E02 Good Housekeeping 2018 words G02a Good Housekeeping - June 1986 Great ways to make your kitchen work It doesn't matter whether it's large or small, old or new, there are ways of making your kitchen work for you ... and it need not cost a fortune. "Not enough space" is probably the most common complaint people make about their kitchens - and room size isn't always a contributing factor. Indeed, even in a large kitchen with, apparently, plenty of cupboard space you may find that there is storage galore for seldom-needed items but nowhere to put the many things that are in everyday use. The secret of a workable kitchen is not how much space you have but how you use it. The pictures on these pages show how two enthusiastic cooks created the sort of kitchens the rest of us dream about ... but like so many great successes, most of the ideas are surprisingly simple. Take a good look: the solution to your kitchen problem could be right here. We also give you advice on basic planning, plus quick tips on making your kitchen more efficient and pleasant whether you're building anew or just making do. Walking to work Many people covet a large kitchen but, unless it is sensibly planned, that extra space can equal extra footwork - and a tired cook. A good kitchen layout should enable the storage, preparation, cooking and serving of food to be carried out safely and conveniently. The aim then is for the fridge, freezer and food cupboards to be close to the preparation area (usually the sink and adjacent work surfaces) and this preparation area should not be too far from the stove. There must be a clear work surface next to the stove where you can set down hot pans and serve the food. If you imagine a line linking the storage, preparation and cooking areas you have what is known as the work triangle. For optimum efficiency, the total length of this line should not be less than 3.5m (the kitchen will be too cramped) and not more than 6.5m (you'll spend too much energy walking about). The ideal layout There are five basic kitchen layouts which successfully accommodate the work triangle: choose the one that is most appropriate to your room shape. U-shaped. Kitchen units and appliances are arranged around three walls. L-shaped. Units and appliances are arranged along two adjacent walls. Island. Units and appliances are arranged around three walls with a free-standing unit in the centre of the room. Galley. Units and appliances are arranged on opposite walls of the room. Linear. Units and appliances are arranged along one wall. You may be lucky enough to have a room that is ideally suited to one of these layouts but for most of us the perfect kitchen is a compromise between theory and reality. Storage sense The golden rule with storage is, wherever possible, to store things close to where they will be used: pots and pans near the stove, knives and chopping boards near the preparation area and so on. Look for ways to make frequently needed items as accessible as possible. What were once features of only the most expensive kitchens can now be purchased separately and installed in less pricey units. Deep drawers are more practical for storing pots and pans than deep cupboards. An apppliance cupboard, with power points, saves you lugging out the food processor, toaster or whatever and keeps worktops free of clutter. Take a look at specialist storage shops and the kitchen sections of department stores for space saving (amd space making accessories). Here, 10 inexpensive and easy ways to improve your kitchen instantly. • Keep wooden spoons handy in a tall pottery or stoneware jar next to the stove. • If lack of space means you have to stack side plates on dinner plates with saucers balanced on top, invest in a tiered wire plate rack: it will save breakages and your temper. • Keep paper napkins under control with a perspex napkin holder. It stops them from getting crumpled between meals and, for outdoor eating, saves them from blowing away. • Kitchen knives stay sharper longer if they're stored in a wooden block or on a magnetic wall rack. • Don't hide pretty special-occasion plates at the back of a cupboard - hang them on the wall. They'll look good and you'll have extra storage space free. • When the walls are full, look to the ceiling. Hanging storage works well for pots, pans and utensils. • Hanging baskets are great for fruit, vegetables and eggs. • Increase your work space with a wooden board cut to fit over the sink; or install a pull-out worktop. • Throw some extra light on your work tops without rewiring: clip-on spotlights can be fastened to overhead cupboards. • Carousel units - the semi-circular baskets that swing out - make the darkest corner cupboard easily accessible. 10 TOOLS EVERY HOUSE SHOULD HAVE A well-stocked workshop takes years to acquire but, to begin with, a few tools will see you through. The secret: buy the best you can afford. Even the most modest home requires occasional repairs, adjustments and installations. Here are 10 tools we consider to be essential. Hammer. A 560g curved claw hammer will adequately drive and pull most nails used around the house. Those with steel or fibreglass shanks are strong, and heads won't loosen. A rubber handle provides a nonslip, cushioned grip. Screwdrivers. Buy four, two with flat blades and two Philips type - one large and one small for each type. Select large, comfortable handles for better turning power. The better-quality variety have good steel tips that retain their shape, won't chip, bend, or become rounded with repeated use. Tape measure. For easy measuring find a spring-retractable, 12mm wide tape, at least 3.5m long with clearly readable numerals, and locking feature. Adjustable wrench. A 20cm or 25cm crescent type is adequate for most household tasks. Best brands are thinner for easier use in hard-to-reach spots, minimum play of movable parts. Pliers. A pair of 15cm slip-joint pliers is fine for ordinary gripping, twisting, and holding needs. For fixing jewellery or bending wire, the needle nose type is indispensable. For gripping large objects, the channel-lock type works best. Inspect pliers before buying to make sure the handles move freely and jaws mate squarely and precisely as they close shut. Utility knife. Useful for cutting tough materials, opening cartons, cutting holes, trimming or shaving almost anything. Those with retractable blades are safer - when carried or stored. Replacement blades ensure a sharp edge for all occasions and are inexpensive. Drill. Hand drills are adequate and easy to use for the small holes needed for curtain tracks, picture hanging, threading speaker wires, etc. For heavy duty, do-it-yourself jobs requiring many holes, an electric drill is a worthwhile investment. In either case, be sure you have a good quality drill-bit set. Better drills will stay sharp longer. Saw. For cutting boards, shelves, or other materials, an 8-point (8 teeth per 25mm) cross-cut saw with a 60cm blade is best. Level. A 25cm or 30cm spirit level is adequate for levelling appliances and setting hangers for pairs of small pictures. A 60cm or 75cm carpenter's level is better for installing larger pictures and working with larger projects. Multi-purpose cutters will cope with wire, thin metal and tough plastic as well as heavy cardboard. G02b Good Housekeeping 0 June 1986 CURTAIN CALLS Dress up your windows Well-dressed windows can make a room. Here's our guide to choosing tapes, tracks and fabric to suit your budget and your style ... Curtains can make or mar the finished effect of a room as well as serving to give privacy, shut out light and darkness, keep in the heat and cut out the draughts. Even if you make your own, curtains are not cheap; it makes sense to do your home+work before you part with your cash - and remember, there's more to curtains than the fabric. The heading tapes and tracks are just as important. Heading for success How a curtain looks when you finally hang it depends on the heading tape and the curtain track or pole you use. Certain fabrics are unsuitable for use with certain heading tapes and heavy fabrics cannot be hung on thin, lightweight tracks. Commercial curtain headings produce a variety of different effects and the type of tape determines the amount of fabric required. When buying, you may find a shop that has small sample curtains showing the finished effect of the different headings; otherwise ask the assistant to pull up a section of tape to give you an idea of how the curtain will hang. Plain fabrics look good with almost any heading tape but with patterned fabric you need to think about how the pleating will affect the design - it could spoil it or produce a different effect from the fabric on the flat. The most popular heading tapes are as follows: Standard gathered tape creates a frill at the top of the curtain. It's not particularly decorative and is best hidden behind some kind of pelmet or valance. It works best with lightweight fabrics and short curtains. Allow one-and-a-half times the width of the curtain track if using curtain fabric; twice the width for nets and sheers. Pencil pleat tape gives a neat, tailored finish to curtains. Pencil pleats take up a lot of room on the curtain track when pulled back; if you want to ensure that plenty of light gets into the room, either use tie-backs or extend the track beyond each side of the window. You need twice the width of track for curtain fabric, three times for nets and sheers. Pinch pleat or triple pleat tape is used extensively by professional curtain makers and, happily, is also recommended for novices. You need twice the width of the track for curtain fabric, two-and-a-half to three times for the nets and sheers. Hints on Headings • Always tack and don't rely on pins. Heading tape moves out of position easily. _ Sew all seams in the same direction. • Buy a little more tape than you calculate you need so you can have pleats exactly where you want them. • Don't cut off the cords when you've pulled up the tape. Store them on a cleat or cord tidy so you can let out the fabric for cleaning or washing. • To ensure the excess cord doesn't show, pull up the tape from a point 20cm to 30cm in from the outside edge of the curtain. • Secure the base of pinch or triple pleats with a small hand stitch. • Use four hooks to each 30cm of curtain for good support. • If bulky headings bounce forward when the curtain is pulled back, fitting a cording set will help. • Give sheer fabric a little body along the length of the heading by using iron-on Vilene or other non-woven fabric. On the right tracks You can hang your curtains from all manner of poles, rods and tracks made from diverse materials and in a variety of designs. Have a good look at what's around and check that the track you fancy is, in fact, suitable for the fabric you've chosen, and designed to take its heading. Unusual windows may have special requirements: bays and bows look best with a single track bent round; corner windows need curtains which draw back to the outer edges; and windows with sloping tops require a cording system to draw the curtains back to the longer side. In general, you get what you pay for with curtain tracks. The more expensive ones are stronger, better made, more attractive and have gliders which run more smoothly. However, you should suit track to fabric; you don't need a Rolls-Royce rod to support your short filmy lightweight bathroom curtains. With large windows it is a good idea to check the manufacturer's specification when you buy to ensure that the width and type of track you choose can support the weight of your curtains (weigh them in a bin liner on your bathroom scales). E07 Hobbyfarmer 2026 words E07a Hobbyfarmer - Spring 1986 RENOVATIONS & KIT HOMES SPECIAL FEATURE Playing house - to your own style If you are restoring or extending a less than youthful house the experiences of two families, recounted in this section, may shed a different light on your project. For the home builder, a kit home is one attractive alternative. If time and experience is short, but you still want to build your own home, then a truckload of materials and a ready source of 'how to' advice from a kit home specialist could be the answer. Designing, ordering, organising, and cutting materials to length are just a few advantages offered by this method. Generally, companies offer a variety of designs as well as the option of using one of its builders to work on as little or as much of the project as you desire. Many kit homes come in modules enabling the owner-builder to start with a small, low-cost house and extend when finances allow. This is an easier and faster way of building which still gives you that special feeling of achievement that will undoubtedly become part of your home forever. E07b Hobyfarmer - Spring 1986 Re-creating Clayton House by Mark Paterson Clayton House is a tribute to its builder. It stands proud, on the eastern outskirts of Perth, still in its basic structure, surrounded by almost 11 hectares of fertile land. The Helena River forms one boundary of the property. The house was completed in 1861, signified by initials of the then-owners of Clayton Farm, the Smith family, engraved into the brickface on the north-west wall. But two-storey brick house, built with red clay dug from a nearby creek, is not the farm's original homestead which was on the banks of the Helena River. The wooden building is believed to have burnt down. The land around the house was originally taken up by Henry Cam+field, a hops farmer from Kent, Eng+land, who arrived on the "Caroline" in 1829. He was granted 1100 acres at Helena and soon after leased out the land. The present owners Mr and Mrs David Dick presume the farm was named after the man who took up the first lease from Camfield, but they are unsure. In 1853, the farm was bought by Richard Smith and not long after he and his family moved to the property. The nearest settlement was Guild+ford, so the Smith family was almost self-sufficient - wheat and oats were grown, an orchard with vines and many fruit trees decorated the farm. Pigs and chickens were also kept. Over the years the land has been used for a number of purposes, partic+ularly agisting stock driven down from northern cattle stations. Mr and Mrs Dick bought Clayton Farm from Elders Goldsborough Mort in 1968 and they moved onto the farm in 1972. The pastoral agents had acquired the farm and surrounding land for stock agistment and later sub+divided and sold it off. Clayton Farm remains the largest of the subdivisions on the east side of Helena River. Clayton House was used by stockmen when the land was agisting stock and the room above the cellar in the back garden was also used to house workmen. According to Mrs Dick, the house is structurally sound and little has been spent on it internally but she pointed out that it was "very drab" when they bought it. She said dust was continually fall+ing from the ceiling and walls, from cooking black, caused by the stock+men cooking on a wood stove in the original living room. So she and her husband set out to make the place liveable. "We cleaned the place up and put in a tenant and then worked out what we wanted to do with the place," said Mr Dick. Now retired, the Dicks made all efforts to furnish the house with period furniture and had hoped from the start to renovate it to its original splendour. When the couple lived in South Perth, they were accustomed to a larger living area than Clayton House had and so decided to extend the existing living area out to the original kitchen. However, their plans were way-laid until they could find bricks from the same period and of the same size to complete the addition. This task ended when a cottage in nearby Guildford was demolished. Although the bricks were the same size, they had marginally different texture to those in Clayton House. The bricklayers had to finish off the bricks just as the original ones have been. During renovations the external brickwork was treated with a water repelling solution. The original kitchen, separate from the house, had deteriorated and the original brickwork to the baker's oven was discovered during the extensions. Doors and windows were bought when they became available. Most of the windows were replaced with pane and a half windows, a fashion of the 1850s, according to Mrs Dick. Mr Dick said it was a matter of buying the materials you liked when you were able and then using them at a later date. "Get it when you can and then decide how to use it," he said, adding that period materials were becoming scarcer. Clayton House is classified by the National Trust and is open only to historical societies and specialised groups. Mrs Dick is president of the Swan-Guilford*Guildford Historical Society, reflecting her keen interest in the region's past. "I have always been interested in history and we have always like old furniture," she said, "Most of our furniture was acquired in the days when it was not too popular." The furniture, such as the early jarrah colonial settees in the living room, is mainly Victorian. There are cedar chairs in the upstairs' bedrooms along with Vic+torian brass beds that came from an early commercial hotel when it was pulled down. Raw iron gates that mark the main entrance came from the Mechanics In+stitute in Perth, when it was demoli+shed. The doors and architraves in the house came out from England; with fingerplates being saved from old homes around Perth. An original lock is set into the front door. The staircase is original with only the treads being replaced during renovations. In fact the staircase, which starts behind the front door, is so tight that when the Dicks moved large furniture upstairs, they had to take it through upstairs windows. All the door-frames are original and all light fittings come from the 1850s. The plasterwork in the house is also original. It was steam cleaned and painted over. The wood stove in the living room has been replaced by a Victorian fireplace from the demoli+shed Guildford cottage. There is one other Victorian fire+place in a bedroom but the parlour at the front of the house still contains an original fire surround. The parlour is also home to a Vic+torian suite brought from England. Mrs Dick said the house was retur+ned as nearly as possible to its original splendour but she pointed out some things could just not be replaced. The home is adorned by etchings, paintings and ornaments, many of which depict WA life in days gone by. There is a full size cellar out the back of the house which has a room over the top. The Dicks suspect it was used as a bedroom for the settler's fam+ily and then later as a dog and fowl pen. Shingles cover the verandah off the bedroom and the nearby garage roof. The cellar's entrance is guarded by two jarrah doors, both of which were beyond resurrection when the Dicks bought the farm. The cellar was flood+ed regularly in winter and this forced the couple to dig in an automatic pump to keep the floor dry. The cellar is now used as a meat cellar and for general storage. The original grape vines on the north-east wall have been pruned and now bear fruit regularly and there are huge trees all over the 11 hectare block including some original growths. Plant regeneration has been an impor+tant part of Clayton Farm's renova+tion with dying original trees being replaced and more trees added. The one remaining mulberry tree still bears and an olive tree marks the site of the original homestead. There are three original wells and an all year spring. One of the wells alongside the house was used as a dry well to take up water from the kitchen but it has since been renovated using local stone and is now not used. The couple's eldest son grows special varieties of Kangaroo paws on a half hectare plot for an export market while the younger son manages a thoroughbred agistment operation on another part of the farm. The house has hosted two gather+ings of the Smith family, descendants of the pioneering family who built Clayton House. With a home garden, orchard, several head of cattle and small flock of cross-bred sheep, the Dicks believe they are self-sufficient- another link with the original settlers. E07c Hobbyfarmer - Spring 1986 Our first (and last!) renovation. By J.C.Hamilton Renovation always costs three times more than you think, takes three times longer than ever you have planned and is never finished. Who then would renovate a 100-year-old weatherboard house that hadn't seen a paint brush for decades and was sitting far too close to terra firma on rotten foundations? The answer is that there is always one fool willing to try, in this case, dear reader, your honorable writer. The task: fix the house on the old Brooklands property near Port Arthur, in southern Tasmania. To be frank, first impressions were not encouraging. There was no water supply, save for a couple of shonky water tanks so a pump into the nearby creek was a first priority. As with most renovating efforts the coffers were not bottomless so the art of compromise was much practised. A pressure hot water cylinder was rejected on this basis- the old model was connected to a rather inexpensive head+er tank on the roof. Stage two was a reassessment of the state of the bathroom, having decided that a simple drainpipe poking through the wall to a rusted tin bath receptacle outside, was too primitive. Besides, the holes in the floor would give access not only to the odd Rattus rattus but also small elephants. For this job the services of one P. Rigozzi were engaged, he being not only an artisan of the first order but also a man of considerable practicability. Frankly, he needed to be. The floor was patched with one quarter inch hardboard overlay in preparation for a vinyl tile job, the walls were expertly lined with radiata V-joint, a combination fibre+glass shower and bath was installed, and a washbasin com+plete with Laminex bench, fitted. It took three times as long and cost nearly three times as much as this naive renovator expected. Still, it worked, and a stream of visitors were proudly shown the "beginning". Outside the plumbing work was considerable, the effluent system being joined with the drainpipe from the kitchen sink that went nowhere except somewhere under the dwelling. A decent french drain was a must. In all, time has revealed only two mistakes for this first attempt at fixing a place up. The french drain out in the paddock for the kitchen and bathroom waste should have been twice as big, especially as it was in a slight depression that also attracts storm water. Also the floor fixing should never have been done simply with overlay. The green and white tiles which matched well with the taps and towel rails started to break up as the moisture crept through the hardboard. In short the patch-up has proved to be a false economy with the short term prospect, now, of having to rip it all up and put down a new floor. What we should have done is what the next fix-it expert, with the unusual name of Ready-To-Go-Jones, advised for the laundry and back porch - put down a concrete slab. The result is likely to outlast the rest of the abode by many a summer. It was simple and reasonably inexpensive, especially as we finished it ourselves to a 98% standard which was eminently suitable for the heavy duty vinyl floor covering. E12 Modern Fishing - February 1986 2008 words The tunas of Moreton Bay by Darryl Steel Despite the abuses we heap upon them, the big bays that adjoin our major cities still fish remarkably well. Moreton Bay is no exception, and the numerous schools of tuna that call it home make it heaven on earth for the spinmen. The midday summer sun is blazing down and I am seated in the shade of a paperbark tree on Moreton Island enjoying an ice cold stubbie. Because of the glare on the water*waer, I can't see the mainland. What joy! What I can see however, is the early run of longtail tuna feeding on the edge of the channel in front of our camp. Crash - Bang - Bash! - spray lofts into the air. The poor baitfish appear as jewels as the sun strikes their bodies while they dance through the air in hope of escaping from the predators. I wish them luck. It was obvious the tide had started to ebb. If it wasn't so hot, I'd hop into our boat anchored out front, grab some poppers and high speed lures and go out for a belt. Oh well, maybe they will still be there when that big red ball reclines a little. This scene has caused me to reflect on how lucky us Brisbanites are to have an island such as Moreton close to the mainland with such GREAT fishing water. Sure, this is the time of the small black marlin, sailfish, wahoo and dolphin just out from Cape Moreton, but with the weather being as fickle as it is, it is not always possible to venture out into that magic blue water in a small boat. It is also not everyone's inclination to go outside, but they might wish to fish for honest gamefish within the bay proper. Each year, longtails, mack tuna, frigates, Watson's leaping bonito, Australian bonito and the odd stripie are available. Yellowfin tend to stay offshore in the blue water and it is here you may be lucky to score the unusual (to us) members of the tribe like dogtooth, big eye and albacore. We have found that not a month goes by when at least one of the tribe cannot be captured or seen within the confines of Moreton Bay. Experience has shown that the tunas available to us are very critical of presentation because of their feeding habits. As a general rule, they tend to feed on what is considered small baitfish, tucking into hardiheads down to 1/2" minnows. I am aware some feed on gar, sauries scad etc., but that is dependent on the bait available at the time and the areas they are observed in. In our Bay, 99 times out of 100 they feed on super small baitfish and it is up to us, the anglers, to either change their feeding habit or present something that resembles the bait they are feeding upon. Firstly, let's deal with the one that grows the largest in the Bay, the longtail. School fish tend to be in the 7-11 kg bracket and as such, are the most common size caught. We usually use 4 or 6 kg spin outfits with stiff powerful rods. This past season provided some action packed days with these great sportfish and one that comes to mind was with my mate Gordon Fallon. One autumn morning saw Gordon and myself cruising across the bay with just a gentle south wester up our tail. The day looked great, clear skies and a good weather forecast combined with an early 2.2 metre high tide. Experience has shown the falling tide, preferably in the morning, is best as a general rule. The area we intended to fish was known locally as `the paddock', an open expanse of water between Mud and Moreton Islands. We must have been 3 kilometres out before we noticed some terns working a certain area. Our eyes strained against the early morning glare to see if the birds were following tuna or just picking up food from a flotsam line. About 100 metres from them, the motor was shut off and we waited. Nothing happened for five minutes and then the longtails commenced feeding. Before the motor was started, the tuna sounded and the water calmed off once more. Gordon said "Boy that was quick." I answered "They were the two seconds specials." Anyone who has chased tuna will know the feeling. Sometimes they'll surface feed for such a short time you don't have time to fire off a cast, even if you are close enough. The school did this twice more, so we continued on our bearing. Another kilometre furher and we found what we were looking for. The sight that greeted us was a feeding frenzy that would quicken the heartbeat of the most seasoned angler. A large school of longtails had rounded some frogmouth pilchards into a ball and were charging relentlessly through them. The baitfish were trying to fly in the air to escape the predators but the longtails knew this game only too well. The two Fallon poppers landed in unison. Their skipping, dancing, splashing action across the surface drew an instant response. Double hookup. After a short run, the one connected to my line pulled out, but Gordon's stayed firm. Being his first tuna, Gordon was amazed at the amount of line he was rapidly losing. "You'd better get the boat going Steely," he yelled. On checking the spool on his large spinning reel I knew he still had plenty of line left, so I suggested we remain stationary and hope that the tuna would stop in another 50 metres or so. It did. The daggy grin on Gordon's face told its own story. Here was this character on his first tuna and on one of his own lures and brother, he was ecstatic. Orders and questions flowed fast and furiously from my mate. "You'd better chase this fish! Look at the angle of this line, it must be in New Zealand! Hurry up Steel get your bum into gear!" And then "What do I do now!" After its big run, the longtail had stopped some 200 metres out and appeared still. With that amount of line out, the stretch in 6 kg line is considerable and it wasn't until Gordon had taken care of the stretch that he turned the fish. It came slowly, but surely towards the boat. It was another 10 minutes before colour showed, some 20 metres out. When the fish sighted the boat, it panicked and bolted into the depths. (At close quarters, tuna often sound. I put it down to boat shadow probably resembling