Reporter’s diary

Press, 7 October 1987, Page 2

Reporter’s diary

Sports... UNBIDDEN, no less a personage than the controller of the public relations and media committee of the law conference sent a memo to the media. The committee had decided to divulge to an anxiously waiting world which of its lawyers had been sporty. Scarcely able to contain the mounting thrill, we noted that eight lawyers had been All Blacks, and five had been test cricketers. Intoxicated with this fresh knowledge, we read on: five members of the legal fraternity "readily come to mind” in the hugely thrilling world of horse racing. As an added frisson, we were told that cricket commentator lan Galloway, and the manager of the Dunedin cricket team were also solicitors. ... briefs THERE’S more. Lord Griffiths — a delegate and a senior British judge

at the conference — had a claim to fame in his own right. Not only was he a double blue at Cambridge, he played county cricket for Glenmorgan as a fast bowler. AND he knew Martin Donnelly, New Zealand’s famous left-hand batsman. So there. The list , of sporting pinnacles is naturally enough topped by Mr Lange, who makes a oneline appearance in the law conference memo: “The Prime' Minister drives cars. (An ex-lawyer — and driving lawyers up the wall.)” Hunt the heirloom HALF a special family heirloom on its way from the third generation to the fourth, has disappeared. Mr Tony Gould, of Christchurch, put two brass candlesticks in storage, with other household goods, intending to hand the candlesticks on to his son now living in England.

After seven months he collected his possessions, but found only one of the 20cm-high candlesticks. Mr Gould said that although the pair were worth several hundred dollars, the sentimental value was immeasurable. They had been brought from Riga in Latvia by his grandparents during the late nineteenth century and held in the family without trouble until, ironically, being put into safe storage. Anyone who has any information about the missing candlestick could contact Mr Gould through us. Extra mile SHOPPING in a Riccarton supermarket with children was the end of a frazzling day for two Christchurch women. After jostling their way down aisles and finally to the check-out counter, one discovered her wallet missing. She retraced her steps to find_the wallet at

a raffle stall. She returned to the check-out and her groceries to learn that two strangers in the queue behind her had generously given $lO to help pay for the groceries. The woman was very moved, but since she had found her wallet, she took the $lO and donated it to the raffle in the store. She writes: “If I was 70 years old, frail and blind, maybe one would not find this generosity so outstanding. But I’m just an. ordinary citizen, faced with an ordinary problem, and two strangers responded.” Taking the rap BEEHIVE inhabitants could emulate one of their counterparts in Whitehall. According to the “Financial Times,” one British M.P. has hung this notice in his office: “Don’t blame yourself until you have considered all other possibilities.” —Jenny Feltham