the country.” The council must have a network of junior informants. Such quotes from the ad, such as “Where-are we going? — Milking with Murray” are, we are led to believe, being bandied about by the juniors continuously. It is more likely that they are being sarcastic, especially since “Fair Go” viewers this week voted it one of the three worst ads on television. To add insult to that injury, Mr Guido de Bres, the executive secretary, of Manawatu -Federated Farmers,'called it an insult to the farming