Reporter’s diary

Press, 23 September 1987, Page 2

Reporter’s diary

City to city

KURASHIKI, one of Christchurch’s twin cities,now has a red telephone box, complete with a New Zealand flag. The telephone box was imported from Christchurch to be. placed outside Kurashiki’s pew service centre, which wps opened on Monday, kurashiki’s Mayor was so delighted with the new acquisition that he rang

Christchurch’s acting Mayor, Mr Maurice Carter, immediately. In typical sister city mode, pleasantries and all manner of greeting were exchanged. Neither Dr Who nor Superman were able to attend, although there was a large crowd of ordinary mortals present at the opening. Late Christmas presents? TWO columns of 28 birth notices in yesterday edition of "The Press” moved a 12-year-old girl to consult the book “You and Your Baby.” The budding gynaecologist followed the appropriate formulae and computations and arrived at the root cause of the sudden blossoming of babies: it all goes back, apparently to Christmas Day. Well, Christmas does celebrate a birth, does it not? Duck Aid

AFTER Live Aid, African Aid and Band Aid, comes Duck Aid. Boarding erected around Victoria Lake in Hagley Park certainly protects the sides of the lake, but unfortunately stops ducklings from climbing out, with dire results. Thanks to both the ranger and the curator of the Botanic Gardens, a ramp has been bult to allow the ducks easy access.

Barkshire tail

POLICE in Reading have seen it all. They were called to a house in the village of Lower Early, where they discovered that the alarm had been raised by a young puppy which had somehow managed to dial 999 while its master was out. The operator who answered the call reported hearing “panting and gasping”

sounds on the line and warned the police that someone was in distress. The call was traced, but when the police arrived they found the puppy happily consuming the receiver. The police would not disclose the owner’s identity, who was at work at the time. A spokesman said: “He is enormously embarrassed.” In the end THIS week’s word from the Pompous Concoctions

pile is “funeralization.” It was used in a Christchurch give-away paper advertisement to describe a managing director of a funeral parlour, who had “15 years” experience in funeralization. Terms like that should be cremationalizationed. Massage message MAJOR Era Johnson of the Salvation Army has been bewildered by a number of calls at the Christchurch army office

from people wanting a “discreet massage service.” An unfortunate error in “The Press” classified personals column misprinted the phone number at 69-969, which is the Salvation Army’s. The correct number should have been 69-959. Major Johnson said they were desperate for funds — but not that desperate. There is a difference between salvation and salve. —Jenny Feltham