Reporter’s diary

Press, 22 April 1986, Page 2

Reporter’s diary

Agro Report THIS AGRICULTURAL version of the weather forecast was composed during lunch by an anonymous reader, who apologises to the B.C.N.Z.’s “Rural Report.” “Here is the Federated Farmer Forecast up to midnight tomorrow, read by L. Worthy: Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Napier and Waikato: Light grizzle at first, rising to wail force by noon tomorrow. Isolated patches of marching, with rude banners by evening. Pubs open, but banks closed. Wellington, Beehive, Manawatu and Kaplti: Cool conditions continuing, and becoming overdraft by evening. A change to intemperate language will develop as the depression moves north, and de clean conditions prevail. Some hail, and others throw pebbles. Mid police presence. For ail the South Island Cold financial conditions with blanks to low levels. Frequent auctions easing towards bankruptcy by tomorrow. Some small profits on the plains, but disappearing by midmorning with the meat workers’ pay settlement. Chatham Islands:High whines and chaos, clearing as it drifts towards America, where a deep trough may develop over de fence, near the Bay of Pigs. Outlook: Frosty tempers in country areas as the depression deepens over New Zealand. Higher interest will continue in the long term. That is the end of the Federated Formers Farecast... the Fodder-rated Firmers Farcast... well the end of the farmers, anyway.” William Hughes It has suggested that

the “unknown Mr Hughes” mentioned in yesterday’s “Diary” report about the medal presentation at the first anniversary of the Gallipoli landing was the then Labour Prime Minister of Australia, William Morris Hughes. He was AttorneyGeneral for several years before being elected Prime Minister in September, 1915, and threw himself ardently into organising Australia for war. After a visit to Britain in 1916, during which we believe he took part in the Gallipoli memorial functions, Hughes proposed the introduction of conscription. The proposal were defeated, and Hughes and most of his Cabinet had expelled from the Labour Party. Starters MARY, of the Peter, Paul variety, claims to have a black belt in shopping. During their concert on Sunday evening, Mary said she was going to put her skills to use before leaving for the United States yesterday. In the r

meantime she had already bought two queensized woolly mattress covers, two sheepskin carseat covers, and two Army duffel bags to carry them in. She is even thinking about buying a miniature sheepskin coat for her first granddaughter, who will be one year old when the northern hemisphere winter hits in December. New look SEEN striding confidently along Kilmore Street yesterday morning: a soldier in polished black commando boots, camouflagepattern trousers, olive drab shirt and one strictly non-regulation item — flashy wraparound sunglasses with a lanyard to hold them on. Are they sure Colonel Gadaffi is still in Libya? Durable FRIENDSHIPS made during wartime can be lasting, and some friendships in Christchurch must be among the longest sustained. Every Thursday

since 1947 a small group of veterans of the Fleet Air Arm has met at the Canterbury Officers’ Club. The numbers have dropped to about a dozen of the New Zealanders who were a high proportion of Fleet Air Arm forces. One of the group’s regulars recalls that in his pilot-training course in England there were only three Englishmen to 37 New Zealanders. Many of the New Zealand Pilots married English girls and brought them home, and they have formed a closeknit social group.

Waiting for a lift, Godot? REDECORATING the Christchurch firm’s lift on the outside as well as the inside was a good idea, but to put identical coverings on the doors of nearby cupboards, which are the same size as the lift doors, was definitely a mistake. - Recently one elderly man was discovered waiting patiently for the broom cupboard to reach ground floor. —Jenny Clark