a shark. Sharks are common in tuna season and sharks love tuna steaks). Gordon spent the next 10 minutes trying to emulate Deek doing an anticlockwise marathon man, circumnavigating the five metre centre console. Eventually the longtail was tailed and hoisted aboard. The first good fish is always exciting, and this capture was no exception. We landed a few more tuna that day, all swimming away sporting little yellow streamers, but there was one fish that provided the main course for a small version of Jaws. This fish had taken a popper, and I was fishing it hard on a brute of a rod, when it decided to imitate a guided missile. This little escapade was brought about by the 2.4 metres of teeth hard on its tail. Two seconds later there was nothing left bar a rasped double. Although on this particular day, the poppers were great, there are other days when small metal lures retrieved at high speed will outdo the poppers, so it is necessary to try both. If one fails, try the other, although, I always start off with a popper. Being an exciter type lure, it will quite often cause a hookup even when the longtails are feeding on small baitfish. There is quite a lot of difference in profile between a 4 cm baitfish and a 12 cm popper. The longtails must surely have the widest water temperature tolerance of all the tunas as we have captured them in every month of the year although Dec-May is prime time. One day, my wife Nikki and myself were out chasing yellowtail kings at a local haunt when I made one of my most unusual longtail captures. The kings were periodically banging on the surface adjacent to a shipping beacon. We had landed a few on poppers when a 20 kg plus tuna broke the surface right in the middle of the 4-5 kg kings. Next cast, my popper was engulfed by what I assumed was a king. It was a close encounter with no mad runs but after 10 minutes on heavy gear, I began to wonder about its birth line. At 20 minutes the head shaking felt through the rod told me it was not in fact, a yellowtail, but what could it be? When it started circling the boat, I said to Nikki "I think its a longtail tuna" and sure enough it was. At over 13 kg, it was not big by live bait standards, but still a top fish. It was a strange feeling to land a longtail while wearing tracksuit and wet weather gear instead of the customary shorts and t-shirt. This tuna was landed in a surface water temperature of below 16°C on my gauge, whereas a few months before, the surface temperature in Moreton Bay was 23.5 to 26°C. Don't these tuna know they are supposed to be in warmer waters now? A typical case of rules broken by the fish. They never seem to comprehend man made rules or conditions. Regularly, we find a species turning up when you least expect them. Is it that some fish have a greater temperature tolerance than we are led to believe, or is it that currents change more frequently? To me, this is part of the mystique of fishing. Mackerel tuna (or kawakawa as they are known internatonally) are a speedster, no matter whether they are 1 kg or 10 kg in weight. This particular tuna is not supposed to grow over 12 kg, according to the text books. They are a regular visitor to Moreton Bay mainly in the 1 kg-3 kg size, but during October and November the heavies arrive. They can be very spooky and extremely difficult to approach, but when the gods are with you they provide spectacular action. I have found the smaller mack's are susceptible to small metal lures like stingsildas and small mavericks, while the o/s ones will take both poppers and small metal lures. Last November, Leon Abrahams and I went out for a run and found some of the larger mack tuna on the boil. It was early in the morning and we landed three or four from 7.6 kg to 8.5 kg before they became spooky as the sun rose. This was a day when small poppers reigned supreme. It may have been necessary to re-position the boat numerous times to get into the right spot for a cast, but the results were worthwhile. On poppers or small metal lures, these top gamefish perform as well as longtails and I feel are faster on their first sprint and at their ability to change direction. At this stage, it's worth mentioning that tuna fishing is not a lazy man's sport. Sometimes it may be necessary to position your boat numerous times and this could mean up to 40-50 changes to allow just ONE cast that MAY be successful. I can recall early in my tuna fishing career, chasing mack tuna all day and ending up with only three or four casts that would have finished up in the strike zone. My wife reckons that all tuna are employed by B.P. and Shell oil companies because when she comes out tuna chasing, we seem to chase them all day. Perseverance is the name of the game, and experience may allow up to a dozen hook ups in a morning. E13 Australian Artist 2007 words E13a Australian Artist - April 1986 Thoughts of a landscape artist By Marjory Penglase This painter uses a variety of mediums and careful study over long periods for success. Painting is a totally personal activity - you and the sub+ject, your reaction to form, colour, light effects and the in+finite combinations thereof. The translation of that reac+tion into your chosen medium. Everyone, in time, works out their own approach, based on experience; one's own and shared experience with other painters. Always there is something new to learn, even if it's a simpler way of carrying your gear. I work in both oils and watercolours, mostly land+scape; with the subject dictat+ing the medium for the finished painting. However, when travelling I find water+colour, either alone or in com+bination with oil pastel and assorted pens and pencils to be the most convenient. If there is time, one can set+tle down to some thoughtful painting, if not, then the ma+terials are equally suitable for quick impressions, perhaps supported by photographs. Whatever the conditions, I think it is important to spend as much time as possible con+templating the subject. Perhaps make a thumbnail sketch or two, simplify shapes and tone patterns. Once you begin painting, the details will come sneaking in thick and fast, clutter up your composition and con+fuse and obscure the very ele+ments which attracted you in the first place. So you need to keep a clear pattern in your mind. This is even more essen+tial if you are making sketches for a large work to be painted in the studio. I usually make a number of colour notes with watercolours and or oil pas+tels. (Perhaps I should explain that the oil pastels are used for their `resist' quality e.g. in a low toned area I can fill in detail with the oilpastel and then wash over it as neces+sary.) I also make as many de+tailed drawings of trees, rocks, foliage etc. as time per+mits. Sometimes one of these will "come off" well enough to find its way onto an exhibi+tion wall. The majority go into the reference "pool", en+abling me, when back home to analyse and study the ac+cumulated work and select for the planned painting. For this, my first step is to make a pencil or charcoal drawing in which all the shapes are reduced to simple geometric forms, to tighten the composition and build an effective balance of tones. I spend a good deal of time on these preliminaries, a project will often stay on "simmer" for months until the ideas seem fully developed. Then, with the decks clea+red, I put the studies to one side, handy when needed but not too obvious, so as to try and avoid the inhibitions in+herent in working from notes, the great hazard being that the picture tends to become tight and stilted, losing the spontaneity and excitement of the original sketch. Having built up a strong mental image I do very little drawing on the board, just charge in with big washes to establish the dominant tones and colours, mostly sticking to the old principle of starting with sky and background and working forward. Always try+ing to keep uppermost in my mind my first reaction to the subject, with all the sub+sequent studies and diagrams being a means to an end. It is necessary to endeavour to remain flexible enough to use or adapt "happy acci+dents" - particularly impor+tant with that wayward and unforgiving medium, water colour. As for "unhappy" acci+dents, know yee that everyone has them and they far outnumber the happy ones! With most paintings, there comes a stage where the best laid plans go wrong and all the helpful theories are of no help. Unless you feel very confident about getting back on course, it is generally wise to put the painting aside for a while, looking and pon+dering until another solution presents itself. Another situation, where it often pays to take a tea break is when you think a picture is finished but just can't restrain the urge to keep on fiddling round trying to "improve" this and that. In no time at all, something that may have been alright is muddied beyond redemption. It is much safer to come back with the mind and eye rested and review the whole thing. This is especially important with water colour where all the luminosity can be lost in the course of a few minutes lack of concentration. With oils, it is easier to bury the mistakes under a layer of paint, but even so, I've found that their ghosts tend to hang around and haunt you. It is always worthwhile ex+perimenting with different materials and combinations and with variety and chal+lenge in your subjects a daisy can present as many difficul+ties as a mountain top. So never, never sink into a com+fortable rut - try something different now and again. Oil pastels, used alone or in com+bination with watercolour or pencils can be guaranteed to jolt anyone out of a rut. Effec+tive on paper, they can also be used on canvas and blended with turps. There are all sorts of in+teresting coloured pencils, pens, chalks etc. available. It is not necessary to buy large, ex+pensive boxes. Most art stores sell single sticks and a few basic colours are all that are needed. I prefer a fairly limited palette no matter what medium I am using. I vary it according to the subject, but try to keep to about four col+ours, two warm, two cool, plus white if I am using oils. I do not as a rule, have black. I prefer to mix my own darks. This is just a personal thing. Painters have argued the pros and cons of black for years. Once, there were sound, tech+nical reasons for regarding some blacks with suspicion, this, of course, is no longer the case. So it all comes back to what works best for you. Generally speaking, pain+ters are in two broad groups - "line" people and "mass" people. The former, tend to see things in outline, draw reasonably well and have problems with colour and the organization of shapes i.e. compostion. The latter, have good colour sense and feeling for the solid forms and "mas+ses" in a subject, but are a lit+tle shaky on draughtsman+ship. Whatever ones*one's strengths or weaknesses, draw at every opportunity. Lit+tle sketch pads and pencils left around the house in stragetic*strategic places mean that with something right to hand, you really do a drawing of that milk bottle, a light effect, or an idea you have just had, instead of merely thinking of it. It helps sharpen your obser+vation, helps your painting and is a source of pleasure and stimulation. E13b Australian Artist - April 1986 Providing the correct environment in which to learn art By Anthony Lambert Teaching art to 900 students sounds a daunting prospect. Australian Artist talks to the principal of the City Art Institute in Sydney to see how he manages Many people want to be+come artists: high school students, housewives, grandmothers, accountants and even doctors in mid-career crisis. Ken Rinehart has seen them all. As head of Syd+ney's Art Institute it is his job to see that all those who come to the school are given the best environment in which to study the skills they need to practise art. About 900 students attend the City Art Institute which makes it the largest single ter+tiary art institution in Sydney. However, unlike the Sydney College of the Arts it is not an independent establishment but part of the Sydney Col+lege of Advanced Education, an odd conglomeration of six Sydney institutes, formed in 1982, teaching everything from nursing to early child+hood education. Prior to 1982 the City Art Institute was bet+ter known as the art school in the Alexander Mackie CAE, a school which Rinehart helped establish. `I was head teacher in the fine art division of the Na+tional Art School, (East Syd+ney Tech,) at the time,' Rinehart recalls. `The Gleeson Committee Report had re+commended the establish+ment of two art schools in Sydney, one of which would become part of the existing CAE. On the 23rd of October, 1974, I was appointed dean of the school of art that was to be formed in what was then Alexander Mackie CAE and was promptly told that on March 1 the following year I would have 600 students to teach. About 90 of them would be first year students and the remainder ongoing students from the fine arts diploma course at the Na+tional Art School. We man+aged to find the staff, build+ings and equipment to cope with those students and the art school eventually grew to comprise about 800 of the College's total student popu+lation of 1400. A year and a half before the 1982 amalga+mation which made us part of Sydney CAE I was appointed acting principal of the entire College, a post left vacant by the appointment of the then principal to chairman of the Education Commission'. The reorganisation which took place in 1982 that changed the Mackie art school into the City Art Insti+tute is a bureaucratic feat that is best explained by Rinehart: `The Sydney Teachers College, Sydney Kindergarten Teachers College, Sydney Nursery Teachers College, Guild Teachers College and Alexan+der Mackie were amalga+mated to form the Sydney CAE. But the five colleges that became one were then di+vided up into six institutes of a different composition to the original five colleges. Mackie became two institutes - the art part forming the City Art Institute and the education part becoming the St George Institute of Education. The Sydney Teachers College also became two institutes - The Sydney Institute of Education and the Institute of Technical and Adult Teacher Education. The two early childhood edu+cation colleges merged to form one institute while the Guild College largely disappeared as a major compo+nent, becoming simply the Guild Centre. More recently an Institute of Nursing Studies has been established'. Last year the City Art Insti+tute was again the focus of bureacratic attention with a strong proposal from the NSW Higher Education Board that City and the Sydney Col+lege of the Arts be amalga+mated. That proposal was eventually squashed by the Minister for Education (see last month's Australian Artist) but the problems that in+itiated the proposal persist. Both institutions have an ac+commodation problem (the Sydney College of the Arts more so), their campuses scat+tered through a number of buildings in several inner-city suburbs. And both need bet+ter funding. As a means of sol+ving those problems Rinehart came out in favour of the proposal at the time and he still rejects the argument that an amalgamation would have muddied the different ap+proaches of the two schools. `That the two of us have different philosophical ap+proaches is a load of rubbish,' he argues. `Different philo+sophies apply more to indi+vidual members of staff than to the schools. You will find far greater differences in the philosophies of two people teaching painting in adjoining studios than you would in any identifiable philosophies in the City Art Institute and the Sydney College of the Arts. The two schools are very dif+ferent in composition - the Sydney College of the Arts has about 400 design stu+dents doing very vocationally oriented courses and I think you would find greater philosophical differences be+tween their design and art de+partments than you would be+tween our art department and their art department. They have 300 people doing art and we have 900 people doing art: We would argue that we have as many philosophies as we do lectur+ers and because of our great+er size we offer our students a greater choice. `I think larger art schools do in reality offer a greater choice than smaller art schools. It is far easier for a student to come to an art school of a reasonable size, take a particular option, realise it is the wrong one and then change it, rather than go to a smaller art school, realise it is the wrong one, and then change to another school. You only have to look at Mel+bourne to see the problems with the numerous small art schools there'. E15 Encore 2003 words E15a Encore - March 13-26, 1986 Music Update Gold gets manager job at Big Time ROGER Gold has been ap+pointed general manager of Big Time Records following the resignation of Brook Massey from the position late last month. Gold was Big Time's A&R manager and national promotions manager for three years. According to Gold, Massey resigned because he was "frustra+ted with the job and tired of the record industry." He said Massey's departure was "amicable, to an extent". Geoffrey Weiss from Big Time's Boston office will fill Gold's previous position from April. Weiss headed the Boston office and managed East Coast Promotions for the past year. Big Time's American-based managing director, Fred Bestall, will be in Sydney later this month to hold talks with Gold and re+negotiate Big Time's distribution deal with EMI Records in Aus+tralia. Big Time Record's Australian artists include Hoodoo Gurus, Hoxton Creepers and Painters & Dockers. Hot leaves EMI for Lassie film. INDEPENDENT Sydney label Hot Records has left distributors EMI and signed to the Tasmanian distributor Another Record Distri+bution (ARD). Hot Records, which originally distributed its own product, has not been satisfied with distribution deals previously held with CBS and then EMI. Stefan Markovitch set up ARD in Tasmania five years ago. The company specialises in importing jazz, classical, folk and indepen+dent rock music which isn't covered by the major record companies. Hot Records managing director, Martin Jennings, signed with ARD because the company was indepen+dent and had a good performance and financial record. ARD has sales representatives in each State. This is the company's first distribution deal with an Australian label. Moyle sets up Black Flag label FORMER product manager of Regular Records John Moyle has started his own label - Black Flag Records. First signing to the label is Sydney band Glam Savages, although a distribution deal has not yet been confirmed. The managing director of Regular, Martin Fabinyi, says Moyle, who left earlier this year, will not be replaced immediately. Fabinyi and general manager, Jennifer Wright, will reassess the structure of the company given an expected increase in business this year. Regular will release three albums over the next two months - from I'm Talking, Scribble and Icehouse. Machinations album for CBS MUSHROOM band Machinations have secured a distribution deal with American label Empire Records, through CBS America, for their 1985 album "Big Music". A new track, "One Closer Step", will replace "Five Minutes Black" on the American release and the first single from the album will be "No Say In It". Machinations are currently re+hearsing with new drummer Paul Wheeler and auditioning for a back-up singer for their next album to be produced by Julian Mendolsohn. Rolling Stone's music awards ROLLING Stone Australia maga+zine and Sydney radio station 2MMM will stage the first "Aus+tralian Music Awards" this year. Rolling Stone is currently distri+buting voting forms for the awards to be held in Sydney in April. The awards will be divided into two categories: industry votes for several classes of achievement and a public vote for act of the year. Rolling Stone publisher, Paul Gardiner, says the Australian Music Awards will fill the gap left by other awards. The Rolling Stone awards are exclusively for Australian rock artists. The awards will be broadcast on 2MMM in Sydney and EON-FM in Melbourne. The announcement of the Rol+ling Stone awards follows a deci+sion by the Australian Record Industry Association (ARIA) to host a national music industry awards in August (Encore February 27 - March 12). Bullamakanka singer dies LEAD singer of bush rock band Bullamakanka, Rex Radonich, was killed in a car accident late last month. Two members of the band were seriously injured. Lead guitarist Russell Hinton and drummer Jimmy Dube-Yonge were injured in the collision, which took place on the road to Glouces+ter, NSW. Radonich, 35, was a founding member of the band. Hinton is still in hospital with spinal injuries, but Duke-Yonge bassist Mal Clarke and fiddler Paul Jenkins have been released from hospital. Promoter Paul Wheatley says Slim Dusty, The Bushwackers, Anne Kirkpatrick, John William+son and Alan Caswell have offered their services for a benefit concert. Studios on the move TRANSISTOR Music in Sydney has moved from its eight-track facilities at EMI to a 24-track studio in Rozelle. Recording at the new premises began in February. Meanwhile, the owners of York Street Studios in Melbourne - administrator Angela Governer, director and sound producer Rob Scott and producer David Williams - have sold their facility and will operate as freelance producers. The York Street Studio premises will be taken over by Silkwood Studios in April. E15b Encore - March 13-26, 1986 Gillian Armstrong's account of Bob Dylan in Australia is not your average concert film Making Bob Dylan's 56-minute concert film in Sydney turned out to be an entertainment industry event LOUISE McELVOGUE reports. IT WAS a project which brought the most influential international musician of the last half-century together with some of the most highly-regarded names in the Australian film industry. The making of a film of Bob Dylan and Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers in concert involved director Gillian Armstrong, pro+ducer Greg Ricketson, cinema+tographer Don McAlpine and sound engineer Roger Savage. The film, recording a tour that only ran in Australia and New Zealand, is for American cable net+work Home Box Office. It was shot at the Sydney Entertainment Centre over three days, with seven camera crews shooting a massive 20 miles of film. Armstrong, whose credits include a clip for Pat Wilson's "Bop Girl" as well as the features My Brilliant Career, Starstruck and Mrs Soffel, was approached by Dylan's manage+ment earlier this year. "Dylan and his manager app+roached my agent because they'd seen my work and they liked it," she said. "I wanted to shoot the concert because it was a challenge, but I said to Dylan I can only do it if I get a good team around me." Armstrong approached Mc+Alpine, who worked with her on My Brilliant Career, to direct photo+graphy and Greg Ricketson to pro+duce the film. Armstrong regarded filming Dylan live as a "special" project. "It was a huge logistical exercise and I was lucky to get someone as capable as Greg Ricketson to co-ordinate," she said. "It was a fan+tastic team - the best gathering of Australian camera people under one roof." Recruiting was a mammoth task for Ricketson's company, Anglo Street Films, with only one month for pre-production. Co-ordinator of the film, Julie Forster, rang around and found out who was available. With crew juggling other production schedules, Ricketson and Arm+strong were able to come up with the strong final crew. Preparation started with Ricket+son, McAlpine and Armstrong watching Dylan's concerts in Wellington, Melbourne and earlier concerts in Sydney. The camera operators also attended the Sydney concerts to discuss angles and shots with McAlpine and Armstrong. Dylan's concert repertoire in Australia included a healthy cross+section of material from the diffe+rent periods of his career. He and Armstrong decided on 22 of the 31 tracks in the concert for filming, in+cluding duets with Tom Petty and the band. Dylan's final two Sydney con+certs, on February 24 and 25 were then shot. The crew's*crews' only re+hearsal was in the sound check be+fore the first concert. During the day of the second concert, the crew shot close-ups and cut-aways of Dylan's backing singers. The next day was a seven-hour shoot of Dylan, Petty and The Heartbreakers' close-ups. The atmosphere in the Enter+tainment Centre on that day was almost reverent. The stage was smokily lit and the rest of the cavernous auditorium was in near-darkness. The quality the playback sound and the crew's spontaneous applause after some takes made it seem as though Dylan was actually playing to 10,000 people. After reports of his lack of co-operation at his press conference, Dylan was disappointingly well-behaved. He conferred with Arm+strong between takes or smoked, while quietly listening to playbacks of songs he has been singing for 20 years. To the observor, Armstrong ap+peared to have established a rapport with Dylan. The director herself said the working relationship was easier because both knew and re+spected the other's work. "It was like making a film with anyone," Armstrong said. "You hope they can trust you and take your advice on the way things should be shot, but it takes time to build up that relationship. I think with Dylan that took a bit longer. "My brief from Bob was to shoot the concert so it didn't look like standard live footage (although) it's difficult to shoot six people on stage and make them look unlike any other six people performing." Armstrong said they avoided having operators with hand-held cameras rushing around on stage. Instead, the production "set up a lot of different angles and got a lot of movement in the shots". "We could only get away with intruding on stage that much be+cause it was Dylan who commi+ssioned the concert." Armstrong said she understood why Sydney audiences at Dylan's concerts may have felt distanced but blamed it on the nature of the Enter+tainment Centre. "You really have to be in the first few rows to enjoy concerts at that venue," she said. "Bob's not Bruce Springsteen and I don't think he has to leap around the stage. It's his lyrics that are important. What we saw through the cameras looked fantastic." The camera operators included Louis Irving, Tony Wilson, Danny Batterham, Nixon Binney, Peter Menzies, Peter Levy and Kim Batterham. The concerts were shot with a Louma crane extending from the back of the stage and two cameras tracking along either side. Another two cameras were static - one close to the right hand side of the stage and the other half-way down the auditorium. Armstrong also used a roving camera to shoot different angles from the back of the venue. A video camera was set up behind the mixing desk with a wide shot of the stage. This was for continuity in editing and the control-room mon+itor. Armstrong directed from a control room backstge, where she had this wide shot and three other cameras monitored. AAV supplied the wide-shot colour video camera and had time code burnt into the image. The video also recorded a mono track of the camera operators' talk-back for editing. Samuelson Film Service supplied the shoot with seven Panaflex 35mm cameras, four of which had video splits, and five zoom lenses. A Panaglide (floating camera system which moves smoothly with the operator), was used during the February 25 concert on stage and also to shoot Dylan heading from the Entertainment Centre to his car. Armstrong used the Louma crane on both Sydney nights and exten+sive tracking shots to give a sense of movement to the film and avoid the static style of traditional live footage. As Ricketson said: "With the standard rock concert you work out four to five camera positions, set them up and roll with maybe a few hand-held cameras on stage. You get your standard static shots. "Gillian approached the concert as she would any other film project - that's what will make the difference." The crew shot 63,000 feet of film on February 24 and the processing involved made it impossible to see rushes before shooting the following night's concert or any of the close-ups. Armstrong covered herself well by shooting with this much film and left the decision on which songs would be static, moving or in close-up until editing. Dylan's singers were filmed in close-up with two static cameras and a camera tracking across the stage for two hours. For the Dylan and Petty close-ups, extra scaffolding was set up at the end of the stage and a circular track was built around it. Two cameras moved on the track and another two with zoom lenses were set on ramps in front of the stage. Several of the songs Dylan and Petty performed were chosen for close-ups. Dylan listened to the tracks he needed to mime for close-ups twice before shooting. For continuity, two of the crew chain-smoked centre stage to re+create the smoky atmosphere of some of the footage. E16 Australian Hi-Fi 2005 wprds Personality profile By John McTavish Hidden out in Castle Hill is a hi-fi and video store known only as J McT's. Customers of the store know that the initials stand for John McTavish, but few of them would be aware that they're buying from someone who's built, serviced and sold hi-fi equipment, as well as created the music which goes through it. And only industry stalwarts would know that John is