Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Christchurch: Is "quite good" good enough?

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  • Islander, in reply to Hebe,

    slander, Do you remember that cafe in High Street near the Cashel corner? It had orange vinyl and an order system on a wire thing like a flying fox across the roof. I would love to live somewhere with some character left; there’s fuck all in this place. I’d much rather have layers of memories in my town than the unquiet ghosts around now.

    The town needs a blessing, a release, a lifting of the shroud. Lots of singing, weeping and karakia; a tangi and a celebration?

    *That* cafe has escaped the memory banks Hebe...whilst Hay's remains firmly in mind - dunno why-

    Those flyingfox (excellent name for it) and hydraulic tube cash transfer/receipt systems existed into the v.early 1970s-

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report

  • Islander, in reply to Hebe,

    The town needs a blessing, a release, a lifting of the shroud. Lots of singing, weeping and karakia; a tangi and a celebration?

    It really does, it really really does-

    there's a couple of things being bruited around the kumara-vine and both of them do concern this matter-
    there's been local ceremonies but - nothing area-wide.
    It is - difficult to deal with all matters unless a re-balancing has been achieved.
    And that, I understand is what is being worked on. How to do that - quietly, at dawn, with all the people who know about it there? Open invite? Representatives from ka-iwi-nahauewha? From everybody concerned? (Except the fucking politicians?)

    Will keep people here posted-

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report

  • Islander,

    Hebe, Fail’s was where we kids were on best behaviour/s – wasnt in a paper-wrapping really good fishnchips!** Almost as good as our Nana’s battered blue cod!
    Last time the family was there was for our Uncle Bill’s 70th birthday*. Bloody good night-

    *1987
    **And delicious stuff we hadnt eaten before, let alone out of newspaper - squid!

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report

  • Hebe, in reply to Islander,

    there’s been local ceremonies but – nothing area-wide.
    It is – difficult to deal with all matters unless a re-balancing has been achieved.

    Quite. Re-balancing is the word: to re-store our spirits, re-balance our psyches. I used the word tangi because I think a way of living in Aotearoa has ended, and another is beginning. Maybe many of us , and as a society, will no longer have the sense of being all-powerful and we will start to live with the land rather than on it.

    The memorials etc that have been held so far have not touched my heart mostly; they have all been too formal. The exception was the one-year memorial where all through the city we strewed flowers in the rivers and decorated the road cones and streetside sewer tanks.

    I would love a labyrinth - grass, gravel or pounamu - somewhere beautiful for walking, pacing, contemplating, singing, or sitting in the sun any time. A good Gap Filler?

    Christchurch • Since May 2011 • 2899 posts Report

  • Lilith __, in reply to Islander,

    Do you remember that cafe in High Street near the Cashel corner? It had orange vinyl and an order system on a wire thing like a flying fox across the roof.

    You don't mean Java, Hebe?

    Those flyingfox (excellent name for it) and hydraulic tube cash transfer/receipt systems existed into the v.early 1970s-

    I remember them well, in Ballantynes particularly; also used by the Star to send classifieds from their office in the Square to their main building in Kilmore St. My sister, who worked at the Star for a while, said someone once sent a packet of biscuits down the tube instead, as a joke, but all that arrived was a shower of crumbs.

    Dunedin • Since Jul 2010 • 3895 posts Report

  • Hebe, in reply to Islander,

    hydraulic tube cash transfer/receipt systems existed into the v.early 1970s

    Lamson tubes. Ballantynes used them. We had them as newspaper subs to send copy to the printers, and they would send bits and pieces back. Some tubes had a open end with a big metal clip in side to hold the papers in place. Certain newspaper hooligans (you know who you are) would put a sausage roll in the Lamson to wind up the printers..

    Christchurch • Since May 2011 • 2899 posts Report

  • Hebe, in reply to Lilith __,

    You don’t mean Java, Hebe?

    No , on the site of East's bookshop. Beloved tells me now it was the Dainty Inn.

    Christchurch • Since May 2011 • 2899 posts Report

  • Lilith __, in reply to Hebe,

    the Dainty Inn.

    Crikey, there's a name!

    Dunedin • Since Jul 2010 • 3895 posts Report

  • Hebe, in reply to Lilith __,

    Googled It:
    http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=138662648367
    My God, the Chinese Scotsman. I had totally forgotten him. Weird.

    This pic is before my time, but you can just see the Dainty Inn script above the cafe.
    http://christchurchcitylibraries.com/heritage/photos/disc16/IMG0070.asp

    Christchurch • Since May 2011 • 2899 posts Report

  • Islander, in reply to Hebe,

    <q>My God, the Chinese Scotsman. I had totally forgotten him. Weird.

