Reporter’s diary

Press, 24 September 1988, Page 2

Reporter’s diary

Coasting... WEST Coasters are an indomitable breed, and glancing at the “Greymouth Evening Star” this week gave good evidence of their hardy spirits. Business advertisements in the paper apologetically reassured customers that normal service would be resumed as soon as possible. One firm pointed out that they had a “full range of dry furniture and carpet.” But what really shone through was that most of them apologised profusely for the inconvenience to their customers — as if they could have done anything to help it. Understatements abounded, such as “we are back in full swing after a damp week,” and one public notice talked about “recent setbacks (!) in the Greymouth area.” ... on THE Regent Theatre in Greymouth oozed enthusiasm in the best show-must-go-on tradition. On Monday 19, it advertised

the reopening of the theatre showing “Crocodile Dundee 11, with the wry note! “Yes”, we look awful, but the smell is getting better each day.” Most optimistic of all were the cheery citizens who announced that, in spite of all, they were still holding their Happy Hour. Of sophistry and empirics CONDESCENDING quotation of the week. During a trial of a man accused of raping a New Zealand nurse in London, the prosecutor, Miss Joanna Korner, told the court that the woman realised she had “acted extremely stupidly in agreeing to have lunch with a man she did not know. But,’ Miss Korner said, “she was a 20-year-old girl from what used to be the colonies and perhaps not as sophisticated as those of us born in London.” She wants to be careful with the word sophisticated though, especially as a lawyer. A sophist is a fallacious rea-

soner, and sophistication can mean tampering with text for the purposes of argument. Oops J BREAKING world records is catching. Yesterday’s copy of “The Press” inadvertently set a new world record by putting the maximum temperature at the Christchurch airport at 116 degrees. We’re probably just imbued with the spirit of Olympic endeavour. No? No tern unstoned TWO magpies have been zealously guarding their patch — a tree-top — in a property in Opawa. Seagulls and terns have been successfully repelled by the birds which, to the watchful eye of neighbours, appear to be fearless. They met their match this week. A small, aeroclub plane came puttputting overhead, and made several swoops. The plane’s threatening behaviour was too much for the magpie which attacked without hesitation.

The bird simmered down and finally returned to its tree when the plane fled, but a curious thought occurs. What on earth would the magpie have done if it had caught the plane? Red, red face RESIDENTS in a cul-de-sac in Avonhead were startled to see a Big Red arrive at the end of their road on Thursday evening. The driver was asked why the bus was there. “Where the hell am I?” he said. A resident who fancied himself as tour guide climbed aboard to show the driver how to get back on his route. He got off further down the road, and running back to home through a park, tripped and ripped his trousers. His family hasn’t stopped laughing. Commanding position HELLO to the operations planner for the Christchurch Transport Board bus fleet, Mr His Admiraal. Jenny Setchell.