Reporter’s diary

Press, 3 February 1983, Page 2

Reporter’s diary

Doggone!

RESIDENTS of the middle part of Palmers Road, in North New Brighton, are looking for- a mystery dog that buries enormous bones in gardens. One such bone appeared outside someone’s front gate this week (pictured), with a note attached to it: “Whoever owns the dog that regularly buries these huge bones in my garden — would you please control your, dog? It is no pleasure replanting what has been uprooted and getting rid of this huge bone.” The people who lived in the house nearby said .that they had no idea where the bone came from — someone must have deposited it outside their place, they said. But it cer-

tainly was not their dog that was responsible, they said. The bone, and the flies it was attracting, had gone by last evening.

Bumper year ALMOST 2.500,000 people have visited the Robert McDougall Art Gallery since it opened in 1932. .according to figures released this week by the Christchurch City Council. Last year's total of 101,105 visitors was the fourth highest on record. The gallery’s director. Mr John Coley, was “heartened and reassured" by last year’s figures. because they reversed the downward trend in attendances recorded at all New Zealand art galleries in 1981. This year holds the promise of another bumper year, with 11,000 people having already visited the gallery in January. Nuts

FOUR newspapers, three magazines, two comics, a litre or two of paste, and several rolls of toilet paper have gone into the papier mache heads to be worn by the “nuts" in the forthcoming Canterbury Children's Theatre production of "Nut-

cracker Sweet." Although the family musical will not be staged until the May holidays, work on the heads has begun already, and auditions for parts in the musical will be held at the Malthouse on February 13. The rolls of toilet paper are used, apparently, for final coats of papier mache to give a smooth, plain surface ready for painting. Ancestry ALEXANDER Lyle, who lives near Castle Douglas in south-west Scotland, is visiting Geraldine in search of information about his ancestors. Mr Lyle is a greatgrandson of Mr William Gapes, a pioneer farmer, after whom Gapes Valley is named. He is also a grandson of Mr Thomas Finch, an early Geraldine postmaster. His.mother. Doris, met and married Mr Lyle, of Glasgow. in Antwerp. Belgium. Poles apart TWO New Zealanders visiting Vienna provided the high point in a little old lady's day when they visited tier there. They had been invited to her home for a meal

through a mutual friend, and the elderly woman was clearly excited about their presence. She was, she confessed, delighted to have visitors from so far' away. “I’ve never met an Eskimo or a New Zealander before." she said. As far as she was concerned, New Zealand was so far away, it might as well be Eskimo country. The Kiwis were able to put her right about New Zealand and its inhabitants: Hot copy PAGE proofs of the Russian newspaper “Pravda” are being picked up by the 8.8. C. monitoring unit in Berkshire as they are beamed round the Soviet Union before being published. London sources have speculated that there is nothing to stop the 8.8. C. — apart from a little matter, of copyright — from printing a copy of "Pravda" from the page proofs, and delivering to the doorstep of the Russian Embassy in London. eight hours before the arrival of the Ambassador’s usual copy. Close to home

IN KEEPING with tradition, the newlyweds had kept their honeymoon destination a secret. Even their parents did not know where they had gone. Then on Tuesday, the bride’s mother got a picture postcard of Nelson, with a message from her daughter on the back, “Having a wonderful time, missing you .. "

and so on. Two days later, the bridegroom's mother received a picture postcard of the Hermitage, at Mount Cook, saying "Wonderful walks, great scenerj' ..." The next day. the two mothers met. exchanged cards, and shared the joke. Both cards were postmarked Diamond Harbour.