one of the longest serving hi-fi personalities in the game... John left school in 1963 or 64, (he can't remember exactly which year) and went straight into training as a technical officer with AWV, the Amal+gamated Wireless Valve company, now better known as AWA Thorn. As a part of his training, he was required to com+plete the Electronics and Communica+tions Certificate. `I did my time in QC (Quality Control), in the manufacture of valves' he told me `There's not a lot of people making valves anymore'. He didn't quite complete the course because at the end of Stage 3 he was offered a job by Phil Drioni, who was at that time running an extremely suc+cessful company called Fisonic Indus+tries, which manufactured guitar ampli+fiers. `They were a real success story for Australian industry' recalls John `There was Moody, and Fisonic. Before he moved to a factory, I used to build the amplifiers in his garage during the day and Phil would sell and deliver them at night.' From there John went to Arrow Elec+tronics, where he worked for Roy Fitz+simmons. `Most people in the industry worked for Roy at some stage of their career' he says with a laugh `Roy used to make microphones and radios - in fact he made the first microphone in Australia, which is how he became in+volved with Shure.' John was employed as a salesman and he remembers that Nick Atkins in+terviewed him for the job. He asked me what I'd done, and when I told him I'd worked for AWV and Fisonic in the six years since I'd left school he said "You move around a lot, don't you". As it turned out, both Nick and John left Arrow at the same time, and start+ed Kent Hi-Fi, in partnership with Max Roberts. `Nick and Max were the part+ners' says John. `I just wired up the store comparators and did the general work.' Soon after, John left Kent and spent six years as a professional mu+sician `I was a drummer, so you'd bet+ter put the word musician in inverted commas' he advised me with a grin. He worked in such venues as the Bun+ny Club and the Mayfair Hotel. His most vivid memory of the time was that ev+ery place he worked was pulled down shortly afterwards. `Even after I left In+strol they pulled it down' he laughed. Music wasn't paying too well, so John joined Angus and Coote, working in the hearing aid department. He com+pleted a course in audiometry to help with the job. `Repairing hearing aids is like standing a bull elephant on an IC' he says. John found it all interesting and feels that the understanding he gained of the human ear during his time at Angus and Coote was of enor+mous use to him in later years. From there John joined Racal En+gineering and was placed in charge of a production line for `Squad Call Tran+sceivers'. It was all military equipment and John remembers the quality con+trol as being absolutely unbelievable. His favourite story concerns the girls who used to work on the line. `We had to fight a constant battle against static electricity, and many of the girls had to wear wrist straps, which I'm sure they didn't understand. But one of the things we had to ask when a problem cropped up was whether they were wearing ny+lon underwear - and that certainly led to some funny scenes!' He had other problems on the line, with the girls always trying to do neat work. `You'd de+sign a 75 mm wire to lead to the chan+nel change switch, but it would appear to be too long so the girls would strip it back and all of a sudden you wouldn't be receiving the channel any more. It was critical stuff'. John went from Racal to Sydney Hi-Fi, which was then owned by W.C. Wedderspoon, of which Max Roberts was the managing director. `After a short time in retail I was shifted to the wholesale operation, which at that time had the agencies for Monarch, Bose and Acoustic Research, plus some pretty fancy professional stuff like Even+tide and Clockworks.' John was sent off to generate some interstate business, and one night he called Max from Adelaide. `I told him to send down some help, because I'd sold a system to Adelaide's Festival Theatre, which at the time would have been Australia's prestige venue. They had Altec 2228 multi-cellular horns and some Philips 40 cubic foot bass bins. The sound engineer wanted to put in AR LSTs because he'd heard that they were used at Covent Garden. They didn't have enough money for the ARs so we put in four pairs of 901s strapped together and hung out of the ceiling.' `Everybody, just everybody was saying that "bloody hi-fi speakers will never work in a professional installa+tion" but when we tested it, the cover+age was incredibly even over the hall, which was what they wanted.' Soon after, John was lured back to retail by Roger Graham who asked him to open an Instrol store at Eastwood, which is now an Audiocom store. He then went back to Adelaide, to set up an Instrol store in that city before go+ing on to do a stint as general manager of Instrol for a period of 12 months. Moving back into wholesale again, he spent three months with Ben Douglas, as sales manager for Crown (now Amcron), RTR and Linear Design in NSW and Queensland. The reason for his short tenure was an offer which was `too good to refuse' from Eric Selwood, who made him a director of Elec+trovoice Australia during its initial setting-up period. It was actually John's father who prompted his next move. `Dad came into my office one day with a cutting from the Sydney Morning Herald saying that Dr Amar Bose would be in Aus+tralia looking for a new agent. I had met Amar previously, so I left a note advis+ing him that if he thought I could be of any asistance to him, to give me a ring. I actually had no intention of going for the agency because I had no money and no chance of financial backing.' Dr Bose, after approaches from var+ious people, including representatives from some large companies, was ap+parently unhappy with the response to the advertisement and invited John to lunch. One thing led to another and, at a point during the lunch John found he was the new managing director of Bose Australia. `I remember Amar's words vividly' says John. `He looked up from the proposal I'd put together at his request and he said "Can you be in Boston on the 12th?", I'd never been out of Australia before and didn't even know whether I had a passport or not. Sure enough, two weeks later I was in Boston.' `When I returned, I received a call from my bank manager asking if I knew that someone had deposited $20,000 in my bank account. So Bose Austra+lia started from my home at Carlingford, with just myself, my wife Annette, Dave Bell and a photocopier.' The team obviously worked well, be+cause after just eleven months, Bose Australia moved into a large complex in Rydalmere, which is still its present location. Even the factory is interesting, because it was a sheltered workshop for Rydalmere Psychiatric Centre where the workers used to package garlic salt. `Garlic must be good for you' says John `because the cock+roaches were really tough. It took us years to kill them!' In fact Bose Australia, under John's direction, was listed as the fastest growing Bose subsidiary in the world. It was so successful that Amar Bose returned to Australia to discuss the pos+sibility of John moving to the United States. John had two (then) teenage daughters, a young son and close fa+mily ties, so he thought about it for a long time. What finally decided him was a single morning when he flew back into Australia. 'I looked out the window of the Qantas jumbo, and it was a bright, beautiful sunny day and I sud+denly knew that I wouldn't want to live anywhere else in the world.' John is a showman at heart, and it wasn't surprising that he began to get an itch to get back into retail. He resigned from Bose and bought a major share of DME Hi-Fi, from Roger Manning. DME was then operating two stores, one in Bondi, in Sydney's eastern suburbs, and the other in the centre of the city, in George St. `The city was a terrible place to work' he told me. `In one six month period we had eight break and enters. I was called out once on Christmas Eve and once on Boxing Day and lived in constant ter+ror of people stealing things from the shop'. In all there were four partners in DME, which John felt was unwieldy and, after the company opened a branch at Castle Hill, he decided leave DME, buy the Castle Hill store, and re+name it J.McT's. With his background in the business, he injected some in+teresting philosophies into the store. He carries only three loudspeaker brands - Bose, JBL and Mordaunt-Short - and says these will cater for all tastes. As far as electronics are con+cerned he plugs for Kenwood and Akai. J.McT's sells both audio and video because `What we're really in is the en+tertainment industry, and not much different from the local club, where you go to see an act. We're just trying to bring music and pictures into the home in as realistic a manner as possible. `You're looking at two senses, the ears and the eyes' says John, `and of the two I believe that the ears are the more critical. You can get away with fairly ordinary video components and a good hi-fi system much better than you can get away with good quality video components and a poor hi-fi system.' John runs a video library to service the people to whom he's sold VCRs and believes that honesty in retailing breeds long term clientele. `I tell peo+ple about all new technology' he said. `When hi-fi video was just around the corner I told my customers that they'd be better off waiting a few months be+fore buying. A lot of retailers carry so much stock that they can't afford to do that, they have to take the sale. I don't think that's right. John feels that the hi-fi industry has suffered under the Trade Practices*Practises Act, in particular the retail price main+tenance clauses. 'If a customer can just move from shop to shop, trying to get lower and lower prices, he'll even+tually run into someone who'll just lie about a product, or sell something to+tally unsuitable, just to make the sale.' `The trick for any customer, no mat+ter what they're buying, is to put their trust in one person, an expert, rather than in an advertising claim, a brand or whatever' says John. He doesn't ex+pect, however, that a customer should be too trusting at first, `that's why we offer a money-back guarantee on any product we recommend - that we've chosen for a customer.' With Bose, JBL and Mordaunt-Short peakers, the philosophy is carried even further, because if a custmer buys a pair of speakers, there is a 12 month period of grace during which the speakers can be upgraded, with the full purchase price of the original loud+speakers being credited towards the new speakers. `If a customer can't decide between two pairs of speakers in the showroom' says John, `all we do is tell him to buy the cheaper pair. E17 National Dog 2010 words E17a National Dog - November 1986 A book that dispels the myths and folklore CURTIS BROWN'S pungent writings on canine locomotion and structure are well-known to readers of National Dog. His sharp dry wit enlivens a subject that is complex, controversial and often hard for the average dog person to follow. His enthusiasm for his subject is inex+haustible. So a major book by Curtis Brown on Canine Locomotion and Gait Analysis is an event. It is the best book on dog gait that I have ever read. When I first met Curtis Brown in 1981 I was already familiar with his writings. It was at the World Conference of Kennel Clubs held in Edin+burgh, Scotland. He was to deliver a paper alongside Mrs Rachel Page-Elliott on the struc+ture and movement of dogs. I was enthralled, and then he had finished, I felt that a wider vi+sion had come into my understanding of dogs. Here was someone who could answer the ques+tion "why?" that arose so often in my experience with dogs as a breeder and judge. Why did some dogs move differently from others? Why did a certain construction make a good-looking dog do something he shouldn't when he gaited? What was the reason some breeds had dif+ferent construction than others? Why should function demand that certain limbs and muscles be designed in a certain way? Why have some breeds in the show ring changed so radically? It is stimulating to find someone who puts a trained eye and mind to the aspect of the dog which in the showring is of such importance - and argument. His conclusions will shock and surprise many, and certainly turn upside down many widely held views on the subject. What you assumed was right is probably quite incorrect, and scientifically*scentifically impossible! The myths and folklore exposed! No assumptions The author's analytical mind, trained as a teacher and as an engineer, prods and probes seeking answers, not by making assumptions but by researching, analysing and checking. He seeks confirmation by scientifically*scentifically proven data, documented research, his own observation of not only show dogs, but working dogs, wild dogs and other wild animals where comparison is valid. All this is backed up by the analysis of thousands of feet of slow motion film and video, the use of cineradiography, data processing and other high technology methods. The dog world is mainly a world of amateurs. No formal training is required to participate. Suc+cessful performance in the test area - the showring - is based on the abstract values of personal visual appeal and a personal interpreta+tion of an intangible set of guide lines, the Breed Standards. Breeding dogs for exhibition is a complex business, and we need all the help we can get. In some way it is easier to breed dogs for performance and function; the judgement is simpler - the dog either functions or it doesn't! New evidence The thinking that has gone into analysis of the structure and movement of the dog in the past has been based very heavily on the horse. Many of the breed standards were written in the first place by horsemen. There are plenty of books on dog canine movement, but they contain many conclusions based on the wrong premise. It is here that such people as Curtis Brown, and Rachel Page-Elliott, have explored deeper, re+jected the false assumptions, and presented totally new evidence. Additionally, the whole direction of exhibiting dogs has changed and in some cases the func+tion, the purpose, that made a breed the way it was, has become swamped by the aesthetic ap+peal. But if the variables of breeds are to be maintained, then some thought must again be given to function. What Curtis Brown has tried to do is explain the physical traits of each breed to indicate its efficiency for its function, and then to discuss how best to evaluate in the show ring environ+ment the functional efficiency, together with the aesthetic appeal. Each breed should trot in a style which indicates its purpose. He demonstrates what the differences in gait from breed to breed are; there being as infinite a varie+ty of gaits as there are breeds. Then step by step he explains the basics of locomotion and its dynamics. Here then is a book which will fill the need that exists and add to our understanding of what makes Fido move. To quote from the author's preface to the book: "Dog shows are `shows' in that the magnificent, the unusual, the bizarre and the per+formers are all displayed in their sculptured finery. Selection of the best is usually based upon either of these two kinds of observations (1) aesthetic appeal, or (2) functional fitness as determined from visual examination. Either or both may be the dominant consideration for a breed, and both have a prominent place in judg+ing the quality of an exhibit. "While the emphasis...(is) primarily to clues in+dicating a dog's fitness for a function, aesthetic desirability will be included...". "In the dog fraternity... is a need to differen+tiate between what is efficient travel and what is to please the fancy.... before aesthetically pleas+ing gaits can be considered, those that are func+tionally correct must be delved into....it is no sin to require a dog to trot in a delightful eye-appealing manner at a dog show; most of us en+joy it and approve.... However, if a person thinks such artificial style of travelling is functionally efficient, his superficial knowledge of locomo+tion is exposed. Let us recognise each style for what it is...." Enlisted talents For Dog Locomotion and Gait Analysis, the author has enlisted the talents of Bonnie Dalzell, MA (who took her doctorate in movement and the anatomy of dogs), who is an expert in the field of lure coursing, and Robert W. Cole, who did the descriptive accurate drawings that are such an important part of the book. Don't try to read this book straight through. Read it in sections, absorb it, re-read it, discuss it. Curtis Brown sharpens one's eyes and you become aware of things you never noticed before. The appetite is whetted to explore further, to read and then make one's own observa+tions. On each page you will find some gem of in+formation, something that sets you thinking and looking. Thank you Curtis Brown, for a book that will add much to the understanding of dogs, and dog shows. Frances Sefton Dog Locomotion and Gait Analysis by Curtis M. Brown. Published by Hoflin Publishing Ltd, Col+orado, USA. Price in Australia $35.00. E17b National Dog - November 1986 Canine Heartworm disease spreads Australia wide by Dr R B Atwell BVSc MACVSc PhD MOST ALARMING feature of canine heartworm disease in Australia is that it is now much more widely spread than was initially realise. A re+cent survey Australia-wide has revealed that even remote areas like Alice Springs and nor+thern Western Australia have become infected. Generally the disease is spread widely throughout Queensland (except in tableland areas) and similarly in New South Wales. In fact, some areas of Sydney now report a 50% infec+tion rate. Local infection rates (eg in your town or suburb) do depend on factors like mosquito type, infection rate, flight ranges, access to infected dogs, abuse of/or no use of prophylactic therapy etc. Even so, the spread of the disease has been quite spectacular and resembles the situation in the USA. Two factors are associated with the spread: 1) The fact that dogs in our modern society are more mobile (holidays, shows etc.) and can con+ceivably infect a resident non-infected mosquito population should they themselves be infected; and 2) It is believed that the mosquito has learnt to adapt to colder climates and therefore the in+fected (with heartworm) mosquito is now believ+ed to be able to survive longer in colder weather and so pass on the infection when it next feeds on a dog. Also the type of mosquitoes that are now known to be capable of carrying the infec+tion have been increased. Thus it is believed that the disease is being spread by now mosquito populations becoming infected with heartworm larvae and thus allow+ing their passage to new non-infected dogs within their feeding area. In addition to this is the increased awareness of the disease by both veterinarians and the general public, particularly in areas previously believed to be clear of the disease. How to stop the infection? Obviously, if mos+quitoes are not present in your area then your dog will not become infected. However, what about the holiday in Queensland or the coast and the mosquitoes that they will have exposure to? Prophylactic therapy is essential if access in+fected mosquitoes is possible. The drug of choice is diethyl carbamazine (DEC) and it must be given during the mosquito season and for at least two months after all mosquitoes have ceas+ed activity or their exposure to dogs. In some areas this means that all year round therapy is necessary. So if you live in a non-infected area (Are you sure? Ask your local veterinarian) and wish to travel to a potentially infected area, eg Brisbane, for four weeks then your dog will need to be treated with DEC daily for three months to ensure protection. What dose do you use? The minimum dose known to be effective is 5.5mg/kg body weight/+day. Higher dose rates than this are quite safe (as DEC is an extremely safe drug even with accidental intake by children) but you must en+sure at least 5.5mg/kg/day. Care is also needed to allow for growth of your dog. So as your dog increases in size and weight you will need to en+sure that you appropriately increase the dose of DEC (a very common mistake). If you are in an infected area DEC therapy will be necessary from 4-6 weeks of age (as soon as pups are able to take solids if not in mosquito proof quarters). The reason for this is complex and a part of the very unusual life cycle of heart+worm. The dose of DEC you give today protects against, or kills, the infection (larvae from the mosquito) the dog may have got one to two mon+ths previous, ie the infection picked up today will not be killed for one or two months provided the dog is dosed with DEC at the correct minimum dose rate daily during the period of time. Hence the reason for the need to give therapy for two months after the mosquito season is over. What is new in drugs? New drugs (and dif+ferent applications of existing drugs) are being tested in our research unit and several look pro+mising both for killing worms and for stopping the clotting and inflammation that occurs in the lungs of infected dogs. However, the time bet+ween discovery of drugs and their development is prolonged. A new drug called Ivermectin holds a lot of promise both in the treatment of the disease and in its prevention. However, this drug is not yet commercially available in Australia for heartworm. New diagnostic aids have been developed. These blood tests help the clinician to diagnose what is called `occult heartworm', ie where the disease is severe (lungs particularly are affected) but the routine blood tests for the presence of microfilariae (offspring of the adult worms) are inconclusive. Thus the veterinarian now has a new diagnostic tool (called the ELISA test) to aid with the diagnosis of the more unusual cases of heartworm. You may ask why is it so difficult to diagnose. Usually it is relatively simple to do so, but the disease is very complex and, as it affects so many organs in the body, can sometimes be very difficult to diagnose accurately. Hence the need for ELISA tests, radiology, blood tests, ECG and other aids in some cases of the disease. The DEC reaction - what is it? This is a severe shock reaction that can occur in infected dogs that have microfilariae in their bloodstream. If you have a dog and it is over six months of age and you live in an infected area it is essential to have the dog blood tested prior to the use of DEC. E18 Open Road and Alltogether 2015 words E18a Open Road - June 1986 Here's a cheaper way to go skiing Cross-country skiing is gaining momentum John Turnbull reports. Gliding in graceful curves through sparkling, untracked snow, the speeding figures flow effortlessly down the mountain side. Rolling hills of purest white surround them, enormous snow dunes spreading away beneath the clear blue sky. There are few trees here, so far above sea level, where the snowy carpet lies so deep it hides all the bushes and rocks, creating an unblem+ished landscape of great beauty. These skiers are far from the lift queues of the resorts, for they are cross-country (XC) skiing, a kind of skiing new to most Australians, although it is the world's oldest. European rock carvings show cross-country skiing was practised there some 4000 years ago. Archeologists have found early skis preserved in ancient bogs - beautifully carved wooden planks which were strapped to the feet for travel and hunting (and sometimes warfare) on winter snows too deep for walking. Today's skis are similarly curved and shaped, but are marvels of space-age technology - slim, super-light "planks" made from exotic fibres such as kevlar, carbon, boron and glass, usually in two layers with cores of low-density foam or honeycomb. XC equipment is much lighter than that used for downhill skiing at resorts, where chairlifts carry people uphill so they can slide down again - "yo-yo skiing", as XCers jokingly call it. The lighter equipment is part of the reason XC skiers can glide with seeming effort+lessness up and down hills for hours. XC skis have special soles which grip when going uphill yet slide freely down+hill, enabling users to go virtually any+where there is snow. And although Australia's snowfields cover only a tiny fragment of the continent, that fragment amounts to about 5000 square kilo+metres. In the Snowy Mountains alone there are some 2000 square kilometres of snow country, much of it above the tree line and thus ideal for ski-touring. Since XC skiers don't need resort fa+cilities, they can roam the snow country free of the expense which puts regular resort skiing out of many people's reach. Uphill transport at resorts can cost about $25 per adult a day, in addition to the travel, accom+modation and equipment costs. Resorts can also be crowded, especially at holiday times, with the associated irritations of traffic congestion, parking hassles and queueing for lift tickets and chairlifts. It's little wonder then that XC is booming, for it appeals to the adventure-minded who want to get off the beaten track, and to those who seek the healing solitude of the mountains far from the mad+ding crowd. It also appeals to parents with young children wanting to enjoy the snow away from the crowded resort slopes. In cross-country they can relax and ski together inexpensively at their own pace, enjoying that sharing of experiences which should be part of family recreation. Also, accommodation is cheaper away from the ski resorts, XC equipment is cheaper than downhill gear and easier to learn to use, and the XC season is much longer than the downhill one - for the snows come earliest and stay longest on the higher ranges where only XC skiers roam. The first step in sampling XC is to de+cide where to go. There is good skiing in both the Victorian Alps and the Tas+manian highlands, but the best XC ter+rain is in the Snowy Mountains. Much of it is accessible via the roads from Jin+dabyne to the main resorts and via the road off the Snowy Mountains Highway near Kiandra. Outside Jindabyne the road forks: the left branch (the Alpine Way) leads to Thredbo Village and the Ramshed Range; the right branch leads to four other ski villages - Charlotte Pass, Per+isher Valley, Smiggin Holes and Guthe+ga. All are in the midst of ex+cellent ski-touring terrain. Mt Selwyn, a small downhill ski centre near Kiandra, is also surrounded by excellent tour+ing terrain, and this northern part of the Snowy Mountains tends to be less crowded. Nearby is an XC ski area near Cabramurra, which has a maze of groomed XC trails used for race events. There is also an excellent set of groomed trails in the valley east of Perisher. These are good places to start, but there are many areas in the snowfields where you can park right off the road, get out of the car and ski. But don't park contrary to signposted re+strictions, nor beside icy sections of road. Having decided where to go, the next step is to arrange the hire of skis, boots and poles and to obtain warm outdoor clothing. Specialised clothing is not es+sential at first, apart from a good parka, though it becomes an important safety and comfort consideration on longer tours far from shelter. Ski gear is read+ily available in snowfield towns and sales staff are generally knowledgeable. Many Snowy Mountains visitors hire their skis on the way through Cooma, Jindabyne or Adaminaby. Some Cooma ski shops remain open all night during winter weekends to serve late travellers. A good idea is to phone the Cooma Visitors' Centre just before departure to check on snow conditions, accommoda+tion and hire facilities. The Visitors' Centre can also give in+formation about ski lessons. If you're a newcomer to skiing it is important to take at least one lesson. Group lessons are inexpensive and add greatly to your skiing pleasure, introducing you to those basic techniques of striding, stop+ping and turning which you will use whenever you ski. XC skiing is a blend of many delight+ful things: the "wilderness experience", the beauty of unspoiled mountains; the excitement of back-country adventures which may occur only a few hundred metres from the highway; and the bush birds and animals which often take little notice of people gliding by on skis. But the departure and excitement must be tempered by reasonable cau+tion. The careless wanderer who be+comes lost, caught in bad weather, or too tired to get back to the car before nightfall may pay a tragic penalty in frostbitten extremities or worse. People do die in the snowfields - although only a few - and this is proof that the great outdoors should never be taken too lightly. So stay close to civilisation or your car until you learn snowcraft, how to make a competent snowplough turn, and how to use a map and compass well enough to find your way back to the road after a few hours' skiing. On the other hand, don't be so over-awed by the immensity of the mountains that you fail to enjoy them. Injuries are very rare in XC skiing be+cause back-country snow is usually soft, and the light skis, loose-heel bindings and flexible boots impose little strain during falls. But there are important safety rules which should be followed. Never ski alone. Three people is re+garded as a sensible