Reporter’s diary

Press, 26 February 1983, Page 2

Reporter’s diary

Live wires SPARKS flew at the Heathcote County Council yesterday when a plaque to commemorate the completion of a ?4 million underground cabling project was stolen. The plaque was erected in Crichton Terrace on Thursday morning; 24 hours later it disappeared. Fast work by the police recovered it in the area yesterday afternoon. Heathcote’s County Clerk, Mr K. D. Stills, said he expected the plaque would be put back in place. Kiwi ingenuity A BLIND British jazz pianist, Eddie Thompson, could soon “see” again with the aid of a pair of locally made sonic guide glasses. Mr Thompson was fitted with the Christ-church-made glasses in Auckland this week. “They will help me to find the piano in a hall anyway," he said. The glasses work on a similar system to that used

by bats. They emit sounds as the wearer approached objects. The sounds vary according to the type of surface and its distance away. Developed about eight years ago, the sonic glasses cost $3OOO each. Mr Thompson first heard of them when he played at the Tauranga jazz festival last year. Back in New Zealand for a series of concerts, he stopped off at the Auckland Foundation for the Blind for final adjustments to the New Zealand invention.' “I think it is a marvellous idea. A lot of incredible talent seems to come out of New Zealand, especially considering the size.” At home in London, Mr Thompson has a guide dog, but hectic schedules mean he can not take it on tour. Recognised as one of Europe’s top jazz pianists, Mr Thompson will appear in Christchurch on March 8. He will perform with the jazz singer. Malcolm McNeill, at the State Trinity Centre.

Sick strike FIREMEN and police officers in Columbus, Ohio are angered over the city’s failure to raise their pay and their strike action is worrying city officials concerned for public safety. This week fire and police workers, teleS honed in sick by the dozen. f 120 police officers scheduled for duty on one day, 114 had called in sick by 7.30 a.m. “The sick-out has begun,” Police Captain Richard Hartman said. Fire Department officials declined to say how many of their staff were throwing “sickies” but a union spokesman said that two-thirds of the workers had stayed at home. Supervisors would handle the strikers' duties, said police and fire officials. Poor sports BRITISH women play less sport than women in other countries, except Italy. To combat this the British

Sports Council wants more women to compete. It hopes to increase by 70 per cent the number of women playing indoor sports and increase by 35 per cent those playing outdoor games. Research has shown that some teen-age girls drop out of sport because it conflicts with their ideas of “femininity.” But things have improved. A top hockey player, Brenda Read, remembers the days when it was not thought right for a woman to train before a match.' “The coach would come down the field and everything would stop. Somehow you just had to let them think you were a naturally good athlete. It was not ladylike to train to be good.” Closed case COMPLAINTS by neighbours have forced Peter Oliver, an English kidney patient, to draw his curtains before he uses his dialysis machine. Mr

Oliver, aged 59, has to use the machine twice a week. Neighbours said the sight was “distressing.” Mr Oliver replied: “I do not see how the sight of a man lying fully clothed linked up to it is Upsetting. Apart from anything else, someone could only see me if they came up and glued their faces to the window." Bournemouth’s chief planning officer has ruled that Mr Oliver must install frosted glass or close his curtains before using the machine. “If he objects he can appeal to the Secretary of State." Under-age irony PHILIP Simpson, a 17-year-old playing the lead role in Elmwood Players’ forthcoming production, “Equus," was unable to see the film of the same name. His role is that of Alan, a disturbed boy. aged 16. The film had an RlB certificate.