Reporter’s diary

Press, 25 May 1985, Page 2

Reporter’s diary

Devoured

LIBRARIANS are used to hearing odd excuses for overdue books, but some are so bizarre as to have a ring of truth. Someone recently sent a copy of William Golding’s “Rights of Passage” back to the Canterbury Public Library, with an apologetic note to say that a pet rabbit had eaten the last three pages. Whitewashed CANS OF PAINT and Dalmatian dogs in small cars do not mix, as a woman discovered at the New Zealand pony club championships at Riccarton Racecourse this week. Not realising that the lid was not properly on a can of white paint sitting on the front seat of her station wagon, she locked the excitable dog in the vehicle for about a quarter of an hour. The dog has a habit of jumping back and forth between the back and front seats. She returned to find the whole interior of the car bathed in white paint, and a great, dripping white beast slavering happily at the window. Fortunately the paint was water-based, and she was able to get most of it off both the car and the dog. It was a low point in the day, however. League lady THE TOUGH WORLD of professional rugby league in the north of England might not be considered a place for ladies, but the St Helen’s club, which will meet Canterbury at the Addington Show Grounds tomorrow

afternoon has a real lady as one of its most staunch supporters. When the club’s former patron, Lord Pilkington, died some years ago his widow took over the sponsorship and succeeded her husband as patron. Officials with the team in Christchurch said that Lady Pilkington is invariably in attendance at home matches, frequently travels in the supporters’ bus to away games, and when St Helen’s won the premiership final over Hull Kingston Rovers earlier this month, she made a point of giving every player a congratulatory kiss. Bad example? A LONG-SERVING member of the Euthanasia Society in Wellington has just been elected a life member. We understand that some are questioning his loyalty to the cause. Gunners’ Day TOMORROW, Sunday, May 26, is international Gunners’ Day. To mark the occasion, the Canterbury Gunners’ Association, combined with the Third Field Regiment, Royal New Zealand Artillery, will attend a special service in the Anglican Cathedral at 9.30 a.m., followed by a wreath-laying ceremony. Members will then march behind a 25pounder gun to the Returned Services’ Association’s rooms. Gunners' Day originated on May 26, 1716, when George I granted a Royal Charter to a group of artillerymen. In fact, Henry the himself a keen

artilleryman, had created a permanent gun position in the Tower of London 200 years before. The Canterbury Gunners’ Association was founded in 1968. It has 260 members from the two world wars and serving gunners. Jubilee

THE Y.M.C.A. Mothers’ Club, an auxiliary service of the Y.M.C.A., will celebrate its diamond anniversary next month. The group, originally known as The Boys Gordon Hall Ladies, was formed in 1925 to work for a camp at Kairaki and to help youth in general. During World War II the members not only visited the Burnham and Wigram camps with “apples, scones, and buns,” and boiled the copper for tea, but also helped to look after the men who had been given beds at the Y.M.C.A. During these years 42,000 were served with free teas, 47,000 were provided with beds, and 72,000 used the Y.M.C.A.’s buildings and facilities. Of the group’s 15 active members this year, 10 are life members. Most have given more than 20 years service. Those interested in attending the jubilee celebration on June 10 should telephone 559-472 or 557-142 before June 3. Well named ON THE SUBJECT of appropriate names, a man called Charles Krauthammer has been writing Germany-bashing articles for “Time" magazine. —Peter Corner