minimum, since one can go for help while one stays with an injured person. Never ski far from shelter if the weather map shows a de+pression or cold front approaching, or if there are signs of bad weather. Always carry a small pack containing survival gear such as extra clothing, map and compass, trail snacks and drinks, fire+lighting equipment, and a whistle for signalling. On longish day-tours I also carry com+pletely weather-proof outer clothing; a Swiss army knife for tightening loose ski bindings; quick-setting resin and heavy tape for emergency equipment repairs; a down-filled jacket (very warm but light) for rest in severe weather; extra mittens and a woollen balaclava for se+vere wind; sunscreen lotion and protec+tive lipstick. Other incidentals may in+clude binoculars and a camera. Such accessories usually add up to only four kilograms or so - barely no+ticeable in a small daypack. However, firelighting equipment, maps and com+passes are useless unless you know how to use them, so don't blithely wander off into the back-country without some practice first. Cross-country clothing has to be warm, yet has to prevent perspiration during long periods of hill-climbing and striding, so don't wear cotton garments (which soak up and retain moisture) or downhill ski clothing (which is too hot fo XC). Damp clothing is dangerously chilling, so experienced XCers remove layers of apparel before perspiration soaks them. XC outfits typically consist of an inner layer of hydrophobic underwear (such as Lifa's polypropylene under-gar+ments), which keeps the wearer dry by wicking moisture away from the skin. Over this goes the next layer - long woollen socks, knee-length knickers of snow-resistant, stretch material for un+restricted striding, and a thin wool or synthetic skivvy, plus cap and gloves. These two layers are sufficient for most XC skiing, with extra pullovers, down vests or jackets being added when required during rest stops, or if it be+comes windy. In extreme conditions of wind and falling snow, a completely waterproof and windproof outer shell is added, con+sisting of overpants, parka and mittens, leaving only the eyes and nose to be protected by goggles and a scarf. You should always use good-quality sunglasses for protection against the glare and excessive ultraviolet. Eventually, if XC gets in your blood - and it is extremely addictive - you may discover that one or more of XC's three specialised branches attract you: racing, back-country snowcamping, or cross-country downhilling (XCD). Snowy Mountains phone numbers for ski, weather and snow reports are: list,omitted • Members planning a skiing trip will find useful information in the NRMA's Snowfields guide, which is available free through branches and district depots; it includes information on motoring and survival in the snow country and the use of snow chains. In the ski season the NRMA receives daily snow reports and these are available by phoning (02)260-922 during office hours*hourse and asking for travel information. NRMA road reports can be obtained 24 hours a day on (02)11571. Accommodation in or near the snowfields may be booked through NRMA offices. E18b Alltogether - June/July/August 1986 HIT THE SLOPES Fun in the snow is a winter treat that all the family will enjoy. Tim Powditch tells where to go, what to take, and surprise, how cheap it can be. WHEN you and your family return from your first ski trip this winter you'll say to yourselves - "why on earth haven't we done this before?" Why not? Probably be+cause you thought skiing was an ex+pensive pastime for rich thrillseekers in glamorous, far-away places like Switzerland and Austria. The fact is that skiing is an afford+able, exciting holiday which can be enjoyed by all members of the family, regardless of their age or their physi+cal prowess. What's more, Australia has some of the best ski fields in the world. The major resorts are in NSW and Victoria. They are modern, continual+ly updated and well and truly on the beaten track. NSW has Perisher Val+ley, Thredbo, Smiggin Holes, Guthega, Charlotte Pass and Mt Sel+wyn. Victoria has Mt Hotham, Falls Creek, Mt Buller, Mt Buffalo and Mt Baw Baw. Smiggins, Guthega, Mt Selwyn, Mt Buffalo and Mt Baw Baw are ideal for first time families. Smiggins is a learn+ers' resort. All of its slopes are rated "easiest" and skiers there have access to the extensive ski school of its much larger affiliate, Perisher. Also avail+able is the "Ski Kids Program" and childminding service. Parents can learn how to ski in peace while the children are being minded (two to four years old) or taught to ski (five to 13 years) for up to seven hours a day. Beginner and family ski packages are a major attraction at Guthega where 30 per cent of the uncrowded slopes suit novices. A family of four can stay in an off-snow motel for five days with all meals (except lunch), lift tickets, lessons, ski hire, and bus travel to the snow for as little as $59 per per+son per day. Mt Selwyn is almost exclusively for families and beginners. Instructors are especially geared to cater for the learner and accommodation is below the snow line. Mt Buffalo slopes are groomed for newer skiers and 45 per cent of them are in the novice class. It also boasts the cheapest daily entry fee - $3 - and lift tickets - around $12.60 adult, $6.40 child. E19 Car Australia - June 1986 2009 words Camel trophy: trial by terrain Chris Mullett accompanies the field from Cairns to Darwin the hard way. An American executive of the massive R.J. Reynolds Tobacco empire described the Camel Trophy as "encompassing the theme of man's adventure against the environ+ment." It's a great concept but mis+management and disorganisation spoilt the whole event. The aim of the Camel Trophy is nothing short of brilliant. Recruit two man teams from 14 different countries, bring them together in tough terrain and let them drive identical vehicles in a test of endurance and personal ability. The Camel Trophy is supposedly the Rambo equivalent to outward bound training courses. The route selected is presumed impassable and the teams competing are expected to prove otherwise. With that sort of introduction you may be forgiven for expecting to find Indiana Jones look-a-likes from 14 different nations gathering to compare to muscle tone and macho appeal. The true story is somewhat different from the picture painted by the cor+porate animals of the PR and Marketing departments. The heroes are not after Harrison Ford's next starring role, they are just ordinary blokes. In previous years Camel Trophy venues have included Borneo, Sumatra, Zaire, Papua New Guinea and Brazil. This year the choice was Australia and the chance for the wet season of far north Queensland and the Northern Territory to provide the drama. Getting selected for the event is a feat in itself, as over 500,000 applicants throughout the world compete for just 28 places. Professional race and rally drivers are excluded and so too is anyone who had travelled extensively in the area destined for the actual event. Having reduced the numbers from each country to three or four the organisers sent the 1986 teams to England in the middle of winter. One week living in a tent near the Welsh border was the nasty part but the fun part was training with the Land Rover demonstration team in the intricacies of mud recovery and vehicle winching techniques. It may seem difficult to relate the snow covered hills of England with the bulldust of far north Queensland but many of the lessons learnt helped the teams to compete in much safer fashion. The Australian team of Ron Begg, a farmer from Bowraville on the mid NSW coast and Glenn Jones, a surveyor with the Central Mapping Authority from Bathurst, was to prove highly capable as the two worked well together. There was certainly no shortage of money being thrown around to help make Camel a household name. Esti+mates for the event were in the region of $5 million when advertising commit+ments were included. For that price the organisers obviously felt they owned the competitors. Jet lagged and faced with a total change of climatic conditions from a European winter, contestants gathered in Cairns the day before the event started. Each team was introduced to its short wheelbase diesel engined Land Rover 90 and told to check inventories of tools and other items such as tow straps, snatch blocks and D shackles. Packing was surprisingly easy until it came time to fit in the optional journalist some+where in the back amidst the fresh fruit, muesli bars and tool box. Other journalists would be following the event in long wheelbase Land Rover 110s. For many of them it was an experience of realising that sometimes a box of food has more importance than yet another set of camera lenses when space is at a premium. The convoy left Cairns complete with police escort. Far from being a dawn start, we headed down the Esplanade at 1.30 pm on route for Cooktown and the first night stop. What should have been a five hour drive expanded to seven from continual halts at the request of the film crew. The photographers seemed to think their lives depended on shooting all their film in the first 24 hours. Our route lay up the coast road on the Captain Cook Highway to Port Douglas, crossing over the Daintree River north of Mossman and across the Bloomfield River on the Peninsula Development Road. While the Europeans were still getting used to driving on dirt roads, the Australians were wondering if conditions were actually going to approach four wheel drive territory. The total convoy of 24 vehicles and 73 people headed slowly towards Fairlight. Such a lack of urgency did not suit the German film crew hired to produce a promotional film of the event. They wanted shots of vehicles diving into rivers and drifting around corners. Obviously the organisers wanted high drama photography. As those who travel off-road are all aware, increase speed and you increase the chances of damage. Night fell and with it the Land Rover of a film crew from Luxembourg headed for notoriety and a large hole at the edge of the track. Recovering a vehicle takes time and it was close on midnight before we made camp. A morning wash in the Palmer River and we were off once again towards Maytown, now simply the deserted remains of what was once a thriving gold centre. Although the first two days of the trip were over, we had not encountered anything that remotely resembled an adventure. Not surprisingly, the crews were getting restless at being used as unpaid stooges in the preparation of a promotional film rather than taking part in "man's greatest adventure against the environment." As each day progressed it became obvious that serious and intense political struggles were being enacted inside the Reynolds organisation. As the power plays started to have an effect on the event organisation it seemed that the corporate problems of Geneva and North Carolina were to be aired in the bush of far north Queensland. The men from Land Rover then appeared on the scene, however, and introduced the start of the special stages for the teams. The first stage comprised two separate river crossings through water about 1.5m deep and was followed by a 30 minute stage of traversing through the river in a section with a depth of 1.7m. Marks were awarded on the basis of correct reconnaissance of obstacles and how to deal effectively with them. The ability of a team to work together was also important as was completing the task smoothly and cleanly. In this first stage the Australian team showed just how well it could handle a problem slowly and carefully without drama. An excellent performance re+sulted in the Australians being placed second, only three points behind the American team of Frank Smith and Carl Guffey. Failure to work out a route through the water in advance resulted in the Belgians sinking in a deeper part of the river and the start of a three hour recovery program. Unaffected by the experience of falling on their side, the Luxembourg film crew showed that ignorance heralds bravery as they headed into deep water to get a close-up shot of the Belgian team in trouble. Not surprisingly, they sank deeper and harder than the object of their attention and proved just as difficult to return in one piece to the river bank. Day Three started at 6 am with a timed hill climb. This served to prove who could drive up a hill fastest rather than any display to skill or general driving ability. Bearing in mind the need to safeguard vehicles and equipment for a further 10 days, Australia and Germany adopted a more leisurely attitude and paid the penalty of low scores. The political battle between Reynolds personnel once more reared its head as Camel Trophy Manager Patrick Lexcel+lent changed routes from those scouted by the guide Bob Flesser. With the arrogant air only the French have ever perfected as an art form, Lexcellent instructed all crews that driving speeds were far too slow. Sounding like Inspector Clouseau he issued the statement that cut across all safety aspects by saying "You must drive fastair. If you cannot keep erp with ze car in frernt, give the wheel to somewern ooh can!" At this stage the event appeared to be run purely as a promotional vehicle for Camel cigarettes and to make a sales oriented film using unpaid actors from 14 countries. The guys that had travelled half way round the world in the belief they were entering a true adventure were beginning to feel somewhat used. But special stage number three set by Australian judges Geoff Stubbs and John Ayre with Graham Fazakarley of Land Rover Britain turned the Camel Trophy around in terms of credibility and morale. Each team had to drive into the Palmer River, climb up the far bank, pass behind a marker and then drive back to a point close to the start position. Here they had to either drive onto the bank or winch themselves out. It was a sensible task requiring skill and forethought with the type of conditions expected by any keen four wheel drive enthusiast. Australia was top scorer with a maximum of 81 points but the scoring system was fast becoming farcical, as points awarded for the simple hill climb had peaked at 100 for first place. It was incongruous that a 30 minute event requiring considerable ability scored less than a 20 second dash up a hill, but the judges were ordered to handle it that way by the organisers. Special stage number four took place out of water, but still in a creek bed, at Terrible Creek between Palmerville and King Junction. For this section the track wound through the soft river sand for a total of 200 metres before heading up a steep washaway. France was top scorer, followed by Australia, as teams had to use sand ladders across a badly eroded section of the climb from the river bed. The United Kingdon fared rather badly and lost time digging equipment from the soft river bed. That night, the crossing of the Palmer River and one of its tributaries started teams working together as a group rather than as individuals. Steep river entries and exits meant winching out with the 90s strapped together on the far bank to provide the necessary muscle. The 110s carrying not only the jour+nalists' extra gear but also the inflatable rafts and outboard motors caught most of the mud and were the main obstacle in heaving equipment out of the water. There was no doubt in the minds of the competitors that here was the stuff the trip had promised. Plenty of mud and heaps of challenges as Land Rovers submerged and reappeared at the end of a snatch strap heading for a steep exit from the river. Sunday and day four of the event should have seen us at King Junction for refuelling and the chance to catch up on daily maintenance of the support vehicles, but because of the constant change of route plans, guide Bob Flesser was effectively way off his proposed route and the entire convoy played around in the bush wasting time and getting totally lost. Eventually we arrived at King Junction and the entire break was spent under the Land Rover with a spot of spanner twirling to tighten various bits and pieces. It says something for Land Rover that none of the competing vehicles had broken down. It also gave an insight into the lack of event planning which allowed vehicles to participate without following even the basic recommendations of the manufacturer as far as a shake down of mechanical condition was concerned. Prior to the start of the Camel Trophy, mechanics had not been given time to run in and properly check over the vehicles. As an example, my own Land Rover had completed just 480 km without the benefit of even a first service. Maintenance session over, we crossed the Palmer River once more before camping for the night. Day five, and another 6 am start saw us heading for the Mitchell River. On the banks of the Mitchell we were faced with the problem of wide free flowing water with quicksand in the centre to catch the unwary vehicle. E21 Fun Runner 2006 words E21a Fun Runner - December 1986/January 1987 A running pilgrimage by Frank McCaffrey In 1941 our editor-at-large was taken prisoner of war in the Battle of Crete. He was held in POW camps in and around Berlin for 2 1/2 years; the remainder of the war years he spent in other camps in Germany. In September 1986 Frank returned to Crete and the scene of his capture by German parachutists. Later, after travelling to London and northern Europe, he returned to West Berlin to visit old sites and run the Berlin Marathon on September 28. After a long and tedious flight from Sydney to Athens in a lumbering, over+crowded Olympic Airways jumbo, I transferred to an airbus that took off like a rocket over the sparkling Aegean Sea. Forty minutes later we touched down at Heraklion. Back in Crete after 45 years! I caught a rattling bus to the town centre and checked in at the hotel. Heraklion is a crowded, chaotic, dusty town. Most road vehicles looked like they'd just crossed a desert. Mopeds were every+where, weaving in and out of traffic and people. There are open air markets, sidewalk cafes and bazaars in every noisy street. A lot of people sit out+side their homes. Nobody seems to be working, except the restaurant people who try to get you to take a seat and check out the menu. Maybe I should give you a bit of background to my `pilgrimage'. In Janyary 1941 a Cretan division of the Greek army had been wiped out in Greece by advancing German troops. A few months later the Germans had penetrated as far as Crete and their parachutists were landing in the streets of Maleme, where the NZ HQ Com+pany of the 22nd battalion, a handful of Aussies and British troops, and us the remnants of an RN air squadron had been joined by Cretans, mothers and widows, fathers and children of the dead. May 20 at Maleme was hell for us with the aerial bombing and strafing we got. The whole earth seemed to shake; the air was full of dust and stank of explosives. We couldn't believe the Germans were giving us so much attention. We considered our+selves a completely inadequate force of disorganised survivors from Greece. But the Germans thought differently. Next morning before dawn they were back again, giving us hell. No break+fast for us this morning, just a dash for cover to bomb-craters and hastily dug trenches. At 6.20 am one of our guys screamed out, `Holy Jesus, look at this!' and pointed to the sea. The sky was black with troop-carriers, bombers and fight+ers; the first airborne invasion of the war was on the way, and the battle for the island of Crete was about to begin. Later that day I was taken POW. A German corporal said to me, `For you the war is over, ja?' September 12, 1986, about 2 pm, McCaffrey stands on a hill overlooking that same site (almost to the metre, believe me). Hundreds of German soldiers had died on this spot, and their graves are only 200 metres from me. This time I am alone. I'm wearing running gear and carrying a camera. There is a hot wind blowing up from the sea just 800 metres below. The sky is blue, not a cloud in sight. There is absolute silence - except for the wind. `In this very spot,' I keep thinking, `it happened.' But I survived. Hund+reds didn't. I am here, back again, re+calling the days of my youth and the world engulfed in war. It's the kind of flashback one sees on the movies - but this is for real. I started my jog down that hill away from the spot where I thought I was going to die. It was from here that we POW's were marched some 20 miles (32km) to a transit camp at Galatos. I ran some of the route with the hot sun on my back thinking of our days of utter despair, defeat, the fear, the pain, the hunger and the sheer ex+haustion. Here I was running along that very road again - 45 years on. After a quick trek via London and on through France, Belgium, Holland, Denmark and Sweden, September 22 found me speeding towards Berlin, and I was seeing East Germany first+hand. Most buildings seemed in a state of disrepair, and it was quite a drab scene in spite of the activity. Dull weather didn't improve the scenery either. On arrival in Berlin we were greeted by guards, inspectors with sniffer dogs, and passport checks. It was such a depressing sight, especially in peace+time. Half an hour later we rolled into West Berlin. It was like another world - city lights, crowds in the streets, Mc+Donald's neon signs flashing. No checks, just get off the train. I headed for my hotel and although tired, took off on a walk looking for somewhere to have a snack. I know - or should I say knew - Berlin. I was last here in 1944 when it was all but shattered by allied bombs and the Russians were advancing rapidly from the east. I looked at the thousands of Berliners and overseas visitors as they milled around, and wondered how many of them had known Berlin be+fore its devastation in the later years of the war or how many of them had known war at all. Running in Berlin before the mara+thon was a great way of seeing the sights. The first day I took in the Brandenburg Gate and the wall (two miles of it) and later Checkpoint Charlie. I didn't miss a thing, and talked with people several times. Run+ning on a little asphalt track close to the wall I saw three places in the bitumen where hand grenades had ex+ploded and crosses had been erected where some poor soul had died in an escape attempt. Marathon day dawned a little foggy and cool. We assembled in front of the Reichstag and were sent on our way right on 9 am with a hint of some sun. My feet hurt from all the walking on tour and I thought, `I wonder how far I'll get.' This was a spectacular run right from the start. It was very much like New York at times, especially when we got into built-up areas except that people yelled `Bravo! Wunderbar! Prima!' and `Come on!' The spectators were wonderful. Feeding stations bobbed up regularly, offering water, and elec+trolyte drink, bananas (already peeled and cut up) and sponges. Bands played, and a lot of people blew horns and beat drums. The stretch from 24k to about 31k was one of the most beautiful sections I've seen on a marathon course. Golden and red autumn leaves, swept from the trees by the slight wind, caressed us like confetti and even at this late stage, when one is starting to have a bad time, one just couldn't ignore the beauty of the scene and the smiling people encouraging us to keep going. And we kept going, most of us. Finally Hohenvollerndam at 38k and the sight of the Kaiser Wilhelm church in the distance, with the big sign `Ziel' (finish) not far off as we headed down Kurfurstendam. Huge crowds clapped and yelled as one tottered thankfully over the line to have a medal placed around one's neck and a kiss from one of a group of German girls (I didn't envy them their job all those sweaty runners!). Refreshments everywhere, those bananas again and also oranges, malt beer, vegetable soup, you name it. E21b Fun Runner - December 1986/January 1987 TRIATHLON NEWS The world's leading triathletes will converge on Fremantle (WA) in Jan+uary to take part in the inaugural World Sprint Triathlon Championships. Billed as one of the major events during the America's Cup Festival of Sport, the championships will further test the strength of the two major sporting foes, Australia and the United States. Instead of boat-on-boat battles, spec+tators at the January 18 event will be able to watch more than 1000 tri+athletes tackle a 1.5km swim, a 40km bicycle charge and a 10km run. Euphemistically called the `sprint' distance, it will take the sport's top performers at least two hours to com+plete, and represents a tough test of endurance. Current world champion Scott Tinley has been contracted to compete, as has Scott Molina, the world's number one in the sprint event. Four-times Hawaii Ironman winner Dave Scott will also show the crowd why he has become a legend in the sport, and Mark Allen, who has been ranked number two for both the sprint and the long-distance event, will be putting up some very stiff competition. Added to the rivalry between Aust+ralia and the US will be top-class com+petition from countries like Japan, New Zealand, Malaysia and the UK. Australia's Gayelene Clews, wife of Robert de Castella, is one of the favourites for the women's event, having already proved herself the fastest woman over the sprint distance. However, Gayelene will be up against tough competition from the likes of long-distance world record holder Erin Baker of New Zealand. The stars will be competing for the world's richest triathlon prizemoney - a total purse of $200,000. So it's hardly surprising that around 40% of the triathletes taking part in the big event will come from overseas and interstate. According to Tom Locke, race direc+tor for the event, sprint triathlon is a relatively new sporting phenomenon in Australia, but one which is taking off with astounding speed. `Although sprint triathlon gained its popularity initially in the USA, it now has a truly international appeal,' he said. 