Reporter’s diary

Press, 14 May 1982, Page 2

Reporter’s diary

Mermaids LYTTELTON shipping agents’ spirits have been buoyant during the last couple of days. The reason for this buoyancy was the arrival of two attractive young ladies at the berthing meeting, usually an all-male affair held daily in the harbourmaster’s office. Both ladies, trainee journalists from Wellington, were taken to the meeting by “The Press” shipping reporter who was showing them the workings of the Lyttelton office. They had an amazing effect on the agents, who are used to dealing with hardened old sea dogs, introductions were made, language toned down. : and ‘there was little arguing. All in all the meeting seemed to rim ' extremely smoothly. Sorry fellas, the girls were only at Lyttelton For two days.

Help signs

DISABLED drivers who encounter car trouble whilst motoring can now obtain plastic signs which can be placed on their car to attract the attentions of passing vehicles. Two types of signs are available — a yellow plastic flag with a wheel chaip symbol and the word, ‘HELP,” in lage black letters supported on a wooden pole, and a solid plastic sign with the wheelchair symbol and the word, “HELP,” in large letters (blue on a white background). The sign may be held by hand or hung on a car door. Well supported ■ CHEERING . British Army troops got a send off they will not forget as they departed for the Falkland Islands on the Queen Elizabeth II when a wife of one of

the soldiers gave an imS striptease at the pton dockside. While other wives, girl-friends and family waved a more formal goodbye to their men, Dawn Leyman, aged 22, started peeling off her white blouse. The applause increased as she uncoupled her size-36 bra and waved it in the air. A huge 30-metre crane turned aside from its vital job.of loading last-minute supplies and gently hooked Dawn’s fluttering under-garment ( lifting it high in, the air before dropping it on the deck of the liner. New life for clock HELP IS on the way for the Government Life clock. Christchurch’s biggest time piece has been off the air for nearly six months, but it is hoped the 598 bulbs will be blinking out their message bv the end.of thexmnnth.

Replacement parts for the ailing timepiece have, arrived in Auckland and are being, tested. At this stage it is not known if the old routine of having the time displayed for 40 seconds arid the temperature of 15 seconds will be repeated, or whether the temperature will be shown for longer. Help wanted

KEEN VOLUNTEERS who would like to do a bit of needlework to help lhe Court Theatre prepare its period costumes for the coming production of “Amadeus” would be greatly appreciated by the theatre. Volunteers would be needed for two to three days next week to have the costumes ready for the June 5 opening. Health first

BRITONS value their health

more than anything else and find politics a pain, according to a survey carried out by the “Telegraph” newspaper. Ninety-nine per cent of the 1076 adults questioned said health was important with the next most valued being family life and law and order. Then came friendship, home and love in that order. In an age of high unemployment, job satisfaction finished in tenth place, well above sexual relations which came in sixteenth. Sport, entertainment, holiay ; - and travel followed, with religion and politics at the bottom of the list. The report found the biggest single factor affecting happiness was marriage: Half the married people confessed to being very happy but only one in three, single people, said the same. The widowed, divorced and separated showed the; leasts satisfaction with' their ljves,|