Reporter’s diary

Press, 23 September 1981, Page 2

Reporter’s diary

Vintage stuff AMERICAN INTEREST in things old and things strange has meant that Mr Harry Close, of Dunedin Street, Christchurch, the proud owner of an immaculate 1926 Model T Ford, is the subject of an article in an American magazine, “Ford Time,” On January 30 this year, “The Press” carried a story on Mr Close and this is the basis of the article by Clarice Robinson Cox. The story says: “Old cars and old people are both treated with great respect in New Zealand — the elders for their contributions, the cars for their monetary value. Even New Zealanders found it interesting when ‘The Press’ revealed that a 1926 Model T Ford has been owned by one man since 1929 and cared for by one serviceman, Mr Roh Payton, for 30 years — and before that by Mr Payton’s employer. Sellers constantly advertise, T owner only!' — but one service place too? Match that. Browning’s ‘Grow old along with me, the best is yet to be!’ wasn't written about a man and his Ford but it might just apply. As they say in warm approval in New Zealand, ‘Good on you!' And I say equally good on the owner, the serviceman and the cosseted but capable 1926 Model T.” The article on Mr Harry Close was sent by Mr Henry Close, of Branford, Connecticut. Mice one v. RIOTS, unemployment and the falling pound were put

into the background last week when England took on the massed might of Europe and won. England might not be able to match Europe in soccer, but when it comes to building robot mice, British is best — and not just by a squeak. The doyen of Euromice is Thumper. After fighting its way through a week of preliminary heats, the guided mousile could not be trapped into a false move in finding its way to the centre of the 14-foot square maze used in the Paris final. And to crown a triumphant night for the whiskered robots from across the Channel, a London mouse called Stirling finished second — but that is another tale. Hide and seek NEW ZEALAND’S, prowess as the Commonwealth’s best in submarine hunting will be on the line off the Queensland coast this week. No. 5 squadron of the Royal New Zealand Air Force, operating Orion maritime patrol aircraft from Whenuapai air base, will attempt to retain the prized Fincastle Trophy that an Orion crew won in Britain last year. In the Fincastle competition the results from a day and a night mission to-detect and “attack” an evading submarine decides the winner. New Zealand has won the competition twice. A Sunderland flyingboat was victorious in 1964 and an Orion won last year. Australia, Canada and Great Britain are the other countries taking part.

Omnipotent MOST READERS will be aware that the Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon) is a man of many facets, but Gallic aplomb is not often to the forefront of these. After the Cabinet meeting on Monday, he met reporters with a reference to the power canal at Ruahihi, near Tauranga, which burst on Sunday spewing hundreds of tonnes of water, mud, and rock across surrounding farmland. The power station, which is fed by water from the canal, has been running since March, but was officially opened by Mr Muldoon on Saturday, hours before the burst. Indeed, as Mr Muldoon noted, he had “driven across the top of that thing.” His next quote was ready, apt, and delivered wryly: “Apres moi, le deluge." Want not WHEN Australians order a Chinese meal in New Zealand there is a chance that a mix-up might occur. Recently a party of six young men from across the Tasman ordered a number of dishes in a Christchurch cafe, including a dozen wontons. Their gastronomic juices turned acidic when the waitress assured the party on delivery of the first two plates of a dozen wontons each that the other 10 plates of a dozen wontons were being prepared and would not be long. Square balls RUBIC CUBES, the latest cubic craze to sweep the world, is difficult to explain to anyone who has not experienced the phenomenon which is expected to sell 20 million games world-wide this year. A Rubic cube consists of 27 rotatable cubelets in six different colours. When purchased the cubelets are so arranged that each of the master cube’s six faces presents a single colour. These are then jumbled up and the aim is to return the cube to its original design. To inform readers on the, size of the cube, the “Fiji Times” described the cube “as about the size of a square tennis ball.” For those who have never seen. a square tennis ball, nor a Rubic cube, they can guess the size of the game.