'In 1980 there were only 50 tri+athlon events held in Australia, attract+ing 5000 competitors. But last year 2100 events, mostly over the sprint distance, were held - with the field totalling a staggering 1.1 million com+petitors.' Mr Locke said the recent Coral Coast Triathlon in Queensland had produced 28 qualifiers, with times from the first five placegetters (all Australians) that ranked them among the best (Andrew Steele 1:52.55, Stephen Foster 1:53.01, Mark Doyle 1:55.22, Simon Skillicorn 1:58.24 and Mike Irwin 1:59.12). With support from several Australian corporations and also the sporting bodies concerned, the World Sprint Triathlon Championships seem set to firmly establish Australia on the elite triathlon circuit. E21c Fun Runner - December 1986/January 1987 Looking at People with Frank McCaffrey Kerryn Hindmarsh has been around a long time, or so it seems. Ten years it could be, and this young NSW South Coast distance star is still only 18. I remember Kerryn taking out her category in the first ever female fun run in Australia, the Betty Cuthbert Run at Lidcombe. Kerryn was in primary school then, and ran like an Olympian on a very hot, windy day. Since then her name has become a household word in fun runs and NSW AAA events. Kerryn is coached by John Hansen, who does a great job with his young, talented group. Tuesdays and Thurs+days she does speedwork. Saturday comes a 7-mile (11km) time-trial over hills. Wednesday it's a one-hour outing. But Sundays are what Kerryn enjoys most - approximately 2 hours in the bush. Being able to handle this latter run and enjoying it so much tempted Kerryn to tackle the '86 Budget Australian Marathon, which she completed in 2:54.39. Aerobics and some gym work help her keep supple and flexible, and make a wel+come break from running now and again. This remarkable young lady has taken out the Sutherland to Surf four times in a row - 1980, '81, '82 and '83. She also won the Australian CHS cross-country in '83. Kerryn just loves running and fun runs, and the wonderful people she meets through the sport. One of her goals is to run for Australia in the Olympic Marathon - and I reckon that could be on the cards. I first met Wayne Larden (see photo page 13) at Brian Sharp's Ebenezer Camp about three years ago. He immediately impressed me by his smooth, effortless running form and his obvious enthusiasm for running - in fact, not just enthusiasm but down+right excitement about his future. E22 Australian Gourmet 2029 words E22a Australian Gourmet - January 1986 Chianti rediscovered Heretofore much maligned by serious red drinkers, chianti has broken free of its straw-covered prison and moved into the realm of the world's finest wines. Here, Sandra Symons is converted to the cause by one of its most fervent and charming champions. It is rather ironical that chianti has gradually been saddled with a pizza-parlour image when it is the very wine that initially made the most positive headway for Italian wines in the inter+national marketplace. But chianti has been described as the phoenix of wines - and Italy's leading winemakers are currently making a huge effort to see that this particular great wine is re-born with an even greater reputation. Leading the drive to upgrade chianti's image is the world-renowned Tuscany-based company, I.L. Ruffino. The company is now wholly owned by the Folonari family, which first took con+trol of Ruffino in 1913 after the founding cousins, Ilario and Leopoldo Ruffino, got into financial difficulty. One of the six Folonari brothers, Dr Italo Folonari, recently made his move on Australia, visiting distributors, quiz+zing consumers and conducting seminars in an effort to determine local attitudes to this much-maligned wine. An executive director of the company, Dr Folonari is responsible for all export markets and for increasing wine sales overseas. What he discovered during his visits to Perth, Melbourne and Sydney was that Austra+lians equate chianti with a straw-covered bottle and regard all chiantis as tasting exactly the same. Dr Folonari intends to correct that misapprehension. Italo Folonari is the embodiment of what you would expect of a man who travels the world extolling the virtues of Tuscan wines. He is charming, hand+some, eloquent. He greeted this gourmet writer in his Melbourne hotel room with an urbane kiss on the hand, laughingly flicking his eyes up to gauge the effect of the gesture. The pleasure generated was somewhat diffused by the drink offered, Coca-Cola, the original, naturally. Charming gestures dispensed with, Dr Folonari gets right down to business by explaining that no wine has had a grander tradition than chianti. Did we know that Michelangelo owned chianti vineyards and gave the wine to Pope Pius II? And in more recent times, Thomas Jefferson introduced it to the White House and, presumably, to Ameri+ca, Australians have not been so lucky. "The wines coming here," he said, with a barely disguised look of displeas+ure, "were those being made for Italian consumption, and the average Italian wine drinker is not too discerning." Was there, perhaps, just a hint of a suggestion that the Australian approach to Italian wine, chianti in particular, hasn't been one of discernment either? Dr Folonari doesn't necessarily lay the blame here. "No, the mistake lies in another place," he declared dramatically. It transpired that he actually meant two places - Italy, for exporting cheap wines, and France, for doing the same. But attention for this misdemeanour is focused, he commented, on Italy because "it is the last arrived". And it follows that good Italian wines have, in consequence, suffered. "The problem is not new to us. Until ten years ago, the newcomers to the industry had not the technology, so the wine coming from them had perhaps too much tannin and acidity and was maybe cloudy. We decided then to start an oper+ation by which some of the most sophisti+cated markets around the world could be educated to drink our wines in bottles not covered in straw," he said. This move by Ruffino has caused an enormous hiccup among those who like to drink their chianti and have a candle-holder too. But the company is deter+mined to put chianti back in its rightful place as Ruffino sees it - among the ac+knowledged great wines. "It is not a question of making our chianti better - we already make the best," Dr Folonari said. "In 1956, I approached a top New York restaurant and suggested they try our Chianti Classico Riserva Ducale. It is not presented in the straw fiasco but in an elegant bottle. They took ten cases and within two years had bought 1000 cases." The idea was to show winelovers that traditionally made Chianti Classico was a fruity, soft, velvety wine, quite unlike the "harsh" reputation gained by several chiantis on the market. So successful has this quality, expensive, up-market wine become, that Ruffino had had to put the gold label Riserva Ducale on quota. One of the secrets of the success of Riserva Ducale is the Ruffino insistence on using the maximum permitted pro+portion of the Sangiovese grapes in the make-up of the blend. This is the grape variety that produces the classical, tra+ditional, soft chiantis. And Ruffino also respects the use of the governo all'uso toscano, the addition of a quantity of must, which creates softness in the wine. In 1974, Ruffino launched an adver+tising and promotion campaign, present+ing chianti in a new, special Florentine bottle, based on the assumption that people were more interested in the wine than in the old, straw-covered bottle. It was such a shock tactic that even Time magazine reacted by running a story on the Ruffino campaign. "In the first year, our sales dropped five percent but by 1978, our overall sales had trebled. Now in England, our chianti sales are 75 per+cent in the new bottle, 25 percent in the straw," Dr Folonari said. The making of Tuscan wines is one of the oldest and most fascinating traditions in the world. One cannot imagine chianti without Tuscany - and it is equally diffi+cult to imagine Tuscany without chianti. The chianti grapes thrive on the steep hillside slopes lying, variously, between 200 and 700 metres above sea level. This area which has nurtured some of the world's greatest artists, also produced some of the world's earliest wines. The Etruscans grew grapes and pro+duced wine as part of religious ceremon+ies in the 9th century BC. The Romans, who conquered the land, also knew about winemaking. The Lega Del Chianti was established in 1270 to defend the people and the land, and it also created the first wine quality law. In the 14th century, the local wine ac+quired the name chianti. Some historians say the name comes from the Latin clang+or, meaning the high-pitched squeal of a trumpet or cry of a bird. At that time, the country was wild and covered with for+ests, and some place-names in Chianti, such as Avane and Avenano, have strong connections with the art of hunting. In the 19th century, the Baron Bettino Ris+casoli developed the new combination of grapes that is still used today. Chianti, recognized as a wine having every right to the protection of a con+trolled denomination of origin (DOC), has been subject to standards regulating its production since 1967, when a law was passed introducing these standards to be applied in five provinces of Tus+cany - Florence, Siena, Arezzo, Pisa and Pistoia. The law dictates that the wine must be made with grapes from certain types of vines: Sangiovese (which gives the wine body and perfume), black Can+iaolo (which helps to soften the wine), Trebbiano Toscano and Malvasia del Chianti (which lighten the wine and in+crease the flavour). The grapes are mixed in the following proportions: 50-80 per+cent, Sangiovese; 10-30 percent, black Canaiolo; 10-30 percent, Trebbiano Toscano and Malvasia del Chianti, with five percent maximum other comple+mentary grapes. Supplementary vines recommended for addition to the basic brew include Colorino, which has proved to be par+ticularly suitable for governing chianti. This traditional winemaking technique, the governo all'uso chianti, consists of a slow period of fermentation of the newly drawn wine, brought about by the ad+dition of from five to 10 percent of spe+cially selected grapes picked before the harvest from a limited number of vines registered in the Chianti Roll. The best bunches, known as "the cho+sen few", are selected and set aside to dry out a little on specially constructed racks. This "governing" technique gives the wine a more rounded flavour, a higher glycerine content, greater freshness and more vivacity than would otherwise be the case. Chianti wine, to warrant that name, must never be put on the market before it reaches an alcoholic content of 11.5%, while for Chianti Classico the minimum is 12%. The greatest quantities of chianti are grown in the hills around Florence and Siena and in the region of the "Chianti Classico". About 39,000 winemakers, from small private growers to large in+dustrial companies, are involved in the production of chianti. This multiplicity, still partly in the hands of the families that have been vine-tenders for genera+tions, is proof enough of the artisan nature of wine-growing in Chianti. Less than a quarter of the entire regional pro+duction of Tuscany has the right to call itself chianti and to have the DOC de+nomination. And not all wine produced within the Chianti region necessarily car+ries that name since, if a season has been poor and local harvests of indifferent quality, a portion will be downgraded and used in the Tuscan vin ordinaire. In the 1920s, Chianti Classico wine+makers banded together to bring quality to their abused name. In recent years, Ruffino has widened its production sources in the heart of the Chianti Clas+sico area. The company has four wine farms in the region around Panzano, in+cluding the Tenuta Casa di Sala and the prestigious villa and estate, Fattoria di Zano, high on the hill overlooking the town of Greve. Another wine farm a little farther north of Greve, Fattoria di Passo dei Pecorai (where the shepherds used to meet) has recently been totally mod+ernized with vast installations of temper+ature-controlled stainless-steel vats and fermentation tanks. Farther north on the edge of the Chianti Classico between Grassina and San Polo is Fattoria di Montemasso where Ruffino has invested in new plant and cellar equipment for the production of traditional chianti wines. Dr Folonari explained that, while Ruffino has been dedicated to maintain+ing the fine old traditions of chianti-making, the company has had to be cognizant of changing attitudes. Chianti wines have always been the most popular of all wines in Italy but with the Italian lifestyle changing and the traditional patriarchal lunch at home as the main event of the day becoming a thing of the past, consumption of wine has declined, particularly the red wines. The trend has been to lighter wines as everyday con+sumption wines and there has been a per+ceptible increase in higher quality wines as the general standard of living has risen. In meeting new demands, Ruffino has, says Dr Folonari, recently launched a special "wine of the spring" called Torgaio di San Salvatore. "It is young chianti made mostly from Sangiovese grapes with a proportion of Trebbiano." Once the second fermentation has fin+ished, the wine is immediately put into bottles for distribution as a light cool red for summer drinking. Another recent Ruffino introduction has been the single estate Aziano Chianti Classico. The Zano estate is one of the oldest in Chianti and was mentioned in a sale document dated 1009. The area was dominated by a round tower used to keep watch for raiders; the tower is repro+duced on the Aziano label. And thus is the way paved for the revi+val of a classic. Italo Folonari gave me a bottle of Ruffino Chianti Classico. It was a perfect toast to a future "when every+thing old is new again". Only this time it won't be a fiasco. E22b Australian Gourmet - January 1986 Cooks unite! The formation of international culinary organizations may be the only viable way, writes Jane Grigson, to assure that our cooking traditions endure in the future. The Boston Women's Culinary Guild began with a collection of 3000 cookery books given to the Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library at Radcliffe College in 1978. Since money was needed to house the books, to match a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, a cookery demon+stration was organized. Not only was this, and other events, successful in rais+ing funds, but members of the organizing committees took such pleasure in meet+ ing and talking to each other that Lora Brody and Sheryl Julian decided to form a Women's Culinary Guild (women's be+cause of the original event, and because the professional culinary world in and around Boston was dominated by men). E23 Woman's Day 2008 words E23a Woman's Day - April 14, 1986 Today's kitchen with Vo Bacon More and more fruit and vegetable markets are having an exotic fruit cor+ner. But too often not enough informa+tion is given to some of the less common fruits, such as the carambola (star fruit), breadfruit, pepino and even the per+simmon. Carombola is a waxy, yellow or yellow-brown fruit. It's shaped like a five-pointed star, hence the name star fruit or five corners. Use as soon as possible or store briefly in refrigerator, well wrap+ped. First, wash, then slice crosswise or lengthwise and remove seeds. It can be poached, or stewed alone or with other fruits. It can also be used fresh in fruit salads, made into jams, jellies, chutney, or juiced and added to other fruit drinks. Carambola is high in vitamin A, and has also some vitamin C, phosphorus, calcium, iron and potassium. Breadfruit, a native of Asia, spreading from Sri Lanka to China, is a large green, rough-skinned fruit, turning a slight yellow when ripe. The flesh when fully ripe is yellow and sweet, and tastes like fresh bread, which probably ex+plains its name. Cook and use the same way as potatoes, or use for desserts. Cook then mash, or cook with milk or cream and sugar, or serve with custard or sweet sauce. Seeds can also be cooked and eaten like chestnuts. Pepino, originally from Peru, is also called tree melon or mellowfruit. Shaped like a small melon, it has a satin-like green skin with vivid purple stripes that change from green to yellow when ripe. The flavour is very delicate, a mixture of melon, pineapple and lemon. You can use as any of the melons, and the seed section is sweet and edible. Persimmon has a rich, delicious flavour, and must be eaten ripe. It's delicious for breakfast, just cut in half and spoon out the flesh. Or use in fruit salads, or pureed over ice-cream or sorbet, pie or steamed pudding. Have you stopped to consider what essentials are needed to start cooking? The list can be endless. There are four main functions carried out in every kit+chen: preparation; mixing; cooking and serving; and cleaning up. So here are the absolute essentials when first setting up a kitchen, to be acquired as necessary or as culinary skills become greater. Preparation: Vegetable brush, paring knife, utility knife, wooden board, potato peeler, strainer or colander, can opener, bottle opener, kitchen shears. Add when possible: Chef's knife, parer/corer, other size strainers, boning knife, garlic press, nutmeg grater, butter curler. Mixing: Set of measuring spoons (4), set of measuring cups (4) for dry measures, glass measuring cups (1 and 2-cup sizes), rubber scrapers or spatula, rolling pin, grater (4 sided), funnel and pastry brush, set of mixing bowls, egg beater or whisk. Add later: Electric beaters, blender, food processor. Cooking and serving: Pot holders, frypan, 2 saucepans (1 small, 1 medium), potato masher, long-handled fork, ladle, slotted spoon, pancake turner, wire rack, baking sheet, baking pan, pie and cake pan, set of tongs, wooden spoon. Add later: Tea kettle, more saucepans, crepe pan, cake pans, muffin pans, bread pans, steamer. Cleaning up: Detergent, pot scrubbers, wash cloths, rubber gloves, cleansers, dish towels. And remember this list doesn't even start to include your convenient elec+trical extras. Some secrets of chefs: • To cut a fresh cake easily: Dip a sharp knife in hot water. • To intensify the flavour of chocolate or sweet desserts: Always add a pinch of salt. • For a beatiful even brown of sausages: Dip them in cream before frying. • Roast Beef redone: Spread with mustard, top with crumbs and dot with butter. Grill until hot. Anyone who spends a great deal of time out-of-doors, whether walking, run+ning,hiking, climbing, biking or swimm+ing, needs nourishing nibbles. Here are a few suggestions: • Shelled sunflower seeds and currants or sultanas • Soy nuts and raisins • Dried apricots, almonds and pecans • Raisins and walnuts • Dates, chopped dried peaches or pears and nuts • Dried apples, apricots and pecans • Peanuts, dates, pumpkin seeds and cashews Add fresh or dried coconut to any of the above combinations. Dried Fruit Bar In a bowl mix together list,omitted Stir in list,omitted In a medium bowl beat together list,omitted Add to dry ingredients and stir just until blended. Spread in a greased 20cm square pan. Bake at 160°C (325°F) for 35 to 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. Cut into squares. Makes 16 x 5cm squares All measurements in our recipes are standard metric cups and spoons approved by the Standards Association of Australia. These are available at leading department and hardware stores. All measurements are level. For easy reference, 1 cup is 250ml, 1 tablespoon is 20ml and 1 teaspoon is 5ml. For recipes with eggs, use the 55 g size unless otherwise stated. E23b Woman's Day - May 5 1986 Today's kitchen with Vo Bacon Have you noticed in the markets a new vegetable called Spaghetti Squash or Spaghetti Vegetable? If not, look for a slightly tough-skinned, yellow-looking marrow in shape, a member of the squash family. When boiled or baked, its flesh can be forked out like strands of spaghetti. It can be used instead of pasta with traditional sauces or fresh herb sauces such as pesto. Easy to cook - bake, boil or microcook - either whole, or cut in half with seeds and fibre remov+ed. Delicious tossed with butter, or but+ter and brown sugar and cinnamon. News flash! Look for a leaflet in supermarkets and grocery stores, "Frozen Foods ... from store to table", explaining how to buy, store, use and care for your frozen foods. It gives precise and important information to the consumer, and is prepared by the Australian Frozen Food Council. Many varieties of sweet potatoes can be found in the markets, from whitish tan to brownish red, dry or soft-fleshed. They are an excellent source of vitamin A and potassium, and a good source of calcium, phosphorus, thiamin and vitamin C. Here is an unusual recipe to go with veal, chicken or ham: Orchard Sweet Potato Bake The red-skinned with deep orange flesh are the best to use when available. In a saucepan of boiling water place 3-4 small to medium sweet potatoes, well-scrubbed and cook, covered, until just fork tender. Drain, and let cool until able to handle. Peel and slice into circles or cut lengthwise, and place in a shallow bak+ing dish. Spoon over list,omitted In a small bowl combine list,omitted and spread over sweet potatoes-apricot mixture. Sprinkle with list,omitted Bake at 180°C (350deg;F) for 15 to 25 minutes, or until top is lightly browned and hot. Makes 4-6 serves Fun with Pancakes: Make your favourite recipe or use a pancake mix. Just before serving sprinkle with crush+ed mixed cereal of your choice; chopped nuts or raisins; wheatgerm; dried fruits, finely chopped; crumbled crisply cooked bacon; grated apple; chopped fresh fruit; or make pancakes the size of 50-cent pieces to entice the young. A haggis made easy for haggis lovers. Prepare one package of onion soup mix with 3 cups water, following directions. Add 2 cups quick cooking oats and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Cook until thickened, then add 500 g sausages, crumbled. Cook 3 to 5 minutes longer. Shape into a buttered bowl and turn out on to a platter. Warm 1/2 cup Scotch whisky, ignite and circle the haggis with flames. Serve. Tuna a la Grande: Chill tuna in the can. Turn out and encircle with sour cream, hard-cooked egg yolks and whites, sweet white or red onion, all finely chopped, and garnish with chopped dill or parsley. Serve with fingers of dark bread or toast as an appetiser, salad or entree. With beer only? Not necessarily, but great with beer comes this sandwich from Switzerland. Spread two slices of dark rye or pumpernickel with butter. Cover one side with slices of sweet red or white onion and the other with crumbled blue cheese. Slap together and enjoy. A great dessert from Lebanon. In one cup of boiling water soak 1 cup sultanas for about 5 minutes. Drain and mix with 1/4 cup orange juice, 2 tablespoons honey, grated lemon rind and dash of cinnamon. Spoon over 6 bowls of plain or chilled vanilla yogurt. I once had this Basque Shepherds Stew at a Basque Ball. Very tasty! In a pan heat 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons oil. Lightly brown 1 cup long-grain rice, add 1 onion and 1 green pepper, sliced. Stir in 1 can consomme (or beer stock). Cover and cook slowly for 18 to 20 minutes, or until liquid is gone, rice tender. Stir occasionally and toss with 1/2 cup sliced stuffed olives. Makes 4 serves. One of my favourite salads is the Orange-Onion Salad. From Spain, where you find the greatest olive groves, comes the Ensalada Valenciana. Combine 2 large sweet oranges, thinly sliced; an onion, thinly cut; 1/4 cup Spanish olive oil; 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar; salt and pepper to taste. Marinate 15 to 20 minutes. Toss with salad greens and slic+ed black and pimiento-stuffed olives. Speaking of olives, try this cold sauce poured over grilled fish or chicken. In a blender or processor place 1 small onion, halved, a handful of parsley, 1 clove garlic and blend until fine. Add 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon prepared mustard, salt and pepper to taste. Blend well. Add 1/2 cup each sliced green olives and tomato sauce. Stir to blend. Also makes a good barbecue sauce. Want an easy way to obtain onion juice? Cut off the end of an onion and press on a glass lemon juicer, with a plastic bag over the onion. Presto, onion juice. E23c Woman's Day - May 5, 1986 CAROL BATES How bread became her Staff of Life Her experiment with bread making led to an unexpected revolution Ten years ago, a young housewife named Carol Bates pulled out a recipe book and made a loaf of bread. She had no idea how this would change her life. Carol had taken the first step on her path from housewife with "no training, no qualifications, no nothing" to super-successful business woman. That first loaf of bread, Carol said, was "a great carry-on, all that kneading," but her husband Ken said he would never eat bought bread again. So Carol started experimenting. In a few short years and almost without realising it, she had revolutionis+ed breadmaking in Australia. Today, her Staff of Life breadmaking kits are in thousands of Australian homes. With 60,000 recipe books, 6,000 students, one flour mill and countless loaves behind her, Carol still lives in rural Red Hill, on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula, with Ken and their two sons. She still bubbles with enthusiasm when asked about her no-knead technique. "It's so easy, you don't have to think about it. It's like making a bed ... sometimes you forget you've done it." Carol smiles often and talks easily, moving her hands through the air like a dance instructor. She describes her life as idyllic. But it was not always so. It took a crippling back injury in 1979 to make Carol realise what she wanted from life. For seven months, she couldn't walk. "Most of the time I cried, because I was in such agony. But I thought `if I ever get out of this, I'll do something with my life'." Lying in bed, she wrote her thoughts in a writing pad. "When you're a housewife with children, you often think of what you'll do one day or when the kids get older. You can think like this forever. When I was stuck in bed and I believed I'd never get better, I thought of all the things I should have done when I was fit and well. I decided that if I ever got better, I'd get out and do things." Get better she did. And she got out and did things. Ken resigned from his bank job and together they found premises a few streets from their Red Hill home. "These shops had been sitting there and no one could see the potential," said Carol. E24 Qantas Airways 2011 words E24a Qantas Airways - May/June 1986 Ngorongoro By John Laird The Ngorongoro Crater of East Africa is a national park and a spectacular sanctuary for wild animals, including endangered species like the black rhinoceros, that attracts camera-toting `hunters' from all over the world. Twenty to thirty million years ago, the eastern third of Africa was shaken by tremendous geological upheavals. The surface of the continent convulsed, opening up deep faults and fissures that allowed molten rock to surge up from within the earth's core. For millions of years volcanic activity continued, creating whole mountain ranges and the majestic snow-capped peaks of Mt Kilimanjaro and Mt Kenya. The Great Rift Valley was formed. Stretching from southern Mozambique, this 3200-kilometre-long wonder now cuts its way through Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia, after which it becomes the Red Sea. Among the rifts lie the great lakes of East Africa and between the rifts and the mountains lies the Serengeti Plain, home to huge migra+tory herds of wildebeest, zebras and gazelles. The massive scale of these natural phenomena cannot help but inspire awe. But the force and violence that helped to shape them also gave birth to another jewel to delight the traveller - nothing is quite so moving as a first experience of Ngorongoro. A great volcanic explosion, perhaps audible across the width of Africa; millions of tonnes of rock and molten lava flying into the sky - that was the likely, fiery birth of this huge caldera depicted by geologists as occurring 1.75 million years ago. Now, all these years later, Ngorongoro Crater is a national park and a spectacular sanctuary for some 27,000 wild animals, including rare species like the endangered black rhino, and, of course, that popular King of Beasts. Camera-toting big game `hunters' and conservationists alike agree that there is no other reserve or game park in the region - and there are some 50 in East Africa - where wildlife can be found so naturally ` at home' and instantly accessible to visitors. Mists swirling around the 55-kilometre circumference of the crater heighten the anticipation of a first approach. Spear-toting Masai herdsmen and their cattle can be seen along the roadside, against a backdrop of emerald green hills. Then, a sharp branching to the right off the main road to Serengeti ... over a small hill ... suddenly, there it is, laid out in full view. The first glimpse is more than a spectacle. It is an emotional experience. Ngorongoro Crater covers an area of 260 square kilometres. Its diameter varies between 16 and 19 kilometres and its steep walls rise some 650 metres from the crater floor. It contains not only a self-sustaining ecosystem, with a lake fed by natural springs, a small forest and rangelands, but it also has something of a unique climate. While mists often shroud land above the crater, spilling like ether over the crater rim, the sun shines through into the crater's centre creating a giant doughnut effect. Ngorongoro is the world's largest intact and unflooded caldera (not actually a crater, in strict geological terms) and it is a paradise for plains animals, with more than two-thirds of its floor containing short grass. It is a delight to the visitor, with its un+obstructed view and network of dirt roads. Park officials insist that trips into the crater be made by four-wheel-drive vehicles only - a necessity that becomes obvious when you encounter the very steep and rocky road which descends into it. There is perhaps no other place on earth where so many species of animals exist side by side in such a small-scale natural habitat. You might spot a group of wildebeest, zebras or gazelles and only a hundred metres further on a pride of lions lolling in the sun. But contrary to what you might expect, lions do not account for the most kills in the crater. It is the hyena that plays the chief role of predator: the short grass and open nature of the crater floor do not lend themselves to the lion's hunting technique of stealth. But the lions thrive by helping themselves to the greater share of the spoils. Chief conservation warden Joseph ole Kuwei said there were 120 lions in the crater last year - they are on the increase. Six cheetahs had taken up residence at last count. The endangered black rhino is down from 100 in the mid-1970s to less than 10 at present, he added. Poaching of rhinos for their horns was a big problem from 1979-82, and other problems continue. One rhino was speared by a Masai herdsman defending his grazing cattle in 1982; one died in a rhino fight and another died giving birth in 1984. Also to be found in the crater are elephants, hippos, buffaloes, impalas, elands, reedbucks, Grant's gazelles, Thomson's gazelles, hartebeest and a variety of bird life including flamin+goes, crested cranes and ostriches. Many animals come and go from the crater - with the exception of giraffes - but there is always a large animal population present. A circuit around the crater can occupy a whole day, and the visitor is `guaranteed' to encounter lions, rhinos and a number of other animals. Most animals seem to stick to one preferred location for long periods, and rhinos can always be seen between the lake and the woods. But animals' differing temperaments dictate how close you can get. There is no problem driving right up beside the nonchalent lions and cheetahs (never get out of your vehicle!) but the rhinos get quite nervous and may even make motions to charge intruders. Temperamental buffaloes, similarly, are quite capable of over-turning a Landrover. Shy elands keep a distance of a couple of hundred metres, but silver jackals may peer at you from close up before trotting away. Nature seems to have reached a perfect balance in the crater; all species seem to be on the increase. The Ngorongoro Crater is part of a large reserve known as the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, which also includes a stretch of the Serengeti Plain