Reporter’s diary

Press, 29 July 1989, Page 2

Reporter’s diary

Reeling in the eels TWO readers have replied to the query, “What is the largest eel caught in New Zealand?” Lauraine Butler, of Ashburton, points to a useful tome called “How to Catch Fish and Where,” by Bill Hohepa. There the record for fresh-water eels is for one weighing 59.09 kg (1331 b caught at Lake Wakatipu in 1881. The length of this monster is not recorded. Bill Carter, of Taylorville, writes that during the late 1950 s he worked with a New Zealand Railways gang near Lake Brunner. The gang heard about divers from Christchurch who had been exploring Lake Brunner looking for canoes when one was bitten on the buttocks by a very large eel — a bite that “went through wet suit and skin,” said Mr Carter. The next day one of the gang bought a

newspaper cutting to work that told of an eel he had caught in the Arnold River (which runs from Lake Brunner). The eel was 2.59 metres long (Bft 6in) and 55.8 cm (22 inches) in girth. Mr Carter adds: “The Greymouth newspaper photograph showed it hanging from a tree, with two inches missing from the tail — chewed by cats.” Uniforms pay AFTER ordering his fish and chips in a Christchurch shop, a uniformed fireman realised to his horror he was short of change to pay for all his takeaways. "Forget it,” said the shop owner, recognising the uniform. “Have it on me. You guys do a great job.” Sleepers... FORMER Dean of Christchurch, the Very Rev.

Michael Underhill, warns us of a rare occurrence in the parish he is currently baby-sitting. The choir of St Barnabas, Fendalton, will sing Choral Mattins at 11 a.m. tomorrow in the Glenmark Church, as the only service in the parish of Glenmark-Waikari that day. Outside cathedrals, Choral Mattins is rarely heard today, although the traditional service goes back centuries. Mr Underhill notes that the classic portrayal of an old English squire who dozed through Choral Mattins was the character of Sir Roger De Coverley. ... Wake! IN “Sir Roger at Church” (“Spectator,” Monday, July 9, 1711) Addison writes: “As Sir Roger is Landlord to the whole Congregation, he keeps then in very good Order, and will suffer no Body to

sleep in it besides himself; for if by Chance he has been surprized into a short Nap at Sermon, upon recovering out of it he stands up and looks about him, and if he sees any Body else nodding, either wakes them himself, or sends his Servant to them.” We wait with interest to see if napping has survived as part of the tradition. New brew FROM someone at Gabites Porter and Partners comes a suggested name for one of the beers soon to be made by the Dux de Luxe brewery: Dux Liquid. Ah, so WHY, you wonder, do sumo wrestlers shave their legs? Word has it that they don’t want to be mistaken for feminists.,

—Jenny Setchell