Reporter’s diary

Press, 14 February 1986, Page 2

Reporter’s diary

No grabbing TAKE THESE chains from the coats and set them free. Would-be thieves might be singing that refrain as they pay the Symon and Lowther Menswear shop in Colombo Street these days. The shop was hit several times by smash-and-grab raiders last year, burglars intent on stealing leather jackets. The shop has made chains a feature of its window display. The network of chains and padlocks are not just decorative. Since the security measure was started, there has been no more trouble. A locking device has also been placed on the jacket rack further back in the shop. One burglar last year broke a hole in the display window, hid behind the display until people passed, then made off down the street with a load of jackets. Discreet

A MOTEL manager showed that he was the soul of discretion when he shielded guests from the glare of publicity for more than two weeks. While Joel Prieur and Dominique Prieur’s mother were staying at the Riccarton Motels, Main South Road, word of their presence never leaked out. Mr Prieur told reporters he was surprised they had not tracked him down during his visit. The motel manager said he felt the pair were entitled to their privacy. It was the same for any patrons staying there. Not even other people working at the motel were aware of the identity of the French guests until the last moment. Invitation

CHRISTCHURCH Cathedral is looking for representatives from all 49 Commonwealth nations to take part in its 11 a.m. Commonwealth Day Service on March 9. Dr David Coles, the Dean of Christchurch, says it is easy enough to find Australians, Canadians and Pacific Islanders, but people from other parts of the far-flung Commonwealth are not so easy to reach. Each year, flags from all the Commonwealth nations are carried into the Cathedral, and a special message from the Queen is read. This year’s speaker will be the Governor-Gen-eral, Sir Paul Reeves, who is making his first official visit to the Cathedral. If you know of someone who would like to attend, contact Kaye Duggan, the Dean’s secretary. Pooh biscuits

PART of the run-up to the May school holidays production ss)f “Winnie the

Pooh,” by the Canterbury Children’s Theatre, will be a Poohstick competition in the Avon River, from one bridge to another in the city centre. Children will compete as they drop sticks into the river in a replay of the time Pooh dropped sticks to see which one would be the fastest from one side of a bridge to the other. Special Pooh biscuits will be baked from a recipe that includes, of. course, plenty of honey. Each contestant will get a biscuit — 200 to 300 will be baked, and stored in a freezer on loan to the Malthouse theatre — and the winners will probably get several. Sheet music

WOULD ANYONE like to have copies of sacred sheet music? The Wesley Methodist Church in Edgeware Road, which has had a choir for many years, has some on hand now that the is

smaller and older. Much of the music is not used any more. During a recent clean-out, church members found about 150 pieces of music in fourpart harmony with obligato. Most of it is rather dated. The person who has the music can be reached through us. Falling bulb WAS some sort of sorcery being practised when the Wanganui Symphony Orchestra held a summer pops concert this week? During a performance of “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice,” a glowing light bulb fell on to the trumpet section. What seemed at first to be a special effect caused a trumpeter to leave the stage so he could clear his face and hair of glass. The rest of the orchestra played on, with the percussionist spending a few minutes dusting glass slivers from his drums. Understandable glances at the ceiling

were made by other orchestra members. During the interval, several musicians put down their instruments and picked up brooms and dustpans to clean up the glass. When “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” ended, the conductor had the trumpeter most affected rise to his feet for a round of applause. The fairest one A YOUNG Christchurch boy is in the right mood for Valentine’s Day. He was looking through a picture book of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” yesterday, and was fascinated by the part where the wicked Queen asks her magic mirror to reveal the secret that she is certain will reflect well on her. As the Queen asked the familiar question “Mirror, mirror on the wail, who is the fairest one of all?,” the boy said: “Mummy.” Stan Darling