In brief

Press, 29 September 1988, Page 8

In brief

Two spring concerts The “Spring’s Here” annual programme of free outdoor entertainment continues this week-end with two further concerts. Izzy Gardner and Mark Olmstead will perform at the Botanic Gardens band rotunda from 5 p.m. to 6.30 p.m. on Saturday. They play from Van Morrison to Joan Armatrading style of music as well as a “folk” slant of their own. “Varied Voices” will play on Sunday from 12.30 p.m. to 3.30 p.m. at the Botanic Gardens daffodil lawns. This is the last of the “Spring’s Here" concerts. Red Cross stamp The 125th anniversary of the Red Cross Society and the Red Crescent movement will be marked by a special pictorial date-stamp. New Zealand Post says the date-stamp will be used in Christchurch on October 25. People wanting this cancellation can post the stamped, addressed envelopes in a specially labelled posting box at the Christchurch Philatelic Sales Centre on October 25. Philatelic cancellation Four special pictorial date-stamps will cancel mail posted at the Wellington Town Hall during the Royal 100 National Philatelic Exhibition to run from October 6 to 9. One date-stamp will be used on each day of the exhibition. In all, the Royal 100 exhibition includes more than 500 frames of- philatelic material. Memorial for diplomat A memorial service was held yesterday for Sir Richard Stratton, Britain’s High Commissioner to New Zealand between 1980 and 1984. Sir Richard died in July, aged 64, after what colleagues described as a meritorious career, first as an officer in the Coldstream Guards, then as a diplomat.—NZPA. Role in Namibia? Black African nations would welcome New Zealand’s presence as part of a peace-keeping force in war-torn Namibia, said the visiting Zimbabwean Parliamentary Speaker, Mr Didymus Mutasa. Mr Mutasa, who has been having talks with the Government on southern African issues, said if a peace-keeping force were formed he hoped New Zealand would play a large role in it because it was held in high regard by black African nations.—PA. Sandwiches cut The Waikato Hospital Board has cut its sandwiches. The sandwiches have been served as pre-meeting sustenance for “as long as anyone can remember,” according to the board’s chairman, Dr Bob Gudex. But even a humble plateful of sandwiches cannot escape the board cost-cutting. Cutting out sandwiches would save about $6OO a year, Dr Gudex said. —PA. 1990 women’s festival A women’s festival showing a slice of New Zealand life is being planned as part of 1990 Commonwealth Games celebrations in Auckland. The event has been proposed to “celebrate New Zealand womanhood" by a board member of the Commonwealth Games Festival Company, Ltd, Ms Judith Tizard. Ms Tizard has called for public submissions before deciding on the most appropriate events for 1990.—PA