Reporter's Diary (Press, 26 December 1980)

On 26 December 1980, a unique initiative was announced by Te Whanau Trust, the organisation overseeing Piko Wholefoods and a neighbouring dairy in Kilmore Street, Christchurch. Although the trust had decided some time back to sell cigarettes, this conflicted with the values of its members, who are proponents of organic food and anti-smoking. To reconcile their involvement with tobacco sales, they have committed to donating 1 cent from each packet of cigarettes sold starting January 1 to cancer research. Additionally, they will allocate an extra cent from every packet of Rothmans cigarettes to support Hart, an anti-apartheid movement, in protest against Rothmans' interests in South Africa. In another light-hearted story, a Christchurch family faced a near-miss situation during Christmas celebrations. One of their members was arriving from Australia, yet they were unaware of which flight he would take. His mother and sister inadvertently met the wrong flight, leading them to wander the airport in search of him without success. Meanwhile, the family member had arrived on the earlier flight, searched for them, and ended up taking a taxi home to find the house dark and empty. Disheartened, he chose to spend the night at a nearby motel. Fortunately, the family reunited the following morning. In more travel-related news, passport applicants have been surprised to find inserts from the Travel Agents’ Association of New Zealand within their passports. The insert encourages travellers to promote New Zealand to potential tourists by highlighting its clean environment, friendly people, stunning landscapes, and general hospitality. In the realm of British politics, Enoch Powell's speeches continue to draw significant attention, including his recent commentary on the relationship between press and politicians. He suggested the need for a press that could hold representatives accountable by critiquing their motives and actions, ultimately serving the public faithfully. A lighter, humorous moment occurred in a local chemist's shop when a little girl, wanting to check her weight, took off her shoes. When questioned by the chemist about this act and why she still held her shoes, both father and daughter were left embarrassed as they had not realised she was still gripping her shoes while weighing herself. Finally, a satirical classified advertisement exemplified an extreme rental listing in an American newspaper. The ad featured a long list of exclusions for potential tenants, ranging from "no children, pets, or smokers" to "no communists or free thinkers," concluding with the owner stating they might just sell the property and relocate somewhere entirely different.

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