Reporter’s diary

Press, 12 September 1986, Page 2

Reporter’s diary

History is debunked THE EUROPEAN Economic Community is finally getting the hang of 1984 — even if it is a couple of years late. The following statement appeared in the Official Journal of the European Communities: “Publication of Council Decision 86/346/EEC and Council Decision 86/347/ EEC in ‘Official Journal of the European Communities’ No. L 207 of 30 July, 1986, should be deemed never to have taken place.” Orwell would have been proud. Closet politics FROM “Can I Count On Your Support?” — a newly-published collection of anecdotes from political candidates in Britain: Lady Falkender was an aide to the Labour Prime Minister, Harold Wilson. They were in Glasgow when the Lord Provost came to pay his respects. “The suite was decorated in the style of papering the cupboards and doors the same as the walls,”

she said. “With great dignity, I left the room to find some papers for the Prime Minister only to discover that I had entered the cupboard. I was far too embarrassed to reappear, so I stayed in the cupboard until the Lord Provost had left” Waste lines WASTE IS wonderful, according to Civic Pride Campaigners who have fostered an exhibition of Intermediate school pupils’ art, which opens in the Great Hall of the Art Centre on September 16. They considered that the sculputures made from waste were of such importance that separate notices and invitations were sent to the youth reporter, environmental reporter, art reporter, and the education reporter. We can now have a waste exhibition of our own, using the surplus material kindly supplied by Civic Pride Campaign. Feline good

SMUDGE, the white cat who walked through the

Lyttelton rail tunnel to adventure and fame on Sunday, is recovering happily. His owner, Mr Richard Johnston, is grateful to the people who helped find and return Smudge. Since then, the meandering moggy has spent most of his time asleep. Catatonic, almost Useful butts ORGANIC GARDENING calls for strong tummies, because solutions to pest infestation usually mean grubbing about in nasty evil-smelling globs of natural remedies. A foul — but, we admit, practical — hint is to boil fag ends, strain them, mix with soap and water, and spray for black-fly control. This possibly explains why many smokers claim to be extra-healthy? Furry tale WHEN A Christchurch

gardening club produced a booklet of members’ hints, a local couple followed it with gusto. Rhubarb leaves were boiled and sprayed on roses; epsom salts sprinkled on daphne; carnations fed with lemonade. One hint went hideously wrong, however. Grass clippings were to be collected and left to decompose in a bin, and the resultant goo would be splendid fodder for foliage. When the bin lid was lifted it was clear that the white, wriggling morass of creatures flourished on the lush nosh, and it was useless — and unhealthy — as fertiliser. The couple then spent time and money using inorganic fluorocarbons and other chemical pollutants trying to get rid of the furries at the bottom of the garden. —Jenny Feltham