Reporter’s diary

Press, 7 April 1987, Page 2

Reporter’s diary

Paw prints THE DOG, and all his friends at Footrot Flats, are expected to achieve another milestone this year. According to the Book Publishers* Association, soon there will be more than two million copies of Footrot Flats books in print in New Zealand. There have been 11 volumes of Murray Ball’s comic-strip, and another is due soon. In Australia, Dog is doing even better, with five million copies of his books in print. The books have also been translated into several European languages, and into Japanese. Count all the Footrot Flats titles together, and Dog is the second-best seller among New Zealand books. The best? The good old “Edmonds Cookbook.” Stove recovered A MOUNT PLEASANT woman has bought a historic black cooking-stove, made in Christchurch by her great-grandfather, after reading an article in “The Press.” Mrs June Cookson’s . great-grand-father, Thomas John Watters, came to New Zealand in the late 1840 s or early 1850 s. He made stoves for a living and won prizes for his work. On Friday, Mrs Cookson read in “The Press” about

the demolition of a building at the comer of Peterborough and Victoria streets coming down to make way for an office block. An owner of a fashion wholesaler in the building, Mr Jules Mentink, said that when they first leased the shop they discovered a stove, probably at least 100 years old. Mrs Cookson got in touch with Mr Mentink and, to her delight, found that the stove was made by her great-grandfather. She has bought the stove, but she doubts that it will have any practical use. Illegal trip A RANGIORA businessman was left embarrassed when he inadvertently converted a car for a trip to Christchurch. The error arose because of two simi-lar-looking vehicles — similar even to their sheepskin seat covers. The man needed to go to Christchurch urgently, but his car was unavailable. A woman colleague offered him the use of hers, and described the vehicle and where it was parked. The businessman found what he thought was the correct vehicle; the keys fitted; he drove away. Returning, the man was shocked to hear the woman colleague exclaim, “That’s not my car.” The

man breathed a sigh of relief, however, because the owner of the car had not noticed it missing. He is trying to get in touch with the owner to explain. Records sought THE ARCHIVIST for the Canterbury Museum, Ms Jo-Anne Smith, wants information about two women’s groups active at the turn of the century. The Canterbury Women’s Institute and the Women’s Social and Political League seem to have sunk virtually without trace. Ms Smith seeks records of the groups for a University of Canterbury student, who is writing a thesis on their activities. She is hopeful that such records exist. The group’s annual meetings were reported in the "Lyttelton Times.” Are the records in a suitcase in your dusty attic? The groups were active in pressing for women’s suffrage and advocating other women’s rights. They are thought to have gone into recess in the 19205. Flax nabbed THE HEATHCOTE County Council noxious plants inspector was alerted recently when someone thought they saw nassella tussock growing in the

garden of the Heathcote Valley School. The informant was mistaken — the plants were decorative flaxes. Bad impression A WHITE RING on the back pocket of jeans, meant to show the outline of a tobacco tin, is the latest status symbol for boys in the United States, according to “Cancer News.” Boys repeatedly wash the jeans with the tin inside to get the impression. Others who want the instant-user look rub the edge of the tin through the jeans on concrete. The tins used are generally those that hold chewing tobacco, a substance banned in New Zealand.

Fun-runs THE CHRISTCHURCH City Council is compiling another “Fun Run Directory” to help sports organisations publicise events. The directory will carry information on Canterbury ' fun-runs, triathlons, and marathons held from June to November. Information should be given to the City Council’s parks and recreation department, telephone 791-660, extension 635, before April 17.