Reporter’s diary

Press, 17 June 1988, Page 2

Reporter’s diary

Ensembles score BLENHEIM musicians have noted with glee that Christchurch is just beginning to catch up with their town in the formation of a barbershop, quartet. Terence Burtenshaw, Andrew Grigg, David Lamb and Rod Wilkes have been singing together in Blenheim for about five years. A founding member, Dr Bill Evans, moved away and was. replaced by Andrew Grigg. They headed a concert for the Save the Children Fund in 1986 and “this proved a winner.” What is more, says our informant, at last year’s S.C.F. concert, “we had a fine ladies’ trio, also singing in close harmony.” They were sisters and their maiden name was Andrews. “One of them,” he gloats, scarcely able to contain his excitement, “is the mother of Jeremy Coney!” To cap these triumphs, the writer ends with the news that "our local operatic society is

putting on a New Zealand premiere of "Evita” in July!” Good luck. Coal comfort FROM the “Greymouth Evening Star” comes a report about Mr Matt Devlin, who was given a piece of coal from the Birchfield Mine, near Reefton, and told it should last all winter. Some lump — it was big enough to fill his trailer and weighed at least half a tonne, said the paper. “These days when you order your coal you ask for one lump or two,” Mr Devlin said. Drip dry TIMES are hard for Southern Californians moving into the second year of a dry spell. Some 200,000 . restaurants and cafes in the state will replace the usual glass of water with a picture of a glass. The cards will give details of the water shortage and add: “If you would like a glass of water, just ask.” Sight for... ALL his life, John has worried about cranes, especially now that they seem to breed on every vacant lot in Christchurch. Just how do they go up? So when word leaked out that a huge construction crane was to go up during the week-end on the site

of the planned 22-storey Price Waterhouse centre in Armagh Street, John took up his position (along with other small boys who had been allowed out by their wives), and watched. .., small boys THE secret is simple. The boom and cab sit on a climbing frame that is slightly wider than the tower sections. The boom lifts each section to be added and feeds it in through the side of the climbing frame. It is then bolted on and hydraulic arms on the climbing frame grip the sections and move the cab and boom; up one more notch — and so on. For those interested in a repeat performance, a second, larger crane will be set up on the same site in three or four weeks, said the project manager for Wilkins and Davies, Mr Ray Spargo. Labouring the point IN Mid-Canterbury, farmers are suffering an epidemic of R.A.1.D.5., said a delegate (who is a farmer in the area), at a National Party seminar during the week-end. "What’s that?” cried the gathering, appalled. “Recently Acquired Income Deficiency Syndrome.” — Jenny Setchell