That all seems quite straightforward.
Great to see the arrival of cable cars bound for Mornington on the front page of Saturday's ODT.
There must be many of you out there with memories of hopping on and off the cable cars. I'd love to hear from you.
Robin Christie, of Roxburgh, emailed with his recollections.
``I lived near the bottom of High St, opposite Clark St, and my brother and I attended High Street School from 1940 to 1945, which meant we were frequent users of the cable car.
``My brother and I had a trick which usually annoyed the cable-car drivers, known as grip-men. We would pack beer-bottle tops with wax matchheads, lay them on the rails when we heard a cable car coming and the result sounded like a very loud rifle shot.
``We would be hiding but the driver would shake his fist in our direction anyway and, with hindsight, I'm pretty sure the drivers knew we were the culprits.
``I hope the return of the cable cars comes to fruition eventually and what an asset for Dunedin it would be.''
Thanks to all who have contributed on the rather ikky subject of dog crap left on footpaths and in parks by irresponsible owners. If it means even one thoughtless owner changes their behaviour, then it has been worth it.
Diana O'Kane did not like us publishing on Monday the photo with the sign ``Dog Owners' Brains'' stuck into a rather large deposit on North Rd.
``I would like to congratulate the ODT on being so financially successful and secure that it can afford to offend around 30%-40% of its readers by implying they have dog poo for brains.
``Personally, I found your `very funny' photo to be a juvenile and unoriginal cheap shot at a significant part of the community who already get a pretty raw deal in good old Noozild, and have no way to fight back. But obviously I lack your sophisticated sense of humour.
``It must tickle you greatly to know that, today, 30%-40% of the people who somehow made your day better or easier now know what you really think of them. The REALLY funny thing is that quite a lot of that 30%-40% feel the sign could equally apply to reporters! Hahahaha!''
I wonder if moving the apostrophe to make it ``dog owner's brains'' - sheeting home the reaction to an individual rather than a group - would have made a difference?
Diana added: ``If you think dog owners are not marginalised in this country, then you should investigate the restriction, emotional stress, and legalised extortion dog owners are subject to by law. Public ridicule does not make it better.
``I did read your column - it seemed to imply that your concern was that people would be offended by a photo of dog poo, not by the sign.
``The fact you found it funny suggests you didn't understand you were insulting actual people, and a lot of them. Privately, that's fine, but, by publishing it in a newspaper, you are condoning discrimination against people who have done nothing wrong.
And that is a very good point, Diana. So, good on those who pick up after the less responsible dog-owners. I'm sure they are just as hacked off at having to do that as any other member of the public is.
1972 election
Getting all nostalgic after reading about Norman Kirk yesterday, I came across a wonderful bit of old television, featuring NZBC interviewer Rodney Bryant - later of the Dunedin City Council and now enjoying retirement in the city - and a victorious Mr Kirk after the election win in November 1972.
Gavin, of Oamaru, rang to tell me his recollection of the night Mr Kirk died, on Saturday August 31, 1974.
``I was a traffic cop and a volunteer at the Oamaru fire brigade. It was `honours night', a Saturday night, and WR Laney, the mayor of the town and also the MP, the Labour MP, was there.
``I recall someone going up to the top table and whispering something to Bill Laney. He never had a lot of colour anyway but he had none when he walked past us. Then it was announced to the meeting that Norman Kirk had passed.''
Gavin was also involved in traffic-management efforts on State Highway 1 near Waimate for the funeral on September 5. The weather was atrocious and, because of various delays, it turned into ``a circus'', he says.
Mike Muir, of Fairfield, remembers Big Norm's death vividly, because his mother had died after similar complications.
``I was 18 at the time. My mum died 10 days before Norm. He was a great leader, such a people's person. He cared a lot and did a lot for Maori and with providing housing for those who needed it.
``They showed his funeral on telly when he was buried at Waimate. I remember a lot of umbrellas - it was pouring with rain. Maori always say that's a sign of the angels crying. He was one of the greatest leaders lost.''
The silent 'p'
Following on from mis-spellings in this column the other day, Allister Preston sent this gem:
``Back in the 1950s when we were farming at Waikouaiti, we used to occasionally buy a crate of lemonade at the Thomson factory.
``The first time I paid by cheque I innocently asked, `Is there a ``p'' in Thomson?' The answer was, `No, it's all lemonade.'
``Of course I never misspelled it again.''