Reporter’s diary

Press, 4 March 1988, Page 2

Reporter’s diary

Barbed-wire buddy TOWARDS the end of 1944 the thousands of captured airmen held at Stalag Luft 111 in Germany; included 152 New Zealanders. Many of the men became friends of Philip J. Muth, an American prisoner in the north compound of the camp near Sagan, 128 kilometres south-east of Berlin. Mr Muth recalls the New Zealanders "speaking lovingly of their native land, so ... I am coming to visit.” He will be at the Parkroyal Hotel. Beach Street. Queenstown, from March 22 to 23 and would be glad if any prisoner-of-war friends could get in touch for a reunion. Not Saturday

THOSE eager to see j 40 birdmen and birdwomen plummet off a wharfj at Lyttelton this week-end should note that the C. 93

FM Miami Birdman challenge will be on Sunday at 10.30 a.m.. not Saturday, as reported earlier. To cap it off MR Bill Sorby and Mrs Grace Crawford would seem to have little in common. He is 33. an Aucklander who belongs to the Hell’s Angels Motor-cycle Club. She is 70, and is a housewife, of Palmerston North. What they share is that they are the first motor-cyclists in New Zealand to be exempted from the helmet regulations. Mrs Crawford got her exemption by proving that the heavy helmet gave her severe headaches. Mr Sorby, a big man, ■ was given exemption because hel could not find a helmet Ito fit him. 1 ;

A little flutter COCAINE barons in Peru have had more' than

SUS 37 million worth of drugs destroyed in recent months — not by federal agents, but by butterflies. The insects, known locally as malumbia, are voracious eaters and feed exclusively on the leaves of the coca plants. Much ado TO draw attention to four of Shakespeare’s comedies to be put on at the Court Theatre this autumn, a display of memorabilia from past Shakespearian productions in Christchurch is being organised.'As far as can be established the first production — ' a double bill of '“Othello" and “Hamlet" — was at Lyttelton in 1857. Since then hundreds ■ of plays have been performed by the many drama societies, theatres and I clubs in Christchurch. Any who have posters, programmes or information about past

productions should get ini touch with Rhyssa at thei Court Theatre before! March 19. Hard sell: I IF you are: a business person with the prospect of a $l7O million contract you never let the opportunity pass. The Minister of Defence. Mr Tizard', discovered this in Singaj pore! Representatives of the Italian aircraft comipany. Aermacchi, approached him and handed him a videotape showing the flying capabilities of the Aermacchi M8339C jet trainer. The aircraft was evaluated (and came top of the class) during an R.N.Z.A.F. team’s European tour last year. While official recommendations for a new jet trainer are still grinding through the bureaucratic machinery, the Italian company has ensured that New Zealand is aware of its interest. I