Reporter’s diary

Press, 10 November 1986, Page 2

Reporter’s diary

Genesis of a diet? HEALTH food enthusiasts' have been implanting guilt pangs in ordinary eaters for quite some time. A report in “The Press” on July 14, 1905, outlined the rules of an American society called the Apple-consumers’ League. One rule was for every member to eat two apples a day, and to always ask for a fresh apple at restaurants. The report said: “The Apple-con-sumers’ League deserves a higher place in public esteem than many of the freak societies, leagues and clubs with which the large cities of the United States are infested.” Brain aid

HAS ANYONE got a spare brain? The field worker for the Schizophrenia Fellowship, Barbara James, needs one of those realis-

tic, coloured plastic models for use in her talks to schools and other groups about schizophrenia. She can be contacted at 62-195, Christchurch. Ker—(whoops)— boom! DURING AN Army exercise code-named Exercise Medicine Hat in the Canadian prairies, a subaltern from the Queen’s Own Hussars managed to steer his armoured personnel carrier into a swamp, where it sank up to the turret. Frantic efforts, to rescue the vehicle failed.’ The crew abandoned, the beast, leaving the scene surrounded by -warning beacons. Night fell, and over the horizon trundled a tank, whose crew mistook the blaze of light for a well-marked target. They eagerly reduced tens of thousands of

pounds’ worth of carrier to twisted metal. The British Ministry of Defence has recommended no disciplinary action. Postage pays SEVEN envelopes sent from New Zealand between 1845 and 1869, during the Maori wars, sold for about £30,000 at Christie’s recently. The estimated value had been only £6312. Two of the envelopes had been sent by the same soldier, James Penley, and one was marked “Rank not stated. Returned for postage and amount deficient” The Post Office was on to us, even then. Daily offerings FACTS FOUND in the humble pocket diary become more curious each year. One, a 1987 “Pacific” brand adapted for

New Zealand, still stoutly declares that there are 100 fillers to one Hungarian forint; and that when it is noon in New Zealand it is 6.30 a.m. in Rangoon. The same diary does list the radio frequencies in New Zealand but has not caught up with the fact that the concert programme has been transmitting on FM since, October 17. Track nor treat ROADS ON Banks Peninsula suffered from slips and flooding during the winter. Testimony to the problems still stands oh the road to the Kaik from Akaroa to remind visitors of soggier days. Says a rough sign: “Sorry about the dirt track.” Would the signwriter like to make a few more for Christchurch streets?

—Jenny Feltham