Reporter’s diary

Press, 9 February 1983, Page 2

Reporter’s diary

In anticipation .

MR 808 Hawke did not wait for his colleagues to confirm him as the new Australian Labour Party Leader yesterday. He signed himself as party leader in a telegram dated Monday and sent to his New Zealand counterpart, Mr David Lange. The Australian Labour Party named Mr Hawke as the successor to Mr Hayden yesterday. But before confirmation from Australia had reached here Mr Lange received a telegram dated February 7 saying: “Congratulations on your election to the leadership of the New Zealand Labour Party. We’ve come to lead our parties at the same time and I look forward to close co-operation personally for the benefit of the interests of both our parties." It was. signed, “Bob Hawke. Leader Australian Labour Party.” Due recognition? THE MAN who, was outraged about Television New Zea-

land’s censorship of “Brideshead Revisited,” Mr John Mortimer, has recieved the American Gay Artists’ Association award for the “most tactful treatment of a homosexual or lesbian relationship in 1982.” — the friendship of Charles and Sebastian. Funnily enough, when he was questioned on the subject in New Zealand last year, Mortimer said of the relationship: “Nothing ever happened."

Desk-to duet WHEN desk top and home computers are becoming common, people are discovering uses for them their makers never dreamed of. Dr John Hawley, who heads the National Soil Conversation Research Centre, has found his.desk-top computer invaluable in helping him practice for his first piano recital in 16 years. Dr Hawley's computer has a built in speaker capable of beeping notes, which is a common

facility. It could easily be programmed to play tunes. “Then I realised its value as a pianist’s aid,” he said. “It can be used as a very sophisticated metronome, and it will demonstrate the pitch of any note at all, including all those which lie ‘in the cracks’ between the keys on piano. It can therefore demonstrate the ‘blue notes’ of jazz." To help him practise he programmed the computer to do difficult bars repeatedly while he played along. Dr Hawley is a gifte'd pianist as well ,as a soil scientist, and he used the computer before giving a guest recital, at Massev University. Drying out RANDOM breath testing has lowered the incidence of drunken driving since it was introduced in New South Wales last year. “The Australian’” newspaper reports that it has also had some

unexpected side-effects. Beer consumption has fallen 30 per cent, and this has started a vicious price-war between the two biggest breweries. Tooths and Tooheys. Cartons of 24 cans are being sold below cost at sAustll.99 at brewery-owned liquor outlets. Hotels and independent liquor wholesalers cannot keep up, and many are losing heavily as buyers rush to the breweries' outlets. Cold pork ONE of the last comforts left for reluctant dieters is the clandestine raid on the refrigerator in the dead of the night. Unfortunately a United States company has come up with a device it is advertising as the ultimate deterrent. It is a refrigerator alarm system. As the raider opens the door he or she is blasted by a recording of pigs eating from a trough. No wonder anorexia nervosa is becoming more common.

Macfarlanes

NEW ZEALAND’S first gathering of the Macfarlane clan will take place in Christchurch on Sunday. The world's Macfarlanes are being urged to register with a United-States based society which is researching the clan's ancestry and trying to find its chief. A letter from the society’s New Zealand representative. Mr Andrew Macfarlane appeared in “The Press’’ and has drawn responses from several clan members. They are gathering to found a New Zealand branch. Although heartened by the response.'Mr Macfarlane is still seeking Macfarlanes and members of the clan’s septs (tribes within the clan). Mr Macfarlane, of 15 Maitland Street, Dunedin, would like to hear from any Macfarlanes or anybody who thinks they may be a member of a sept. Sunday’s gathering. is being organised by Mr and Mrs Don Macfarlane, 9 Warblington Street, Wainoni.