Reporter’s diary

Press, 1 March 1989, Page 2

Reporter’s diary

Search success JOHN, the mystery lad sought by a Chinese surgeon, has been traced, thanks to the efforts of readers. He is Mr John Denton, who now lives in Spreydon, but who lived in Lyttelton when Yang Zhen-hua and his mother came to stay with his family. Mr Denton remembers the acrobatic family well, who reluctantly returned to China just before the outbreak of World War 11, then lost touch with the Dentons. An ironic twist was that the baby almost became a member of his New Zealand “family.” The mother, as a token of gratitude for the help she had received wanted to give Mrs Denton a treasured gift. This was diplomatically turned down when it was discovered that the “gift” was to be the new-born baby son. Mr Denton will write to Yang Zhen-hua, and a reunion is likely. Making a... THE Prudential Assurance office in Christ-

church, an arm of the world’s tenth largest insurance business, has continued to be confused by some people with the Christchurch-based Prudential Building and Investment Society. The building society has been in the news lately because an order has been sought for its winding up. It is not connected with the 141-year-old insurance firm. Scores of telephone callers have beset the insurance company’s switchboard in the last week; they have been persuaded of the distinction. ... prudent distinction PRUDENTIAL Assurance, which has more than $B4 billion in assets, was founded in London in 1848, and came to New Zealand in 1922. The Prudential Building Society’s name was also registered here in the 19205. It was then a small, local mortgage investment business. Two years ago it became a subsidiary of Kearns Corporation and expanded its activities. Last year the

confusion of names was the subject of court action in an attempt to clarify the distinction. Soap operation HEART problems are affecting a large percentage of elderly female residents in a Christchurch rest home. Their troubles, however, have nothing to do with cholesterol or

hardening of the arteries, but are caused by a newly-appointed male nurse-aid. Before he arrived, the residents were adamant that they did not want a male attendant, and insisted that they would have nothing to do with him. The chap, however, has winning ways, and the residents now compete for his undivided attention. One elderly woman even confessed that, when she is having a bath, she purposely drops the soap so that the nurseaid will have to find it for her. Really pacific NEW Zealand sometimes gets misdrawn, misplaced or even completely omit-

ted on world maps. Now it is Australia’s turn. In a map produced in the United States, featuring conflict and war in 1988, there is no sign of Australia. Little us (but only two islands, sadly) feature clearly enough, and free from trouble and strife too. The map shows 20 countries where conflict occurred last year.

Try again MITCH Harris, the redoubtable C.93FM broadcaster, was foiled by the weather in his attempt to make his first parachute jump yesterday. Mitch will hurl earthwards this morning between 7 and 8 a.m., weather permitting, with his portable telephone strapped to his shoulder. Tune in for whimpers and other graphic commentaries. Furtive feasting THIS week’s Astonishingly Silly Snippet: A survey claims that 15 per cent of Americans secretly bite their toenails. —Jenny Setchell