and the Olduvai Gorge, home of early man, Zinjanthropus, whose remains in the area were discovered by Dr Mary Leakey in 1959 and have been dated be+tween one-half to one million years old. There are also some smaller craters and some volcanic peaks in the conservation area: Loolmalasion (3649 m), Oldeani (3189 m) and Lemagurut (3133 m). The rim of Ngorongoro is about 2440 m above sea level, but in its original shape may have reached an elevation of 4600 m. Nowadays, some 18,000 Masai - formerly East Africa's most feared warrior tribe - inhabit the reserve. They are allowed to take their herds into the crater but not to live there. The Masai are a proud race, tall, slim and with strikingly handsome features, and are common to both Tanzania and Kenya. The men dress in an orange-red dyed cloth, with their hair traditionally pulled into a long sheath that hangs down the back of the neck. The women wear bright coloured beads strung on brass wire. Their distinctive appearance makes fine tourist snapshots, but invari+ably a fee is demanded. One traveller in southern Kenya who tried to forgo the fee and snapped away regardless, sud+denly, to his shock, found a Masai spear embedded in the side of his car. More than most other tribes in East Africa, the Masai have retained their traditional ways and generally shunned modern and commercial practices. How+ever, they have developed a monetary need which they never had before, according to ole Kuwai, to buy rice, maize flour and clothes. Masai numbers are growing and their herds are increas+ing, and thus the potential for conflict with wildlife in the conservation area. What to do about the Masai was a big problem in instituting conservation of the Serengeti and Ngorongoro eco+systems. The tribe formerly inhabited the whole of the Serengeti. But in 1959 a committee of inquiry was invited from Britain to settle the conflict be+tween conservation and Masai grazing: the Ngorongoro Conservation Area was set up where the Masai would have residential and grazing rights, but they would vacate the major part of the Serengeti itself, leaving it as a national park. But no permanent dwellings or any cultivation are allowed in the con+servation area. Conservation officials have also turned their attention to serious envi+ronmental problems in surrounding areas, problems of deforestation and soil erosion. They are trying to persuade Masai to relocate away from the crater area, to switch to better breeds of cattle to help limit overgrazing of land, and to adopt environment-enhancing practices, such as tree planting. Wildlife in Ngorongoro exists much the same way today as it must have done for thousands of years. At least, we have a parallel account by the first European explorer to visit and record his observations of the crater. He was Dr Oscar Baumann of Germany who led an expedition to the rugged highlands in 1882. On 18 March of that year, he wrote in his diary: `Starting at 9 a.m. we passed through open grassland with marshy rills and with charming scat+tered groves. At noon we suddenly found ourselves on the rim of a sheer cliff and looked down into the oblong bowl of Ngorongoro, the remains of an old crater. Its bottom was grassland, alive with a great number of game; the western part was occupied by a small lake. We went down the steep slope and started to pitch our tents at the foot of the precipice ... At nightfall several Masai warriors were seen prowling around the camp, probably with the intention of stealing cattle. The number of sentries was accordingly doubled and the rest of the night was quiet.' Baumann was impressed with the abundance of game in the crater and recorded how he shot one wildebeest and three rhinos. He left them for the Masai who were living in the crater. Those Masai appeared to be fairly well fed on game, but Baumann had recently encountered Masai in surrounding parts suffering from terrible famine and disease. Rinderpest and smallpox were rampant at that time. Accounts of other expeditions of that era attest to the wanton destruction of wildlife that can only appal us today. Further to the east, Count Teleki's expedition, travell+ing from Kilimanjaro to Lake Rudolph in 1886, disposed of 99 rhino, while a group of Indian Army officers and a Captain Willoughby, hunting around the eastern slopes of Kilimanjaro, killed 66 rhino in four months. Later, in the early 1900s, two German settlers set up a cattle ranch inside Ngorongoro Crater, but were evicted when Germany lost its East African colony to Britain at the end of World War I. However, the ruins of Adolph's farm, so named for Adolph Seitendopf, still remain near the northeast wall of the crater. There is evidence, too, of much earlier human habitation: pieces of pottery from unknown former occupants have been found near the Seneto Springs west of the lake. Today, the whole of Ngorongoro Conservation Area is carefully managed and is a tourist attraction with two lodges right on the rim of the crater, a camping ground and some smaller lodges further from the crater area. There is also a conservation head+quarters, a tourist office with transport for hire and a small staff village. Following a period from 1977-84, when the border between Tanzania and Kenya was closed over a tiff in the wake of the collapse of the East African Community, access to Ngorongoro is now possible by a long day's drive from Nairobi. E24b Qantas Airways - May/June 1986 QUEENSLAND'S WAITING FOR YOU Queensland calls itself the Sunshine State and boasts about being Australia's leading holiday destination. Here we show you how much Queens+landers have going for them. From the north-east corner of Australia, the finger pointing northwards is Queensland. It sprawls for more than 1.7 million square kilometres, most of it in the tropics, covering a land five times as large as Japan, one-fifth the size of the United States of America, and equal to Great Britain, Denmark, the Netherlands, France, West Germany, Italy, and Spain, com+bined. E25 Golden Wing - February 1986 2004 words Why pay more? Investigate some of the best international travel deals in this guide to 23 countries prepared by David McGonigal. In arranging an overseas trip, the one thing you never lack is brochures. These range from elaborate publications produced by airlines or national tourist organisa+tions down to a flyer for Ol' Hank's Vintage Auto Barn in Kansas City. Hidden in all this are some very fine deals for travellers - often only avail+able if purchased in Australia before you set out. Most countries offer discount rail passes - and in Europe there are several rail passes which operate in most countries (such as Eurail) or in a group of countries (the Scandrail pass for Scandinavia, for example). Another saving offered to overseas visitors by many countries is to allow purchases without the imposition of local Value Added Tax. Here's a guide to what is available. Unless otherwise indicated, prices are in Australian dollars. However, as the Australian dollar's exchange rate fluctuates and the situation in other countries may shift, it is inevitable that prices and packages will change. Use this as a guide only and follow it up with your own enquiries when planning your trip. This survey should be read in conjunction with After the flight in Golden Wing January, 1986, which gave details of discounts offered by airlines for ground content, stopovers and ongoing travel. The principal rail pass in Europe transcends any national borders so we'll deal with it first. The Eurail pass is valid in all Western European countries except Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It gives you unlimited first-class travel on all trains but you have to pay a reservation fee and for sleeping accommodation. The ticket must be purchased outside Europe: it costs $405 for 15 days, up to three months costs $1055. It is valid for some ferry travel. The youth pass for those under 26 is for second-class travel and is considerably cheaper. For people under 26 there are also the Interrail and BIGE passes. Canada is considerably larger than Australia, so if you are planning on visiting several destinations in Canada it's essential to shop around for the best way to do this. Vancouver on the west coast is also host to Expo 86, which runs from May 2 to October 13 - it's to be the largest world exposition ever held in North America. Both of the Canadian airlines - CP Air (which flies out of Australia) and Air Canada - have discount fares available for visitors which are not available for locals. CP Air's discounts were given in our earlier survey. Air Canada has a North America Travel pass for four flights (C$520) up to 12 flights for C$774. You can also buy one-destination tickets for travel in the US and Canada in Australia at rates 30% less than the economy fare - the tickets have to be bought in Australia. So do add-on fares to reach a North American destination after the trans-Pacific flight - these can be 50%-70% off the price you'd pay in Canada. In Ontario, overseas visitors are entitled to have the State sales tax refunded: 7% on "non-disposable" purchases and 5% for accommodation. If you have the time, the cheapest way to see the country may be to use a driveaway company. These organisa+tions are listed under "Automobile, Truck &Drive-Away, Transporting" in Canadian Yellow Pages - they take on the job of getting someone to drive a car a long distance while the owners fly. The "someone" can be you - you only have to pay for petrol. You are allowed a set number of days to get the car there and have to lodge a deposit. VIA Rail is the combined Canadian passenger rail service. There are local services as well as the Canadian which runs across the country. Canrail passes are available either in Australia or Canada for unlimited rail travel - either for one region of Canada or the whole country. Bus passes are also available - the return fare from west coast to Montreal in the east is C$198. Greyhound lines in Canada is represented in Australia by Greyhound Australia. Fiji has a discount scheme on Fiji Air. The airline, which links the numerous islands, offers a Discover Fiji pass which is valid for 14 days and costs F$199. France will refund VAT paid by Australians after they leave the country. The amount due is paid into your Australian bank account. The total purchases in each store must be at least 800 FF to qualify and there are some restrictions on what goods are included in the scheme. The French National Railroad (SNCF) has a discount system for foreign nationals. The France Vacances pass is available both here and in France and gives you either nine days or 16 days travel within a one-month period at either first or second class rates. In addition to unlimited rail travel, the pass includes discounts on bus excursions, free travel on the Paris bus and Metro network and admission to the Pompidou Museum. It also gives discount on car hire with unlimited kilometres. You must be over 21 and have a credit card and the first reservation must be made at least eight days in advance. In Paris, you can buy a discount ticket for travel by Metro, bus or Regional Rapid Transit (RER) for two, four or seven days. Germany offers its own discount DB Tourist Card rail pass for foreigners. For second-class trains it costs $110 for four days, $172 for nine days or $235 for 16 days; first class is $156 for four days, $235 (nine days) and $320 (16 days). The pass also allows travel on some bus tours and public transport within cities and discounts on river cruises and travel to West Berlin. Other discount tickets, not restricted to visitors, are available in the major cities and within regions. Greece has a rail discount scheme: the price per person varies according to the number of people in a group. For a single person, the 1985 price was Dr 3360 for 10 days and Dr 7440 for 30 days. The price is expected to rise by 5% in 1986. Note, however, that the rail network in Greece is not as well developed as in many other European countries. For most travellers, a more useful discount is the Aegeanpass, a ferry pass offered only to Australians by Aegean Tours (with a similar pass issued by Caras Tours in Melbourne). The passes are valid for unlimited ferry travel for 15 days or one month. Holders of Eurail passes pay only a small charge for deck travel by ferry from Brindisi, Italy, to Patras, Greece. A seat or cabin is charged at the full fare. A similar system applies from Piraeus (the port of Athens) and Haifa, Israel. Holland's rail pass costs Dfl 78.50 for three days or Dfl 396.00 for a month, second class. A Museum Card costs Dfl 20 for people over 25 and gives free admission to 250 museums. Many restaurants exhibit the "tourist menu" sign which provides a three-course meal for a standard price of Dfl 16.75 (1985 price) - the quality of food is variable, of course. Hong Kong as a free-enterprise, duty-free country can't offer much by way of discounts or tax concessions to visitors. However, there is one privilege available for overseas guests - admission to the members' stand at a Hong Kong race meeting. Races are held at Happy Valley or Sha Tin tracks on Wednesdays, Saturdays or Sundays from September till May. You need to bring your overseas passport and make the booking in Hong Kong on 5-244191. The cost is HK$200, which includes pick-up from one of several points, a Chinese meal, a guide (the racing/betting system is somewhat different in Hong Kong) and admission to the exclusive members' enclosure at the track. A race calendar is available from the Hong Kong Tourist Association office at 255 George St, Sydney. India's trains have great fascination for the rail buff. Every day, they move more than 10 million people on carriages ranging from "colourful" second class to the "Palace on Wheels" which was originally built for Maharajahs in the desert State of Rajastan. Between October and March, the "Palace" sets out from Delhi for an eight-night tour of Rajastan. Accommodation is on the train - there is also a lounge, minibar and kitchen+ette with attendants in each saloon. 1985 prices ranged from 1250 Rs to 2125 Rs. Indrail passes are also available for unlimited rail travel throughout India. They are available in India for foreign nationals. The best class costs from US$160 for seven days to US$600 for 90 days; second class from US$35 for seven days to $130 for 90 days. Indian Airlines, the domestic carrier, has two discount schemes. The Discover India fare is available in India to foreigners and costs US$375 for 21 days with unlimited itinerary and stopovers. The India Wonderfares split the country into four sections (not surprisingly, North, South, East and West) and charge US$200 for unlimited travel for one week within one region. Again, it can be bought in India. Although not strictly a discount, the chance to stay in a Maharajah's palace which has been converted into a hotel - and pay less than you would for a hotel in Australia - is good value. The Government of India Tourist Bureau in Australia has details on a number of Palace Hotels - including the famous Lake Palace Hotel at Udaipur. Prices for a room start from 50 Rs and go up to $100 a double for the Lake Palace Hotel. Indonesia provides a discount pass for air travel on the internal Garuda network. The pass must be purchased in Australia and there are no refunds after the commencement of travel. The route is fixed at the time of booking but the dates of travel remain open. There are three passes: five cities in 10 days for US$300, 10 cities in 20 days for US$400 or 33 cities in 60 nights for US$500. Depending on the route you select, the saving can be up to 50% of the standard domestic airfare. Ireland has a "Springtime in Ireland" discount scheme operating throughout the country until the end of May. The bulk of discounts are in the area of accommodation but also include travel to and within Ireland, entertainment, shopping and admis+sion to tourist attractions. Discounts are up to 50%. Aer Lingus, the Irish airline, offers discounts throughout the year for rental cars - the price varies by season. A small car for a week costs $183 in April-May, $203 May-June and September-March, and $252 July-September. Rail/bus passes are available for $107 for seven days or $154 for 15 days. Rail-only passes cost $84 and $125 respectively. Eurail passes may be used from France to Ireland. There is a discount meal scheme for tourists to Ireland, too. It offers two standards of set price tourist meals - either IR£5 or IR£7.35 for three courses. Refunds of the VAT tax (from 8% to 35%) are available for tourists - there may be a minimum of IR£50 per shop and you must have the invoice stamped by customs as you leave the country. Italy has long had a petrol coupon system in which foreign travellers could use tax-free coupons to purchase petrol throughout the country. How+ever, this has been suspended at least until the end of February. There are two Italian Rail passes. The first gives unlimited travel on all trains in Italy - including express trains. First class costs from $148 for eight days to $258 for 30 days; second class costs from $94 for eight days up to $162 for 30 days. The Kilometric ticket costs $181 first class and $101 second class. For that you get 3000 kilometres of rail travel over two months - up to five people can share the pass and can all travel together on the one pass. Japan presents language problems for the overseas visitor. E26 Choice - February 1986 2004 words Eggs Nature's own pre-packed, healthy convenience food - but bad shop storage means many are stale Consider a moment the credentials of an egg. A staple food for almost 5000 years, each one is packed with protein, fats, water and essential vitamins and minerals. Eggs are versatile ... fried, poached, boiled or scrambled, they cater to a wide range of taste preferences. And they're useful. Cakes, custards and mayonnaise (to name a few) wouldn't be the same without egg's thickening and binding action. Eggs are convenient - they can be cooked and served in less than five minutes - and they come in remarkably strong, compact packaging (even if they aren't square yet!). Over the centuries eggs have been rec+ognised as more than just a food source. They've been collected, preserved, ornately decorated, given as gifts and treasured. They are a symbol of fertility and, in the Christian tradition, of new life. How much must you pay for something that can do and be so many things? If it's the gold and jewel encrusted Faberge style egg you're after, you could pay as much as US$1 760 000 at auction. The humble hen's egg, served up with toast for breakfast, can be yours for only 15 cents. Few of us are in the Faberge egg price range but most of us regularly buy hens' eggs. Australians eat an average of four eggs each week, slightly more in winter and fewer in the heat of summer. That adds up to hundreds of millions of dozens of eggs being produced and sold each year. Quality control Eggs sold to consumers are first quality eggs. To qualify as first quality, they must have shells which are clean, uncracked, free from stain, not thin, porous, rough or misshapen. To check these features eggs are ex+amined over a strong light, a process called candling (see picture at right). Once turned skilfully by hand, they are now passed over the light by conveyor belt. Those with shell faults or visible blood spots are removed; the rest are graded by weight and packed for sale. A clean egg is important for more than just aesthetic reasons. The shell is porous and bacteria from soiling (either dirt or faeces) can penetrate it. If it be+comes wet through condensation or poor washing, the rate and risk of bacte+rial penetration is increased. As well as being checked externally, some eggs from each batch are opened and tested for freshness. Routine micro+biological tests are also done including tests for salmonella, bacteria which cause food poisoning. What's in an egg? Egg yolks are held in shape by a fine membrane called the vitelline mem+brane (see diagram). On each yolk is a circular white spot called the germinal disc. This is where the chicken would begin to develop were the egg to be fertilised. Surrounding the yolk are two types of the protein albumen (commonly called white); a thick layer and an outer more liquid layer. In the thick layer are two rope-like cords called chalazae which anchor the yolk in the centre of the egg. Both the white and yolk are surrounded by membranes which enclose the egg in a fibrous sac. The outer membrane is attached to the shell. About 75% of an egg is water (the white is almost 90% water); protein accounts for another 12%. A further 11% is fats - saturated, mono-unsaturated and polyunsaturated - which are found in the yolk. Eggs contain several vitamins and minerals including vitamins A,B,D and E and iron, zinc, iodine, phosphorus and potassium. In all, an egg contains rough+ly 335 kilojoules, about the same as a medium banana. That makes them a good food source and quite suitable for dieters. However, the 250 of mg cholesterol they contain is a relatively high level. (By comparison, a serve of roast chicken, without skin, con+tains only 130 mg). Cholesterol, a subst+ance found mainly in animal cells, is pro+duced naturally by the body and is needed to make bile acids and hor+mones. When we absorb cholesterol in the food we eat, the body should compensate by making less of its own. However, some people's bodies don't compensate and this leads to excessive cholesterol in the blood. This excess cholesterol plays a role in the accumulation of fatty material in the walls of the arteries. A high level is therefore a risk factor for heart attacks. The National Heart Foundation recom+mends that people with high cholesterol levels should limit their egg yolk intake to two a week. This recommendation is part of the guidelines to reduce the total amount of fat eaten, particularly satu+rated fat and dietary cholesterol. Eggs are an excellent source of other nutrients and it would be counterproduc+tive to cut them out completely while still taking in fats from other food sources such as chocolate. Consumer trends We consumers can be a funny bunch. Creatures of habit, we are often loyally committed to particular brands or sizes and can feel quite put out should these be unavailable. Such is the case with eggs which many consumers buy in the same size every week. Problems arise w0hen these are in short supply during certain times of the year. To prevent this the NSW Egg Corpora+tion has recently decreased its number of egg sizes to three, the only marketing authority to do so. Despite fluctuations in size availability it is confident of being able to provide consumers with eggs of the same size all year round. Another of our egg preferences is a yolk of a deep golden colour. Yolk colour is determined by the amount of carotenoids - intensely coloured, natur+ally occurring pigments - in the hen's diet. Carotenoids are found in feeds such as maize, clover and grass. To produce bright yolks, producers include these in the hen's diets or add synthetic carotenoids to their feed. Recognising consumer support for the brighter yolks, the egg marketing author+ities have encouraged producers to add carotenoids to their hens' feed. The boards measure colour on a Roche scale (named after a company which makes the carotenoids); and all our egg samples scored 10 (a rich orange col+our) except for ACT free range eggs which had paler yolks ranging between four and nine. Tests on synthetic carotenoids to date have shown them to be harmless but that is no reason to support the use of additives. Our preference for bright yolks is prob+ably linked to a belief that they are heal+thier. In fact there is no nutritional differ+ence between pale and bright yolked eggs and the addition of synthetic carotenoids, though profitable for the company manufacturing them, is un+necessary. Neither is there any nutritional difference between brown or white shelled eggs yet in many areas there is a growing prefer+ence for brown shells. The only differ+ence between the two is that brown shells may be slightly stronger than white shells. There aren't many other advantages to brown shells; the hens that lay them eat more and produce fewer eggs than their white shell-laying counterparts and brown shells are not as pervious to light which makes it harder to pick up cracks and blood spots during candling. Perhaps there is an association in some people's minds with that other staple, bread, which is more nutritious in its brown version. Egg fact - no yolk Like urban myths of crocodiles in the sewer system, egg myths abound. Un+fortunately, they are just that, myths. Here are some of the more popular ones. • You will use more kilojoules digesting a hard-boiled egg than it contains. This has also been said of lettuce, and, oh that it were true. Sadly for dieters, in both cases it isn't. • A blood spot means an egg has been fertilised. There is little possibility of eggs intended for market being fertilised. Even if it were to happen, a fertilised egg would be picked up and removed during candling. Blood spots occur when a blood vessel on the yolk ruptures as the egg is re+leased from the ovarian follicle. Blood spots won't hurt you but if you don't like them simply remove them. • Free range eggs are better for you than eggs from caged hens. Eggs from free range hens have been found to contain marginally more of two nutrients, folic acid and vitamin B12. Within the framework of a healthy diet the nutritional differences are insignifi+cant. • Eggs don't need to be refrigerated they won't go off. True; they won't go stale overnight but their quality deteriorates much more quickly when they aren't refrigerated. Eventually they do go bad. See Storage and handling for more details. • Eggs can't be frozen. Eggs shouldn't be frozen in their shell but beaten eggs will freeze as will egg whites. To freeze yolks, sugar or salt must be added. From farm to table The sale of eggs in most of Australia is regulated by statutory marketing author+ities. These authorities control the pro+duction of eggs and in many cases also arrange their packing and distribution. In Victoria about 40% of eggs are graded and sold by the Egg Marketing Board or other grading companies under the brand name Egg Farmers of Victoria. A further 20% are packed by producers but marketed via the board. The remain+ing 40% are handled by producers li+censed to sell directly to retailers. The board also sells about 5000 dozen `free range' eggs a week. More than 75% of the eggs in SA are packed by producers and marketed by the egg board under the brand name Country Farm. The rest, including free range eggs, are sold direct to retailers by producers. Most Tasmanian eggs, sold as Tasma+nian Country Farm, are sold to retailers by the producers but egg quality control and levy payments are administered by a board. There are only a few free range producers in Tasmania and they market their own eggs. However it is estimated that about 40% of the eggs eaten in the State are from backyard hens so con+sumers still have reasonable access to free range eggs. Not so sonsumers in WA where there is only one free range producer. About 93% of eggs in WA are sold by the egg board under the brand name Golden Egg Farms. The balance is sold at farm gates by approved producers. In Queensland, 75% of eggs are sold through the South Queensland Egg Marketing Board under the brand name Sunny Queen Egg Farms. Others are handled by the Central Queensland Egg Marketing Board and Fresha Products in North Queensland. Fresha Products also markets eggs in the NT where no marketing authority exists. Nor is there one in the ACT; most eggs there are sold by the private com+pany, Parkwood Eggs. More than one-third of the eggs in NSW are sold directly to retailers by produc+ers. Some of these are free range eggs. Free range versus battery? What should come first, the chicken or the egg? Supporters of free range egg production say the chick+en. Central to the free range debate is the welfare of the hens. Supporters of battery production opt for the egg. It is cheaper and more efficient to produce eggs by the battery (or caged) method, and this should be a producer's priority, they claim. What is battery farming? Battery hens are kept in artificially lighted sheds in wire cages with slightly sloped floors so that the eggs will roll into trays. There are usually three or four hens to a cage and they are debeaked to prevent them hurt+ing one another. The definition of free range hens varies but generally the term is used to define hens which aren't caged. Some argue that hens aren't truly free range unless there are only 10 to an acre; others consider 300 hens to an acre still to be free range. If you buy an egg marked free range you can probably expect that the hen that laid it has been able to roam free throughout the day, has had access to weatherproof shelter and has not been subject to artificial lighting. E27 Australian Communication Quarterly 2011 words E27a Australian Communication Quarterly - March 1986 "A speech pathology program for E.S.L. children in a kindergarten" "Programming for E.S.L." Carolyn Hastings, Speech Pathologist. I was pleased to read Christina Gallant's letter about children from bilingual backgrounds presenting with language delay/disorder published in the Australian Communication Quarterly Vol. 1 June 1985. Having worked in Community Health (and more particularly in a community with a high migrant population) for the past few years, I have encountered numerous examples - sometimes a kindergarten full - of children with this problem. Each time I have had a professional dilemma to contend with; one which I have largely had to resolve*resovle myself owing to the lack of research in this area and the lack of guidelines as to what role the speech pathologist has in these cases. On occasions, the referrals have been quite appropriate with the child typically presenting with poor speech and language development in both languages and a history of recurrent upper respiratory tract infections. Audiological assessment indicates middle ear dysfunction which is presumed to be the underlying cause of the delayed speech and language. Other children have had a more diverse developmental delay requiring far more investigation and intervention beyond speech therapy. However, at other times, some kindergartens and primary schools have made or attempted to make bulk referrals of children who for no obvious reason other than an English-deprived environment*enviroment, present with, not surprisingly, poor English skills. Sometimes I have felt that these referrals have been made because the teacher genuinely believes that such problems fall into the realm of speech therapy (and who's to say they don't); at other times it has been a desperate plea for help from a teacher who feels at a loss as to how to cope with these children who are not achieving with the "normal child" kindergarten/school curriculum; while another group seem keen to involve all the resources they can think of; and a final group, unfortunately, can only fit into the mould of "pass the buck". It is noteworthy that the referrals invariably come from the child's teacher and are seldomly instigated by the parents although they generally readily agree to the referral expressing at least some concern about the child's communication skills. How should the speech pathologist respond? The professional role I have evolved in such cases is one of consultant/resource person to the kindergarten and primary school teachers. My rationale for this approach has been: 1. since the child attends kindergarten/school daily, the teacher has much greater access whereas, at best, I could offer a weekly therapy session - the assumption being that greater access means more opportunities to elicit target language behaviors from the child. 