Reporter’s diary

Press, 2 May 1985, Page 2

Reporter’s diary

Easy pickings

THE DAYS OF “the ducks are a-dabbling, up tails alt,” may be passing. The advent of the new water weed harvester on the River Avon has not gone unnoticed by the astute ducks of Kerr’s Reach. They have rapidly adapted to’ the machine’s ability to dump periodically a heap of tasty, freshly-cut weed and roots on the surface of the river. Instead of diving for their food, the ducks wait in clusters along the expected path of the machine and start swimming towards the spot where a mass of weed will be pushed off the platform at the back of the harvester. The floating island is attacked with gusto, fast feeding being necessary before it breaks up and sinks. Then it is back to paddling about lazily until the next pass of the “dinner waggon.” Value for money... IT IS NOT every day, in these times of rising inflation, that a customer is paid to take something away from a shop, especially an antique shop. This was the lucky lot of a woman who walked up to the attendant in a central Christchurch antique shop the other day and asked if a novelty money box was for sale, since it had no price on it. The attendant, who was only filling in temporarily for the shop’s owner, was naturally unaware that the money box was not for; sale,

because the owner had been putting his own change in it — about $25 worth of change, in fact. “What do you think it’s worth?” said the attendant. “Oh, about 510,” said the customer. “Right, sold,” said the attendant. The woman walked out of the shop with the money box and its contents, making for herself a neat $l5 profit. The tale does not have a happy ending from the shop’s owner’s point of view. The customer has not seen fit to return the $25. ... the hard way TALKING of cash, there is money in those small coins. A chap who has emptied all his pockets of small change every day since Christmas did a tally the other day. His jar of money came to $114.50, not a bad little nestegg. The only drawback to his thriftiness was the black look he got from the busy bank teller when he pushed across the heap of coins to be changed into the folding stuff. The ash story ABOUT 20,000 years ago, a tremendous volcanic eruption occurred near where Lake Taupo is today. Few modern eruptions ’ could rival it. As much as 46 cubic kilometres of volcanic materials were hurled into the atmosphere. THe ash clouded the sky and the sun shone red, perhaps for several years, resulting in something like a nuclear winter. Winds blew the ash eastwards and southwards,

and scientists from the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research’s soil bureau are now trying to find out where it fell. Traces have been found in parts of North Canterbury and on the West Coast, with layers up to 12cm thick on the north-eastern coast of the South Island and on the Chatham Islands. The position of the ash in soil samples is apparently very useful to scientists in studying the dynamics of soil development, soil erosion, and landform stability. They are now looking for traces of the ash in Otago and Southland. Charity show CHRYSANTHEMUM fanciers and all others who love flowers will be able to enjoy New Zealand’s premier display of chrysanthemums at Leo Clark’s Nursery, 149 Blighs Road, Papanui, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 11, and Sunday, May 12. The proceeds (admission is only 50 cents) will go towards the Leprosy Mission’s international medical, educational and support work. Ski sale MORE THAN 4000 items of ski equipment from as far away as Wellington and Queenstown will be offered at the Canterbury Ski Association’s annual ski sale at Riccarton racecourse this week-end. The sale, sponsored by Radio 3ZB, gives Canterbury skiers the chance to buy new gear

cheaply and dispose of old gear. Valuers and advisers to help beginners will be there on both days. The doors will open at 9 a.m. Sprightly, but...

WITH Timaru Hearts favoured to win the young men’s premier soccer competition there, one team of sprightly enthusiasts entered in the new over-30s “masters’ grade” has combined thoughts of greatness with a realistic view of what 80 minutes on a football pitch might do to its' members. The team is called Heart Attack. Classic

“THE SCOTS” magazine recently asked its readers to send in what they regarded as classic Scottish jokes. This one was choice. During the blitz on Clydeside during the last war, poor old Mrs Young was sitting alone in her kitchen when the house crashed about her ears. A long time passed before the rescue squad uncovered her from the debris, more dead than alive. When at last she had been dragged from the rubble, she was asked if she had any spirits in the house. “There’s whisky,” she gasped. “It’s in the sideboard.” Amazingly, the bottle was found intact. “It’s a mercy we found this, Mrs Young,” said the air raid warden. “Here ye are. Ye can dae wi’ a dram.” Mrs Young looked at the bottle and shook her head. "No. no,” she whispered. “That is for an emergency.” —Peter Comer