Reporter's diary

Press, 28 October 1981, Page 2

Reporter's diary

Labour shaver ■THE WILKINSON Sword group has promised the successful election candidates a free gift, a Labour candidate has informed us. A subsidiary company, Bryant and May, is also participating in the election promotion, by supplying the matches for the-miniature Beehive model that will be presented to the leader of the winning party. Wilkinsons are giving a shaver to the men and a paper sword to the women who are elected to Parliament. “There will be no consolation prizes for unsuccessful candidates,” said a spokesman, “because Wilkinson Sword no longer manufactures cut-throat razors.” Wrong pick AN ELDERLY race-goer from Christchurch, at the Rangiora Labour Day meeting, left the public enclosure late in the afternoon. She told her two companions that she would wait ; for them in the car. She settled herself in the back seat, mentally ap-

plauding her decision to get out of the rain. Then she waited . . . and waited; the last race on the programme was long since over, but there was still no sign of the men folk. It was “The Press” to the rescue. Two racing reporters told her that she was in the wrong car — at 6.10 p.m., which was about the same time that the two companions were parking their red Honda Civic outside the Rangiora police station. Our racing reporters promised the bewildered punter a ride home to Christchurch, but their red Honda Civic passed the police station and the passenger was reunited with her companions. She intended telling her regular driver to choose another colour when' he replaced his car in a few weeks time. Support act “MOMMIE Dearest,” the film about the late film star, Joan Crawford’s harsh treatment of her adopted daughter, is attracting special interest amongst the American homosexual community.

There is a scene in the film where Miss Crawford “thrashes the living daylights” out of her daughter with a wire coat-hanger, wrote one English columnist. He said that, as the action unfolded, gays in the audience were re-enacting it in the aisles, with their own coathangers. Hopefully, the scene is a short one. Penal wait SHIFT workers who have set start and finish times would have enjoyed the introduction of daylight saving time, but the summer smiles will disappear fast when the sunsaver ends on March 7, next year. Then they might have to work nine hours for eight hours’ pay. Incidentally, it was amusing to hear some younger citizens, at 4 p.m. on Sunday, insisting that it was 3 p.m. because “the Government’s trying to tell us what the time is. ...” Fish glut ELIZABETH Taylor, the actress, has confounded her cynics with only a modest demand for change to her

next dressing room. Miss Taylor, apparently, is renowned for her ability to make tornado-like sweeps backstage, demanding complete refurbishments. She will make her London stage debut next year, at the Victoria Palace in a performance of Lillian Hellman’s “The Little Foxes.” She asked simply for an aquarium to “relax in front of” to be placed in her dressing room before the show. The public’s response to the request has been staggering. Already the theatre has been inundated with offers from a goldfish bowl to a wall-sized display featuring exotic fish of all sorts. “We are awaiting instructions on precisely what fish Miss Taylor would like,” a theatre spokesman said. Vintage offer SHE (in a suburban wine shop): “I want something white, suitable for taking to a party.” He (next in the queue): “How about me?” Observer’s description of he: Full-bodied, light-hued, a little cheeky, limited shelf life.