2. it is important to maintain the continuity and integrity of the child's kindergarten/classroom program rather than having the child withdrawn for "special lessons" - the assumption being that with limited language skills the child is likely to be more dependent on the ex+periential aspects of kindergarten/classroom activities which would then lose their context and meaning when the child was withdrawn. 3. it is important to maintain the child's own unique identity within the group - an identity which has developed from the child's own characteristics, not from the distinction which may result if the child has "a special friend" who comes to visit, or is frequently absent on "mysterious ventures". 4. supplying the teachers with structured language programs and resource material to expand their skills in assisting the language development of these children reduces my long-term workload and hence is a time and cost efficient exercise - the assumption being that teachers will re-use or modify such material and continue to develop their skills in working with these children without requiring the constant support of a speech pathologist. 5. by incorporating a language program into the regular kindergarten/classroom program, the child has immediate opportunities to ex+periment, practise and modify newly acquired language skills with his/her peers - the assumption being that the child has some awareness of the target language behaviours and can positively gain by conforming to the language skills of his/her peers. It is assumed that the child can learn from the feedback he/she receives from his/her peers. Of course, these arguments may apply to any child presenting with special needs, not only those children from non-English speaking backgrounds presenting with language problems. However, it is the concept of maintaining "normalcy*normalacy" for these children which is so important and which directs me to take this approach. The main criterion for success in using this approach is the co-operation of the teachers involved. The teachers need to be prepared to accept guidelines and suggestions from the speech pathologist; to make necessary modifications to their kindergarten/classroom programs; to regularly devote some individual time to the child, that is to make a deliberate commitment. My experience has been that most teachers are keen to make this commitment, but there are always a few who despite good intentions never quite "get around to it". In terms of the strategies used, I have found a structured language program to be the most successful. The teachers appreciate the defined framework of the program while the children make more rapid gains when the focus is on specific target language behaviours. Generalization of the language behaviours to other contexts is rarely a problem. It would seem that what these children require is a structure in which to learn language; they have already been exposed to the language enrichment/bombardment approach which is used in the majority of kindergartens and prep. grades and have found this to be confusing and overwhelming. Below is a shortened*shortenend form of one of the language programs I have developed for use in a kindergarten with a high proportion of children from non-English speaking backgrounds (including Greek, Arabic, Lebanese, Vietnamese, Chinese, Polish). For this particular kindergarten the issue of which language to work through (English vs. the child's home language) is impractical. With such a mixture of language backgrounds, English as the children's second language is the only common feature. For other cases this issue needs to be considered. There are many questions which remain unanswered, many issues which need to be addressed and much research which needs to be done. Speech pathologists need to be involved in this process, to make an active contribution in establishing our role, if any, in this special area of child language, and more generally in the field of English as a Second Language. PROGRAM FOR ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE CHILDREN AT X KINDERGARTEN 1. Hearing Assessment - all children require a hearing assessment. This can be arranged at ..................... 2. Vocabulary - It is probably best to work within a specific category • plan kinder activities around the category • work intensively for, say, one week per category • build-in a lot of revision to these activities. • keep activities simple so that the children can focus on the language and not on the complexities of the activity itself. • remember that we, as adults, may become bored with an activity but young children can often obtain pleasure, self-confidence and security through constant repetition and a regular routine. Suggested Categories: body parts, animals, food, actions, household utensils, things which move, shops. 3. Language Comprehension - give "staged" instructions Start with 1 stage commands and work your way slowly up to 3 stage commands. Use this order of difficulty as a guide: (1) single commands associated with own body e.g. "Show me your teeth". (2) single commands to act e.g. "Sit down". (3) single commands to identify environmental objects e.g. "Point to the door". (4) single commands associated with other's body e.g. "Touch Peter's hair". (5) single commands to act upon environmental objects e.g. "Pick up the train". (6) multiple commands - 2-3 body parts e.g. "Touch your toes and cover your eyes". (7) multiple commands - 2-3 actions e.g. "Turn around and stamp your feet". (8) multiple commands - 2-3 actions with environmental objects (i) related events e.g. "Pick up the scissors and put them on the table". (ii) unrelated events e.g. "Close the door and get a book". Be careful of your non-verbal cues when giving commands i.e. make sure that your gestures, eye-pointing etc. do not give the child clues as to what you are expecting him/her to do. If the child is unable to carry out a command then demon+strate it for him/her. Re-present the command and have the child perform it. 4. Language Concepts - these are some of the early developmental language concepts - same/different; big/little; many/some/more; round; come/go; up/down; in/out; open/shut; stop/go; slow/fast; day/night; loud/soft; Incorporate these concepts into kinder activities. 5. Language Structures - practise these: (1) "ing" Verbs (2) Prepositions - work on "in, on, under" (3) Determiners/Quantifiers - work on "a, the, this, that, some, lots of/many" Encourage the child to use these words in his/her speech - many ESL children seem to leave them out. (4) Plural `s' (5) Word Order/Sequencing - a child having difficulty with correct word order in a sentence may be helped by repeating back the disordered sentence (with appropriate puzzled facial expressions and gestures) and making a suggestion as to possible correction of the sentence. e.g. Child - "Put box in the bear". Teacher - "Put box in the bear. (confused expression) I can't do that. Do you mean - Put the bear in the box?" Child - nods Teacher - try saying it again - Put the bear in the box". Child - "Put the bear in the box". 6. Reluctant Speakers - Some ESL children lack confidence in their English skills so are reluctant to speak, particularly to an adult. It may eventuate that a child more proficient in English will speak for the reluctant one. This behaviour needs to be carefully monitored because even though the proficient child is providing a good language model for the less proficient child, the latter may come to rely on the other child to act as his/her communicator without ever practising the modelled language structures him/herself. If this situation arises, it is appropriate to acknowledge the proficient speaker's goodwill and seek his/her co-operation in helping the less proficient speaker develop necessary language skills. e.g. Teacher - "It's really good that you are helping Pin with her talking. I like that, but we have to let her try talking by herself. Let her have a try first. If she has trouble then you can help her. Perhaps she can copy what you say. Let's try it". Teacher - Pin, what's this?" Pin - no response; looks at Tam for help. Tam - "A ball. You say it Pin - a ball". Pin - "A ball". Teacher - "That's great". E27b Australian Communicaiton Quarterly - March 1986 <"YOUTHYAK - TEENAGERS WITH LANGUAGE LEARNING DISABILITY" /h> Jonathan Kester L.C.S.T., M.A.A.S.H. Speech Therapist-in-charge Royal Perth (Rehabilitation) Hospital Public Relations Officer W.A. Branch, A.A.S.H. The Public Relations Committee of the W.A. Branch of A.A.S.H. has recently completed its second video programme called "YouthYak - Teenagers with Language Learning Disability" as part of the Branch's contribution to the In+ternational Year of Youth. The main aims of the programme are:- 1. to raise community awareness the existence*existance of language learning disabilities and limited communication skills among teenagers 2. to provide information about the nature of com+munication disorders that arise in the teenage population 3. to offer some strategies that teachers, parents and others can use to enhance the communication skills of the young and 4. to alert the community to the need for parents and care givers to provide varied and stimulating language en+vironments for very young children. The programme runs for 27 minutes and can be used to stimulate discussion and broaden attitudes among teachers, guidance officers, school health nurses and psychologists. Target audiences also include parents and teenagers. The video separated into three sections with short fade-outs provided so that those watching can stop the tape and discuss the contents and implications of each section. "YouthYak - Teenagers with Language Learning Disability" starts by comparing the communication skills of two teenage boys. "Bobby" competently*competantly describes the contents of a "Footrot Flats" strip cartoon. E28 Instyle Hair 2008 words E28a Instyle Hair - September 1986 Salon design Lighting Psychology by Vincent de Lorenzo Lighting a salon has long been the most neglected aspect of salon design. Despite the increasing attention given to furniture colour, fabrics and finishes and the way they set the style and mood of a salon interior, lighting has continued to be dominated by the despotism of a few spot lights or if not that, just main+taining the present lighting with the salon space. Lighting is a technical subject that progresses in tandem with the develop+ment of new kinds of light services. It is important also not to lose sight of the fact that lighting is an art and that to master it properly we need to apply a range of creative skills with taste and discrimination. The psychology The emotional dimension should never be overlooked and lighting is of central importance in establishing mood. Just as sunny days can create a feeling of elation, similarly an attractive indoor salon lighting scheme rich in contrasts and points of interest can have a stimu+lating effect. For example, while shampooing a client at the basin, we need a high level of lighting, but while doing the client's hair we are unlikely to want the same bright lighting as at the basin. Also of interest is the way lighting can affect our appearance and behaviour. By carefully adjusting the lights to control shadows and highlights cast on people's faces, people can actually be made to look more attractive. However, if the lights glow into our eyes or throw deep shadows over faces, the effect will be unsettling; everyone will be put on their guard and the conversation may flag. Not such a good point from the salon owner's viewpoint, when they are promoting more client services in the salon. Important in the lighting design of a salon is the need to create an atmosphere. The way in which we decorate our salons is one of the ways in which we express our personalities. By means of colour, pattern and texture and possessions such as fittings and furniture we make statements about the kind of hairdressers we are and the way we live. Lighting has an important part to play in supporting atmosphere. This is not just a matter of the fittings themselves, although these make a conspicuous impact. Equally significant is really the quality of light they produce. There are various types of possible light fittings for a salon. Lighting hardware In the last ten years or so , the design of light fittings has entered an exciting new phase characterised by innovation and elegance. Fittings can determine the distribution of light by employing the principles of reflection, diffusion or refraction. The shape of the fitting and the materials of which it is constructed also have a crucial effect. Spot lighting During the 60s and 70s there was a general mania for spotlights, which had a lot to do with the appeal of glistening metal and the quest for low budget modernity. This vogue resulted in spots being used in salons in many quite unsuitable positions. Their directional flexibility was insufficiently exploited and the appear+ance often clashed with the style of their surrounds. Today in salons some spot+lights can appear very outdated. But it would be a pity if changing fashions were to kill them off altogether. Provided they are sensitively deployed, spots are an important tool in the art of lighting an interior. For example, they can provide strong contrasts of light and shade that will bring a flat lighting scheme to life. Also, spots are invaluable for your retail display lighting. In relationship to work stations it is recommended that two tracks for spots should be installed one and a half metres from the walls either side of a room to prevent `shadow fall'. Fluorescent tube Fluorescent lights have been available commercially since the end of World War Two. They provide such an efficient way to convert electricity into light that they have become the almost universal method of lighting shops and offices. In an energy conscious era, the fact that a fluorescent tube uses up to five times less electricity than a tungsten bulb to provide the same amount of light would strike one as a compelling attraction. Fluorescent tubes also radiate less heat and have a longer life. In general the main function is that of providing a high overall level of light which on its own creates a flat shadowless effect. The general fluorescent tubes used in a salon should ideally be recessed into the ceiling and have a light diffusing cover. The Philips series 80 Fluorescent Light Strips can provide excellent colour rendering. Downlighters Downlighters are essentially fittings that concentrate all the light output downward into a room. The light takes the shape of a precisely controlled beam whose profile is determined by the size and shape of the fitting, the bulb and the disposition and character of the reflectors. Essentially you should make use of downlighters if you prefer a darker ceiling tone, or in a salon this could be over the lounge and reception areas of a salon or any decorative salon photos. However, one word of caution with the use of downlighters - they can be expensive, expecially if recessed into the ceiling. Duplicating daylight In salons today colour corrective lighting should be employed, especially over the work space where hair colouring is carried out. Today most light manufacturers produce a range of `Daylight Tubed Lighting'. For example, Philips colour 47 duplicates 98 per cent daylight with no warm reflects. This is an excellent colour corrective method of lighting. For white clinical areas Philips colour 37 is recommended. This gives a much warmer atmosphere and duplicates up to 96 per cent daylight. In summary, the following points are critical when considering the nature of lighting a salon. A. Assess the characteristics of your salon space. B. Work out an appropriate lighting strategy - consider task lighting and mood lighting, weighing colour rendering and energy saving requirements. C. Rooms used in daylight generally demand a careful attempt to make the best of available sunlight with pale coloured high reflective finishes on the wall and ceiling. (Semi gloss/gloss finish.) D. Display lighting is especially important for take-home hair care areas. E. Draw a lighting plan over the salon area and mark each fitting type. F. Consult manufacturers' catalogues and price lists for downlighters and spotlights; use manufacturers' beam profiles to work out fittings suitable for particular needs. As a rule fluorescent tubes have a cool efficient feel conducive to work while low level tungsten lighting creates a relaxed atmosphere. Remember: good looking light fittings never compensate for bad lighting. Finally, consider the use of a professional lighting designer. They use a repertoire of tried and tested techniques from which we can all draw lessons to apply to our salons. E28b Instyle Hair - September 1986 FORECAST Teacher retires after 50 years Bill Guy, a teacher at the Flagstaff College in Melbourne, has retired after nearly 50 years in hairdressing. He began his hairdressing career in Devonport, Tasmania in 1937 as an apprentice men's hairdresser with his uncle, and on completion, served in World War 2 with the 1st Australian Naval Bombardment Group, then trained as a ladies' hair+dresser in Melbourne under the Government's rehabilita+tion team. Then he went to work with a leading Melbourne salon, Ross Blain. After a while he moved to the country, buying a salon in Coleraine where he stayed for four years. Back in Melbourne he joined Alan Pass in Little Collins Street with partner Pam Brettel. He joined the MLHA in the fifties and served as vice president and chairman of the industrial sub-committee and also joined the council of the Melbourne Technical College of Hairdressing, now Flagstaff College. In 1969 he started teaching at the college and describes it as one of the best decisions he ever made. In 1975 he was seconded, for six years, to the Industrial Training Commission where the development of a common syllabus was one of his interests. `I'm going to have a Claytons retirement,' Bill says. 'When I can be gain+fully employed by the college, I'll come back as a part-time teacher. The rest of the time I'll spend in my hobby, the garden, on improving my golf, and learning to play bowls. Scissors cut in quick, simple Weston Imports is distributing a range of scissors created specifically to cut modern, up to date styles. They revolutionise pointing, sliding and thinning techniques and reduce time needed for a quicker cut and more economical time usage. The scissors have a range of three cutting blades to achieve desired effects but can also be used as ordinary scissors. The blades, designed by Dieter Keller, create different effects. The scissors, called Jaguar*Jacuar I, II and III, have removable thumb rests and an insert within the handles to overcome any metal sensitivity which some people experience. Weston is also distributing a new drier from Wigo called the Brushblower. It has a special attachment which allows the stylists to pick up the hair, wrap it around the barrel of the drier and hot air blows through the barrel, increasing the rate of styling and drying. Modern praises Oz sales rate Ken Grogan, editor of the prestigious American industry magazine Modern Salon, was impressed with the rate of our salon retail sales following his discussions with a group of visiting Australians. Writing in the May issue of Modern, he said that the average of 30 to 35 per cent retail level of total dollar volume was '...at least three times as good as our (US) percentages.' Talking with hairdressers in the Cortaville Associates tour of America earlier this year, he realised the salon owners did not talk about 'retail' but rather 'take home' products. In an article headed 'Salon take home - a different way of saying retailing', Grogan acknowledged that merely changing terminology would not boost US salon sales from 10 per cent to 35 per cent, but said it placed product sales in a different perspective. Once a salon has convinced itself of the value of selling products in conjunction with its services 'it's much, much easier for the stylist not to sell merchandise to her client, but to suggest she take it home with her,' he wrote. Trichology course More and more demands are being placed on hairdressers to advise and recommend treatment for hair and scalp disorders. TAFE External Studies in Brisbane is now offering an Introduction to Trichology Course. This course has been designed for those persons who wish to study some aspects of trichology before undertaking the comprehensive program that leads to certification as a trichologist. All of the information in this course will relate to an understanding of the complex systems which make up the mobile body, body systems, nutrition, chemistry and physiology of the hair and skin. An average student could expect to spend approximately two to three hours per week studying the course over a normal college year. A further two hours maximum time is required to complete each of the five assignments. However, these are only recommended times and students would be guided by their own study habits, personal commitments and ability. McKewins takes on Scottish videos McKewins has taken over the distribution of the hair+dressing training videos of Alan Stewart from the Rainbow Room. With cash and carry show+rooms in Orange, Canberra, Coffs Harbour and Crows Nest on Sydney's north shore, as well as its major store and head office at Warners Bay in Newcastle, the wholesaler is marketing six videos from Alan Stewart on cutting, colouring and perming. Video was an effective method for salon owners to provide additional training assistance to senior and junior staff, Keith McKewin said. Videos provide intense personal instruction on cutting and styling the newest looks, he said. In the 16 years since he opened his first showroom, Keith has expanded to service all of New South Wales and carries all leading salon products as well as equip+ment for both hair and beauty salons and accessories for beauty salons. E29 BRW 2010 words E29a BRW - October 10, 1986 Employer bickering comes to a head By Pamela Williams Idealogical debate could reconcile the conflicting interests of members of the Business Council When Carlton & United Breweries reached an early truce with unions in the battle over superannuation a few weeks ago, cynics in the industrial relations com+munity pointed out that the company was an influential member of the Business Council of Australia, which had vowed to resist any superannuation deals. CUB chairman John Elliott came in for a lot of flak from other council members. They were embarrassed by the deal, which came in the wake of strident claims by the council's executive direc+tor, Geoff Allen, that the wind had gone out of the unions' super campaign. Elliott and Elders IXL director Ian McLachlan had been talking tough about superannuation and weak management. At the same time other members, par+ticularly the chief executives of ACI and Pacific Dunlop, were taking a lot of heat in the super battle and the perception was that CUB had been very easily roll+ed. The animosity to Elliott was spelled out by some in telexes, although the council took no formal critical position. Soon after, Elliott called for the council to be scrapped as unrepresentative of the business community. Elliott has been critical of the council before and has made it clear he believes a Liberal government should not deal with the organisation. But the pressure on Elliott is an indication of the dilemma facing the council's members: how to resolve the conflict between the business council's policy and public utterances, and the need finally to be answerable to their company boards, whose needs sometimes fly in the face of council policy. As the council presses into the melee of everyday industrial relations, some members are weighing up what is best for their own companies. On the heels of Elliott's calls for the council to be scrap+ped, another member, Colonial Mutual, reacted swiftly to a provocative full-page advertisement placed in newspapers around the country by Geoff Allen. The advertisement, approved by council members at a meeting Colonial Mutual did not attend, was an open letter to ACTU president Simon Crean complain+ing about trade union activity in general, and superannuation in particular. Before the day was out, Colonial Mutual and other council members con+tacted the ACTU and major unions to disassociate themselves from the action. The ACTU phones and telex machines ran hot. Another member from the in+surance industry, National Mutual, also wrote to a large number of unions to restate its neutrality on the superannua+tion question. Colonial Mutual did not send the business council a copy of its telexes to the unions. Geoff Allen is not discomfited by the fuss. "It's a demonstration that the coun+cil is not going to be inhibited by a small minority view," he says. "We take a very tough line on super, but companies can act pragmatically in their own interests. They have to deal with their own par+ticular industrial problems. There is no inconsistency." Colonial Mutual's assistant general manager, Graham Rogers, told BRW he considered the advertisement to have been just an unfortunate accident. "If it were to become a developing view (the anti-union sentiment), we would be in a more difficult position," he says. "If it's aberrant, we can live with it." Rogers will be watching closely any further developments relating to the view ex+pressed last week by Geoff Allen that the attitudes of the New Right had solid ac+ceptance in the business community. Rogers says he is unaware that any such consensus has been formed. "I'd have to say that is the view of an individual," Rogers says. "From our point of view, we as an organisation would be very concerned if the business council was developing an anti-union view. I don't believe that is the case, but we will have to watch things. I think they need to decide where they stand. I think until now the council has been fair+ly pragmatic, and they'll need to weigh up that position. Our company won't be placed in one or the other camp industrially." The superannuation campaign by the unions has created other headaches for council members. The round table en+vironment of the business council exerts considerable peer group pressure on members, which has acted as a disciplinary curb on companies prepared to deal with unions in a more con+ciliatory fashion. They are under pressure to hold out for the good of all, and must be seen to give in to union cam+paigns only after a major battle involving big financial losses. Critics point to this as a face-saving device. Unions point out that