    I NEVER have! He used to bike down Pages Road when we were going school (Aranui HS), kilt aflap and the ribbons on his cap aflying - never stopped. Never talked to anyone. Just wonderfully - was-

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report

  • Gudrun Gisela, in reply to Hebe,

    Priceless.

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2011 • 891 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes,

    I had a look at that Christchurch City Libraries site and I must say I was more than a little gobsmacked at their pricing…

    Pricing
    Electronic delivery of image $20.40 per image
    Image delivered on CD $30.70 per image

    Does that include GST?
    Even if it does, assuming a file size of around 4MB per image so 175 images per 700 MB disk you are talking about $5372.50 for a CD of pictures that you can still only use for personal study. Seems a bit steep to me but I suppose, when you have a City to rebuild, every little bit of dosh helps, eh?.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Lilith __,

    Crapola. EQ-damaged house now leaking in the heavy rain. Do not like.

    Dunedin • Since Jul 2010 • 3895 posts Report

  • Islander, in reply to Lilith __,

    Sorry to hear that Lilith - a someone who has dwelt in leaky houses for the past 42 years-
    *buckets
    *plastic sheeting
    *newspapers
    *sqeegees

    = all can be used in ingenious ways

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report

  • Lilith __, in reply to Islander,

    – a someone who has dwelt in leaky houses for the past 42 years-

    Oh dear!
    Thanks, Islander.
    The rain’s eased off a bit, and buckets and towels in position, so I’m not so worried. As long as we don’t slide off the hill….

    I keep thinking of that house Ruth Park talks about growing up in, which had many leaks including one above her parents’ bed. Her Mum used to balance a tin on her belly when lying in bed on rainy nights. Or so the story goes.

    My bed’s snug and dry. Counting my blessings. xx

    Dunedin • Since Jul 2010 • 3895 posts Report

  • Islander, in reply to Lilith __,

    One of my whanau ending-message salutations is, "Stay warm & well & dry!"
    Be it so Lilith-

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report

  • Isabel Hitchings,

    It is disgusting out there. 20cm of water on our drive and probably worse on the street. Storm water going the wrong way so the toilet won't drain and bubbles ominously. We rang the council who recommended sealing it with gladwrap and a brick. We have the chemical loo on the go again. Partner is obsessively looking at property listings for suburbs west of here.

    Christchurch • Since Jul 2007 • 719 posts Report

  • Islander, in reply to Hebe,

    would love a labyrinth – grass, gravel or pounamu – somewhere beautiful for walking, pacing, contemplating, singing, or sitting in the sun any time. A good Gap Filler?

    O yes...bring in the birds, and the bush, and the wounded stones, and let the place, and empathetic humans...make it all be-

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report

  • Islander, in reply to Isabel Hitchings,

    O struth!
    Still no decent reticulation?
    That is a total indictment of the local council (yeah, we know, Parker & co have always had functioning loos and f888 all you little people- ooo, I can see why citoyens gleefully followed tumbrils-)

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report

  • Lilith __, in reply to Isabel Hitchings,

    Oh Isabel. My heartfelt sympathy. :-(

    Dunedin • Since Jul 2010 • 3895 posts Report

  • Hebe, in reply to Isabel Hitchings,

    Damn. You need a sucker truck now. Ring them first thing: 7am. Good luck tonight.

    Just saw this advice elsewhere: "Ring the council on the 0800 number and press option 4 they will send a sucker truck to clean sewer". Some of those people work all night.

    Christchurch • Since May 2011 • 2899 posts Report

  • Chris Waugh, in reply to Isabel Hitchings,

    Take good care down there. Apparently a big part of the trouble at a highway interchange not far from here on July 21 was pretty similar - so much rain falling in the river that it flowed back up the storm water drains. Keep an eye on that and stay safe.

    Wellington • Since Jan 2007 • 2401 posts Report

  • Lilith __,

    The siren calling our volunteer firefighters has just gone, again. They've had a busy night.

    Dunedin • Since Jul 2010 • 3895 posts Report

  • Kyle Matthews,

    Those flyingfox (excellent name for it) and hydraulic tube cash transfer/receipt systems existed into the v.early 1970s-

    Dunedin had one in Penroses until 1993 I think - my first year in Dunedin and I purchased a hat there. Was possibly the coolest thing I ever saw. The building is now a Starbucks and the tubes are housed at the Settlers Museum.

    Still in use by hospitals, banks, supermarkets apparently.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report

  • Lilith __, in reply to Kyle Matthews,

    Still in use by hospitals, banks, supermarkets apparently.

    Huh. Groovy. :-)

    Dunedin • Since Jul 2010 • 3895 posts Report

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