Reporter’s diary

Press, 12 June 1984, Page 2

Reporter’s diary

Fair warning THE MINISTRY of Defence certainly did not mince words on this big sign beside the Braemar Road, near Balmoral Military Camp in the Mackenzie Country. Emergency backup AN ASHBURTON man was impressed recently by the array of books on display in Father William Costigan’s office in the Holy Name Presbytery, in Sealy Street, Ashburton. It was obvious to him that Father Costigan is a well-read man. The bookcase shelves were lined with Bibles, concordances, books on Catholic theology and a

copy of “The Saint Intervenes” by the thriller writer, Leslie Charteris. Was it a case of “when all else fails, call in ‘The Saint’?” wondered the man. Father Costigan sees the joke. "It’s my own fault for letting people into my office,” he said yesterday. Tree planting ABOUT 2 million trees, 50,000 of them native species, will be planted in the Westland Conservancy this season. Special planting teams will be contracted for the work through a Labour Department scheme. Pinus radiata will be easily the predominant species. About 70,000 Tasmanian blackwood seedlings will also be plante|iy

Protest poem RESIDENTS of Barker Street in Strathfield, Sydney, are up in arms about a proposal to build a crematorium in their street. A poetic graffitist has scrawled: “Strathfield people meet their ends. In raining ashes of their friends.” Over-keen? A DEDICATED soccer supporter has set out to prove his devotion. Going by the unlikely name of Darlington Sidhindi, he has embarked upon a journey of 3000 kilometres to watch his team, the Zimbabwe Dynamos, play Kampala City Council in the African Champions’ Cup. Moreover, he plans to swim more then 250 kilometres of the way. Darlington will hitch-hike through Zambia and Tanzania, then leap into Lake Victoria with his passport in a plastic bag. “I completed a week’s survival course in West Germany last year,” he said. “I believe the experience will enable me to cross the lake.” Emptying dogs THE Royal New Zealand Foundation for the Blind in Ashburton is very precise about its means of raising money these days. In the Mount Somers Tavern is a plastic collection dog with a slot in its head to receive donations and a large typewritten label around its neck. This reads: “Flease refer to base of dog for instructions on emptying and banking.” No doubt many owners of real dogs wish they were so lucky. — Peter CorQ'r