Reporter’s diary

Press, 28 August 1982, Page 2

Reporter’s diary

Grande dame IT IS not always easy to occupy children profitably during the school holidays, but the annual quest for New Zealand’s “most fabulous grandmother” offers parents an outlet for wet days. Children from all over New Zealand are invited to tell, in their own words, why they think their grandmother is so special. The contest is sponsored each year by the Teleflower florists. The 1982 final will be in Auckland,, where nine finalists—chosen from the letters -received—will have a "gala week-end” and share in prizes valued al $7OOO. The winner will be given a 10-day luxury holiday for two in Fiji. Entries should be addressed “Fabulous Grandmother Contest,” P.O. Box 1074, Auckland. Versatile SECONDARY school-teach-ing, then some relieving work while bringing up two small children, may. not seem the best of training for getting into a furniture manufacturing business,. but Claire Mackintosh, of Ham. has managed it. She grew a .little weary of seeing splendid outdoor furniture in gloss/ magazines, and finding little that was solid and durable for outdoors in New Zealand.\So she has teamed up with V manufacturer in Christchurch,, and. production

has begun of a bananashaped reclining chair for the patio or spa pool. The further the head of the user goes back, the more the feet come up. The orders are coming in. On the map EARLIER this month, the Diary reported under the heading “Limbo” that an English travel • magazine carried a map of New Zealand showing 29 major centres, but not Christchurch. The executive officer of the-' Canterbury Promotion Council, Mr Bruce Dunstan, says:--’ “We have recovered: quickly from bur indignation,* and have written to the editor of the offending magazine. An informative Christchurch brochure and a copy of the Wizard’s ‘upside down’ map showing Christchurch in its rightful place ‘on top-of the. world’ are on their way .to London." \ Polo POLO in Canterbury started a long time' ago, .and the Ashley Polo Club is. anxious, to collect information and photographs of the game in. its earlier days, particularly when it was played at Hagley Park. The club may publish a history in a souvenir programme, if enough material comes to hand The ' Ashley club will .be playing ■ its games in the. middle of A ■ ■■■" ’ ■

Riccarton Racecourse this summer, and is keen to promote the game in any way it can. Anyone with information about polo history, or pictures, is asked to get in touch with Michael O’Neill, The Bluff Cottage, RD Horor.ata, or telephone him at 790-588 in business hours. Down the hatch TWO travellers intrigued by apparent -fluctuations in the price of a certain brand of beer decided to sacrifice a Tittle of their time and a lot of their money to carry out an unofficial survey. ■ The canned variety cost $1.70 atMaruia Springs, a whopping $2.50 for a bottle at one Westport hostelry, $1.17 at Berlins, heading west through the lower Buller Gorge, $1.25 at Berlins* coming back through the gorge two days later, and $1.45 at the Hurunui. A. few days later, in Dunedin, the cost was found to be $1.15. “But,” confided the barmaid, "if you buy the big bottle, instead of two stubbies,, you save five cents?’ . . . and up again THEN there was the couple in Queenstown who tried to buy the same product, and had some difficulty getting served, although the time was only 3.40 p.m.' The woman behind the counter

rang up $2.50 on the till, but gave only $2 change for the preferred $5. A steely look was all the customers received when they pointed out the discrepancy. Party time THERE was a call yesterday from a man who said that he had in his possession a Pub-' lie Service Garage pen. The title, he said, was printed on the pen and he though it was an outrageous waste of public money. Perhaps,- he added, the Inland Revenue Department is about to hand’ out suitably inscribed balloons and paper hats. Queue here • NOT enough jobs are being .offered to suggest the unemployment problem is about to - end. This ."situations vacant”, advertisement is riot of much encouragement to the general run of people’ looking for work: ‘‘Required for Chinese food take-away bar. Knowledge of Cantonese preferred?' . Straight flush DURING a night flight, the 'hav/com equipment in a Boeing 727 failed at 25,000ft;‘says “Flight Safety,” / the Civil Aviation magazine. "The crew traced the prob-, lem to a’passenger using an electronic poker., game: apparently the device-caused a loud buzzing, interfering with navigation." \ •? ,4 ’ ’