Reporter’s diary

Press, 17 January 1986, Page 2

Reporter’s diary

Rubble THE OLD Templeton Hotel is finally on its way out, reduced to rubble so that motels can take its place. Locals have fond memories of the white, two-storey hotel, which was built by Richard Hinton and was more than 100 years old. Bill Hinton, the builder’s grandson, says that a fine malt brew could always be had during the days of six o’clock closing if customers knew the special back door knock. The building was used by a saddler during the last 20 years, and was known as “the pub with no beer” out Templeton way. Trusting A RANGIORA man due to be married soon decided to sell his motor-cycle to help pay for a house. He put the machine at the side of the street with a “For Sale” sign on it, and many stopped to have a look at it. Early in the evening, a young man arrived on foot and spent about 10 minutes inspecting the machine while discussing it with the owner. Could he take it for a spin? Certainly, said the owner, who lent him his crash helmet. The rider disappeared down the street and never came back. To the dogs A CHRISTCHURCH woman has written to “Mountain Scene,” the Queenstown newspaper, to question the appearance of a hot dog stand in the town midst. She said she had been visiting the resort town since her childhood, and noticed that the Queenstown Mall stand emitted a smell that permeated the area. She said that tourists came from an over-populated world to see New Zealand’s freshness and clean environment. To her, hot dog stands are what they were trying to get away from. Gripping pollution CAVERN hangings in the well-known Jenolan Caves of New South Wales are not always made of rock. Humans are of ten,, suspended by ropes besijjf the

walls as they work in a cloud of mist and minute particles, water-blasting built-up grime from the surface. The pollution is so bad that the caves have to be washed regularly, and it takes four months to finish each one. With an old steam-cleaning method, it took up to four years to clean a cave. The stalagmites, stalagtites and crystal columns get a regular hosing down to keep them from being ruined by mademade materials and mandisturbed dust. The villains are clothing lint and leather fragments brought into the caves by 250,000 visitors a year, and all the dust they stir up. Lint becomes imbedded in the rock faces and eventually dulls the shine. Lights out EVEN the small community of Hawea, in Central Otago, will have its street lights turned off late in February, for a few hours each night, so the passage of Halley’s Comet can be seen better. Meanwhile, the Hawea Development Association is

looking at a way to make the sighting of much close objects easier. The association’s chairman says that the absence of a street number system has meant that some visitors have made their way to the wrong baches and not discovered their error until the morning. Peace on earth CHRISTMAS cards carry all sorts of messages of faith and peace for humankind. Here is the message that went out from Ayatollah Khomeini’s Iran Ain “Peace in the world will be ensured by abandoning the thesis of transformism by aid of military power in politics.” Right number EACH LOCAL government election brings some confusion in the minds of voters between Councillors Mollie and Alex Clark. Both have stood as the Labour Party’s mayoral candidate in recent years, but no, they are not related. Mr Clark, who is Labour’s mayoral candidate this year, has lately found a new Jbnfusion arising be-

tween him and the other Alex Clarks living in Christchurch. There are at least three others living at Papanui, Hornby, and Spreydon, and they are often on the receiving end of political telephone calls. As the election gets warmer the Mr Clark who wants to be Mayor fears they may get more of the flak meant for him. Occasionally, he says, some callers get aggressive and will not accept that they have called the wrong man. He appeals to those who want to get hold of Labour’s mayoral candidate, to give him an earbashing or for any other reason to call him on his correct number, 63-486. Fun couple WHEN you are a waning star, it never hurts to bring along a pal to help put some of the sparkle back into your act. When you are both waning stars, a little mutual back-patting might help. That was the setting in Hollywood the other day, when Boy George of Culture Club met Mr T of “The ATeam.” Boy George, whose rock group will tour later this year after more than a year off, was wearing a dress buttoned down the front. It had 15 separate miniature reproductions of the Mona Lisa on it, and a macrame hanging. According to a reporter at his press conference, Boy George’s dark hair was pointed up. It looked like what might happen “. . . if you plugged a Steelo pad into an electric socket.” Culture Club had just appeared in a segment of <f The ATeam,” whose popularity has also needed a boost. Mr T came to the publicity meeting to give it some punch. The dramatic gesture lost some of its power when Mr Ts leather belt, with its big gold buckle, fell off. It took the big man three tries of sucking in his stomach before the belt was secure again. Boy George said Mr T was a sweetie. Mr T replied with a forced scowl: “You want Mickey Mouse, call Walt Disney.” Just another day in Hollywood. & — Stan Darting