Reporter’s diary

Press, 1 April 1982, Page 2

Reporter’s diary

Royalty rebuffed

THREE Christchurch Royalists who sent away to England for three souvenir Royal Wedding tankards are upset by the customs duty they had to pay to bring them into New Zealand. The three tankards, made by the Ironbridge Gorge Trading Company, Ltd, of Coalport, cost $173.72. On top of that, the three had to pay $54.66 customs duty and $1 clearance

fee. They see it as an indica- • ■tion of the value the Government puts on Royalty. Secret’s in the soil YOU, TOO can grow hundreds of tomatoes from one plant. The secret is in the manure, according to Mrs Phyll Long, of Burnside, who won $lOOO for growing more than 1100 tomatoes from one plant in a competition sponsored by Gardenway Nurseries. Ltd. Her successful worm-attracting manure comprised a combination of. old bananas, vegetable peelings. meat trimmings, pulverised sheep manure, mushroom compost and waler. Funday, Sunday A “FUNDAY” visit to historic Akaroa on Sunday.

April 18, is being organised by the Canterbury and West Coast branch of the National Travel Association. Advertised as an “Akaroa Colonial day," the visit includes morning tea, a cruise on the harbour, trips to the museum, lighthouse and village, a hangi lunch, canoeing, tandem rides and gig rides. Buses will leave from five Christchurch locations at 8.30 a.m.. and the cost, of the day will be $l5 for adults and,slo for school children. Never say die THE GROUNDED Taupo veteran , aviator. Captain Fred Ladd, says he is considering climbing Mount Everest-to prove to civil aviation authorities that he is

fit enough to hold a pilot’s licence. Now aged 73, and with two artificial hip joints, Captain Ladd has persistently re-applied for his licence every year since he “lost his wings” after having a dizzy turn getting out of a hot bath in 1976. Undeterred by constant refusals even to give him a student pilot licence, Captain Ladd says he will continue to fight to prove his fitness. He climbed Mount Ruapehu last week and said afterwards that he felt “fantastic.” Civil aviation authorities were invited to witness the climb and monitor his pulse but they did not show up. He is prepared to repeat the exercise if they are willing to join him. As for an attempt on Mount Everest, Captain Ladd says he is prepared to “give it a miss” if he is given a licence. Jumping steaks RAW kang’aroo steaks are selling like hot cakes in Japan, and one Tokyo importer has ordered 4000 roos a week to be slaughtered. Jumpu Suteki — jumping steaks — made their offical debut at a function attended by about 300 “meat-starved”.. Japanese at the Australian Government’s trade office in Tokyo.. The New South Wales supplier said he had never seen people take so rapidly to roo meat. With kangaroo costing about one third the price of beef, it looks like opening a strong trade in Japan. An estimate that 300 tonnes of the meat will be exported to Japan by the end of the year is seen by some as “too' modest.”