Reporter’s diary

Press, 19 August 1982, Page 2

Reporter’s diar y

Royal approval NOT many 10-year-old girls in Christchurch can share the delight of 'Anna Morten in having a personal letter on Buckingham Palace notepaper. Anna is enthusiastic about the Royal Family, and so when her ’ grandmother, Mrs Jeannie McLeod, knitted a bonnet, bootees, and mittens for young Prince William. Anna sent them, with a letter, to Princess Diana' In it, she told the princess a good deal about herself, and expressed the hope that the Princess was happy having had a boy. “I hope your husband is happy, too," she said. A lady-in-waiting at the Palace, Mrs Lavinia Baring, has sent a reply: “The Princess of Wales," she says, “has asked

me to send you her sincere thanks for your letter and for the beautifully knitted bonnet, bootees, and mittens for Prince William. Her Royal Highness appreciates your kindness and has asked me to thank you most warmly." Out of date

SOME of the more humorous cases which come before the courts were related by Judge Mason, of Papakura, a former West Coaster, at a Hokitika Rotary Club forum this week. He told of an “old client” who appeared on charges of stealing a black pudding and a transistor radio. The explanation was that he stole the pudding because he was hungry and the radio to listen to music while he was eating. The

witness in a traffic-offence case-told the court that the accused motor-cyclist was “doing 70.” Asked by a traffic officer whether he. meant miles or kilometres, the witness replied that “it must have been kilometres. Didn’t you know \ that miles went out years ago?”

Read all about it THERE is a branch library at Faringdon in Berkshire, according to the “Daily Telegraph.” One of the books on its register is “How to Start and Run Your Own Business.” Without fail, the newspaper says, every person who has borrowed , the book has had to be sent a reminder that it was overdue, and has paid a fine on it.

Double dividend A RACING syndicate based in a Christchurch hotel had reason for doubly celebrating recently. It runs a telephone account at the T.A.B. and the chairman relayed the bets on the Saturday morning, only to be told that the syndicate’s selection — horse No. 5 in race three — was scratched. So, without consulting the form guide, he reversed it to horse three in race five. The latter nag won, returning about. $BO. But, to the syndicate’s horror,. the original choice actually started and won at odds of 18 to one' — that return would have been a little oveK $2OO. The manager of the T.A.B. was consulted, the telephone tapes ■ were

checked, and the final outcome was i total boost to the funds of more than $2BO. A more lucrative Christmas pay-out is now in store. Hand-downs ACCORDING to “Aviation Week and Space Technology,” President Reagan will soon be flying in a new Air Force One aircraft. It is -likely, the magazine says, to be a DCIO formerly owned by Sir Freddie Laker. Disposable A SAN FRANCISCO hotel bar has a cocktail called N “Cardtable.” The barman explains to puzzled clients that “after you’ve had a couple, your legs fold under you.”