the recent agree+ment between Pacific Dunlop and its unions was announced with accompany+ing statistics on the massive $6 million cost the company incurred through in+dustrial action before striking a deal. In fact, there is concern at the ACTU that some companies have privately told unions that they must be seen to take a loss before they can agree to any deals. The council has never divorced its in+terest in industrial relations from its primary interest in the economy, but it has rarely engaged in the nitty-gritty of negotiating wages and conditions on behalf of members, preferring instead to leave the Confederation of Australian Industry to present its submission to na+tional wage cases. But last week's strong stand by Geoff Allen on the question of the New Right is likely put some council members in a difficult position with the unions in their companies. The clash over the New Right in the business community peaked when the chief executive of the Australian Chamber of Manufactures, Brian Powell, slammed what he called the "tru+ly fascist tendencies" of the New Right. Although some suggest that Powell mis+read the mood in his constituency and went too far in his criticism, the outburst brought to a head the bickering in the business and employer camps about whether to identify publicly with the in+dustrial crusaders of the H.R. Nicholls Society. Powell's sentiments were welcomed by the unions, who are watching closely the links between moderate business and radicals such as the Australian Federa+tion of Employers. The federation's presi+dent, Andrew Hay, this week issued a defamation writ against Powell. No sooner had Powell made his comments about fascist tendencies than Geoff Allen took another tack, claiming that many of the H.R. Nicholls Society's ideas have solid acceptance in the business community. Powell has triggered an avalanche of decision-making in the business and employer lobbies. His remarks have helped to crystallise opinion and have brought new meaning to the term "employer disunity". Observers say it is unlikely Allen would have made his remarks without consulting business council members. Allen's comments are an indication that the idealogical debate could recon+cile the conflicting interests of Business Council members. The council has long been a battleground for what one observer describes as "structural clash" - that conflict of sectional interests that has caused the crucial economic brawl in Australia, between the farming, mining and commercial interests who believe they underpin the economy, and the pro+tected industries such as cars, textiles, clothing and footwear and manufactur+ing generally, who are assisted by the Government. In the business council, this battle has been politely played out between the mining and manufacturing interests. It has been a careful balancing act for Geoff Allen, and has been successfully juggled largely as a result of a gentlemen's agreement between members not to push each other too far. Council members are aware of each others' vital areas of interest and they know that each will act for his own com+pany's survival in the final analysis. The need to finally seek a common position in the idealogical debate may iron out some of these differences. As a collection of businessmen, the Business Council has a real advantage in being able to put forward ideas and issues for discussion. Prime Minister Bob Hawke and Treasurer Paul Keating have responded to the high profile of members. Hawke prefers the immediate contact at this level to the need to go through*though the layers of consultation with other employer organisations. Council members are said to be highly susceptible to Hawke, who has always had a fascination with big business and a rapport with chief executives. The Government has sometimes found it easier to convince the council to take a reasonable attitude and then used this as a stick to bring the peak employer organisation, the Confederation of Australian Industry, into line. Geoff Allen says the close links the council has with the Government's ad+visory networks have created some points of tension with the council's original aims. "We are absolutely deter+mined to be taking a long view and a con+sistent forward-looking approach; not to be buffetted by ad hoc responses to crisis," he says. "At the same time, the role thrust on us as activists in immediate debates is constantly threatening to pull the organisation away from longer-term issues." To deal with this, the council works on its long-term policy objectives to provide "a light on the hill" by which to judge short-term policy. Observers have described the council as an elite club for individuals used to getting their own way. Others say it is a paper machine, wasting trees. They pose the question: "What does the business council believe in?" Allen himself is stumped when asked about the council's identity, and says it is a question for observers. Bob Hawke is clearly prepared to deal the council in as half of the employers' camp. The council has capitalised on the relationship with the Government by hiring key operators from the upper echelons of the Treasury as analysts and advisers. But as the council wades deeper into the waters of industrial relations, albeit in response to the flattering invita+tions of the Prime Minister, its ability to make a practical commitment and deliver its members will be increasingly under the microscope. E29b BRW - October 10, 1986 CONFIDENCE CRISIS FOR FBT SLEUTHS By Kenneth Randall The auditor-general's stinging criticism throws doubts on whether the new tax can be administered effectively Introduction of the prescribed payments system in 1983 gave the Of+fice of Taxation its first big new pro+ject in almost a decade. It was a straightforward system, devised and recommended by the tax department, which then proceeded to make a hash of it, according to an efficiency audit by the Auditor-General's Office. Compared with the fringe benefits tax, the prescribed payments system is child's play. Hence the tax office's ability to cope with the fringe benefits legislation has been called into question - publicy by the Opposition and some quarters of business, and privately, but possibly with even greater anxiety, from the Govern+ment side. Now, in addition to the report just published, the Auditor-General's Office is believed to be examining the tax of+fice's handling of profit shifting and pro+visional taxpayers. As an example of the tax office's foul-ups on prescibed payments, its investiga+tion bureaucracy did not follow up tax assessor's advice that a husband and wife in the building industry, identified as having failed to lodge returns, were con+tinuing to take a suspiciously secretive attitude to the tax office. The auditor-general's team looked up the couple in the telephone directory and made some simple checks which showed, among other things, that they were trying to sell a new house for $430,000. They were also directors and sole shareholders of a private company that had lodged returns disclosing a gross income of $1.2 million and nil taxable income over five years. The tax office did, after all, decide to in+vestigate further. But bankruptcy had in+tervened, making it unlikely that further tax would be recovered. The Labor Government has a great deal of its political future riding on a smooth start-up and some early fine tun+ing of the fringe benefits tax. Things have been changing fast at the tax office since the end of the auditor-general's foray. How fast, will become clearer when the House of Representatives stan+ding committee on expenditure begins hearings on the efficiency audit report, probably in February or March. In the meantime, the report leaves the Government with a sizeable presenta+tional problem. E30 Australasian Baking 2036 words E30a Australasian Baking - November/December 1986 Equipment Versatile conveyor system The Capway conveyor system, manu+factured in Holland and widely used by bakers and pastrycooks in the UK, Europe and the US is now available in Australia. The system consists of a wire rod belt (200 to 500 mm wide) and two supporting chains. Belts come in three basic patterns to suit varying products being conveyed and may be custom made to suit any particular problem. It is a system which can be completely integrated with existing or new equipment, from the world's leading manufacturer's of baking equipment. Capway's versatile design carries dough as it proved to the oven. If desired it may be extended as a cooling tower up to 10 tiers high. In the proving tower configuration, dough enters the system at the first level and is gradually conveyed to the top of the tower on the outside edge, then down an equal number of tiers on the inside of the tower, then onto the oven. The time spent in the proving tower may be pre-determined for each batch as required. The drive unit consists of two wheels, of special cost steel, mounted on a shaft driven by a general motor mounted on the shaft or by chain transmission. Stretching of the rod belts are regulated by tensioner on the driven units. Straight and curved conveyor sections are built with two special aluminium side profiles, which may be adjusted to the correct belt width by aluminium rods and on each curve. The belt runs through specially designed plastic nails; this ensures smooth operation. Simplicity of installation and operation is evident, with the tail unit comprising two steel side plates with a fired steel shaft separating them. The steel shaft has two steel pulley wheels with bearings on which the chains run. Unlimited length of run can be achieved by the use of intermediate drive units. The flexibility of Capway allows the use of a single conveyor system which incorporates straight, curved sections which can incline and/or decline without interruption to the movement of the belt and more importantly the product being conveyed. Capway is used worldwide by pastry and cake manufacturers as well as luscant makers and confectioners. Automatic conveyor The AZA bulk handling system, manu+factured in Italy, was originally designed to carry livestock feed, but over the last six years, has been modified so that it may be used in flour mills, bakeries and other human food conveying systems. It is a simple, versatile, automatic system, and flexible enough to convey products as diverse as talcum powder to rice bubbles to 7-10 mm sized pellets. The main elements of the units are a totally enclosed stainless steel tube and stainless steel cable with nylon discs which slowly pull the products through the tubing. The flexible cable can move through 180 deg corners up to 450 m in each system but still does not "deblind" pre-mixed product or cause segregation of particle size. AZA cable systems are commonly used to transfer raw materials from storage silos to the mill area and even dust from cyclones to outside disposal areas. The system is totally enclosed which reduces duct and the risk of contamination, is virtually silent, which makes it attractive from a noise pollution point of view. AZA systems are driven by motors up to a maximum of 2.24 kW (3 hp) which again means low operating costs. AZA does the job automatically, efficiently and effectively at an economical price. Automated Danish and puff pastry production Continuous automated production of Danish or puff pastries is now possible with the Rheon MM system, Greer division. The MM line is also capable of producing puff pastry using low melting-point fats. The heart of the system is the "compound nozzle" of the MM laminator, which prepares the layers of fat and dough. The nozzle continuously co-extrudes a tube of dough with fat on the inner surface. When this hollow tube of dough and fat is spread sideways, a continuous layer of fat and dough of even thickness is formed. This layer is continuously folded before proceeding to the stretching stage which forms the dough, in one operation, into a thin unbroken sheet ranging from 3 to 30 mm in thickness. The stretching operation is performed by the Rheon SM stretcher, a special rolling mechanism which compresses the dough into sheets without the severe friction and localised stresses associated with the conventional double roller system - resulting in the accurate production of puff pastry with perfect layering - without having to retard the dough several times during the manufacturing process, as is the case with the conventional roller of sheeter table systems. After stretching, the continuous stream of dough is automatically made up into individual products by means of a range of optional devices. The MM line will work equally well with a tough pizza dough, a delicate Danish dough, a wet bread dough, a tender pie dough or a fragile puff dough and still surpass hand+made quality. E30b Australasian Baking - November/December 1986 Bread pan care in the bakery By PHIL MARTIN, managing director, Mackies Pty Ltd. Your investment in baking pans is a major one, by the fact that to achieve the desired output, a quantity of pans or pan sets must be purchased. One individual set of pans does not cost a great deal of money, by today's standards. However, multiply by the quantity needed to bake to the oven's capacity, and the monetary numbers change dramatically. Yet in so many bakeries there appears to be an attitude of: "well, we have plenty of these, it doesn't matter if we knock a few around" or "let's take our temper out on the bread pans when there is an oven or mechanical jam up, resulting in a break down, or "let's throw some around because we have plenty more". Go into most bakeries and you can hear the damage happening. So many times have I heard the comments "they don't make bread pans like they used to" or "the material is different, they don't seem to stand up to the temperature like they used to". I can assure you they are as strong as, and stronger than, they used to be, and there are many variations of strengthening accessories, which can be added to, or built in, to suit the potential damage points in the individual bakery, without drastically adding to the weight of the pan set. Let's put the initial pan cost and the damage to one side for a moment. What about the product's shape, what about the function of the baking pan in terms of easy and smooth reliable release, so that cripples are not created at the point of depanning. For each loaf lost is an unretrievable cost. After all, the whole aim in the commercial production of bread is to present a product that is not only good quality and good to eat, but of good appearance in shape and colour with maximum sales appeal. A baking pan is a mould just like a casting mould. The shape of the casting is caused by the mould shape after the pattern has been removed. The same thing happens with baked product. The shape of the pan is determined by the die or tool it is made with. This is, in effect, the pattern which determines the shape and size of the pan. The shape of the pan is the shape of the loaf. If the pans are all mis-shapen and bent from ill-treatment and lack of maintenance, then that is the shape the bread will be. Excercising pan care by regular maintenance can reduce excessive damage and wear. Tighter control and communication with employees involved with pan handling, regular correcting adjustments of conveyors and mechanical equipment all help to keep your investment in the shape they were in at the start. Regular pan maintenance should not be regarded as an additional cost. The better you keep your pans, the better the ongoing results you will enjoy with more uniform and consistent shape. Better shaped product not only has better eye appeal, it gives fewer problems at the bagging machines, it packs into plastic crates and containers more evenly and easily, it looks better at the point of sale. Well kept and clean pans ensure numerous advantages and savings, such as less costly mechanical hiccups - clean pans with a well maintained baking surface use far less energy, which, over 12 months in an average size oven, is mind boggling in cost savings. There are oil savings because well maintained pans release product easily. Frustrations among bakery personnel are significantly reduced when pans are easy to stack and unstack. If you start off with the right pans with the right sort of finish - and what I mean by the right sort of finish - is not whether the pans are made from tinplate or aluminium coated steel (steelumat) rather I am referring to the additional advantage of factory conditioning. Factory conditioning is the term we use as pan manufacturers, which most bakers would refer to as "burning in" or "greening". About 30 years ago, it was the accepted thing for baking pans to be delivered or supplied to the bakery, made from shiny tinplate. The procedure then was to take delivery several days before the pans could be successfully used, and subject them to a burning in process to make them ready to produce an acceptably coloured product. The reflective nature of the new metal surface would not readily absorb heat and transfer it to the loaf crust, and without burning in or conditioning the pans, it was, not impossible, but very difficult to bake a loaf with good crust colour. The burning in process within the bakery was to apply huge amounts of lard, mostly by hand, place the pans in the oven and apply excessive heat in an attempt to actually darken or blacken the pans by burning. With the presence of a fairly liberal amount of tin on the metal surface, because in those days the tin was applied by the hot dip process, (no longer available) and the absence of the insulating effect of the dough piece, the pans in most cases suffered damage which was irreparable. As a result of this continued problem, much experimenting was carried out which resulted in the development of what was to become known as RK47. RK47 a black mineral based coating, was a relatively simple, in principle, invention or discovery*dicovery, which took some modification to cure the problem of smoking odours in the oven. The addition of RK47 to the outside of the baking pans completely cancelled the need to burn in new bread pans. In fact I would say there are many bakers who, because they weren't around in the era of having to burn in baking pans, would automatically accept it as natural as feathers on a chicken, because until recently they have known nothing different. Black RK47 simply absorbs heat quickly and transfers that heat to the dough piece, sealing it quickly to produce a golden colour and reduce the tendency for sticking. At around the same time in the US, a silicone resin release coating was being developed, in combination with an electro+chemical oxidisation process, which was and still is, administered to the outer skin of the tin coating, both on the inside as well as the outside of the pan. This oxidisation procedure causes the outer surface of the tin coating to darken and turn a characteristically deep olive green, the principle of which is also to absorb heat quickly as well as being compatible with the application of silicon panglaze. This process is a permanent colour that, unlike RK47, does not wash off or strip when pans are being cleaned during the stripping and reglaze cycles, so important to the success of panglaze efficiency. Oxidisation of the coated surface or Bake-Rite Colorkote as it is now known in Australia, is a very efficient way of factory conditioning baking pans. It simply means what it says - you Bake-Rite if you Colorkote, and with the combination of silicon non-stick coating, better known as panglaze, many more advantages are within the baker's reach, right from the first use of the pans. E31 New Doctor - 1986 2013 words Doctors as certifiers of incapacity By Ian Webster I could have been in Australia in December 1983 as I watched London's Granada Television. Through inter+views with disabled people, their relatives and their doctors, WORLD IN ACTION examined claims that the UK government was cracking down in invalidity benefits by declaring sick people fit for work. Four years earlier Australia's crackdown had removed 30 thousand in one year from its list! The program showed how the assessments and opinions of GPs, spouses and workmates were widely disparate from the official line. To one supervisor the sug+gestion that his workmate was a malingerer was rejected as rubbish; given half the chance, he would happily employ more men of his mate's calibre. This worker died on his way to yet another of a sequence of DHSS medical examinations. An official of the Miner's union, experienced at fighting appeals for his members, described the legislation as per+nicious; it attacked people unable to defend themselves, and by disallowing the benefit reduced them to abject poverty. The Minister for Health and Social Security denied that decisions were made on financial and not medical grounds to transfer people from the sick list to the dole queue. No, the medical guidelines had not been changed, he said. The problem was the high levels of unemployment and lack of jobs. As this journal pointed out at the time, the Australian events were uncannily similar. The precipitous fall in invalid pensions granted between 1979 and 1982 is shown in fig. 1. The differences with the UK were that the medical guidelines here were shifted subtlely from the con+cept of (social) disability to medical impairments with remarkable compliance of the medical profession. And there was no right of appeal for those disenfranchised from their entitlements by these actions. In Australia the Minister and Social Security officials protested that nothing had changed - but they failed to explain the plummeting number of grants (see fig.1). The profession remained strangely silent. It took a public out+cry from the Australian Council of Social Services, dis+abled persons and some lawyers and doctors, assisted by Graham Williams of the Sydney Morning Herald, before the Government responded. Appeal mechanisms were introduced and the medical guidelines reversed to the previous criteria. The situation is still not good but an improvement, nevertheless. The Handicapped Programs Review (1985) and the Disability Advisory Council of Australia, and many other bodies, want the Invalid Pension reviewed and replaced by other provisions. Although doctors may not realise it, indeed many deny it, their decisions are central to how social policy is implemented. The doctor's statutory and legal capacity to certify incapacity controls access to sickness benefits, workers' compensation, legal damages, invalid pensions, repatriation benefits and pensions, as well as social assistance in housing, education, transport and other areas. All citizens potentially may be affected. Is society justified in en+trusting this area of decision+making to us? What are the questions? When certifying incapacity, say, for work, the doctor is presented with explicit and implicit questions. The explicit questions make proper use of medical skills and often require additional knowledge and skills: whereas the unstated questions potentially subvert the medical role. The medical opinion is used (1) to test the truth of the person's claims, (2) to diagnose the cause, again to test veracity but also to assess severity, (3) to measure the severity of impairment(s), and (4) to describe the disabling and handicapping effects on the person. Some of these are more important to the courts than to the welfare system. For example, in negligence the search for cause and "truth" assumes importance: but even the welfare system takes an interest in such questions if the claimant can be blamed, as with alcoholism. A medical skill? Doctors are pretty good at judging a story and whether it hangs together and fits with a person's current state; that is what we understand to be the art of consultation and diagnosis. Doctors are expected to be open, accepting, indeed gullible, when unravelling a person's predicament and condition (this is known very well by drug addicts). But trust and truthfulness underpin this process; and if confidence is lost, or doubts cast, a medical history becomes valueless. On the other hand, cultivation of a healthy suspicion and respect for facts is essential for astute diagnosis - especially when dealing with confused patients. However, to maintain an ubiquitous state of suspicion would be a stressful way to practice medicine, bordering on paranoia. Under these circumstances, if evidence is required about the onset of a person's injury or illness and its effects on their activities, this could be pro+vided by others better placed than the doctor to do so. In my opinion, it is unreasonable and unfair to cast the doctor as the arbiter of truth, as he/she cannot claim this expertise. The AMA advises that when writing a certificate to attest only to facts which can be observed or validated and recommends that medical history data should be reported as "the patient stated ...", or similar wording. The doctor is expected to make a diagnosis. This is rele+vant in assessing an underlying cause. It also contributes to understanding the nature of incapacity and the severity of disability and handicap. For the disabled person seeking compensation or welfare benefits the effect on their working and daily living activities is the critical issue. Invalid pension legislation defines the threshold for invalidity at "85 per cent incapacity for work": whereas compensation legislation has a range of incapacity levels which may be compen+sated for, as well as lump sums for particular losses. In these circumstances, the severity of incapacity has to be assessed and certified. The decision goes beyond diagnosis to include the effects on human functioning: ability to get about, to work, socialise, be independent and to be economically self-sufficient. The judgement is about who is to be paid money and whether this adequately com+pensates the person for losses (of pain and suffering) or, in the case of welfare benefits, prevents the descent into poverty. Decisions in this domain incorporate the social world, a knowledge of the availability of work and social welfare. Can the doctor tread these health and social boundaries? In medical school the assessment of organ damage and dysfunction is taught: restriction, pain and stiffness of joints, limitation of exercise tolerance and respiratory impairments. These are the first steps to comprehensive assessment of disability and handicap; thus medical prac+titioners have a fundamental contribution to make in the assessment of disability. The recent moves to define and codify disability reflect a concern with the whole person and their social status. Herein lies a real practical expression of trendy "wholistic medicine" which all doctors can adopt. The current moves towards comprehensive assessment and the team approach parallel these developments. Is certifying incapacity a specialist or generalist func+tion? Medical specialisation is oriented to organ systems, new technologies or special need groups, for example, the specialities of cardiology, radiology, paediatrics and geriatrics. The eclectic whole-person approach of the "old time" GP seems more appropriate for disability assess+ment than this. Frankly, some of the decisions made by specialists appear severe and oriented to physical impair+ment and less to actual functioning. The American Review of Respiratory Diseases in 1980 showed that respiratory standards for compensation or social security purposes were extremely severe and inappropriate for patients with interstitial lung disease - to fulfil some of the criteria many patients would be nigh unto death. Specialists see people who are referred in clinical and not community contexts with diseases affect+ing the organ systems of their special expertise. We know that chronic diseases often affect several organ systems. How does one fit together partial deafness from childhood, moderate breathlessness, and some arthritis in a person who has never learnt to read or write? From the medical point of view these judgements require the wisdom and sensitivity of an experienced and broadly educated practitioner. Should there be specialist assessors? A review of invalid pension administration showed that the GP's opinion is likely to be upheld against the full-time Commonwealth Medical Officer's when the decision is contested before an independent tribunal. In addition, part-time CMOs' decisions, often GPs brought in for this purpose, were frequently upheld against the full-time CMO's. A team of assessors? The Woodhouse Report (1974) proposed a radical reform for compensation in Australia. It made a distinction between the medical function of measuring impairment and the administrative function of determining incapacity. Since that time, our understanding of disability has advanced and comprehensive assessment is the favoured approach. It has now a solid place in the philosophy of aged care and in assessing childhood handicaps. To be done well, and it must be if another form of social control of disadvantaged people is not to be imposed, assessment will require extra professional personnel and be time-consuming. If, as many hope, assessment becomes the linchpin of geriatrics, rehabilitation, occupational health, management of alcohol and drug dependence and in certifying incapacity and sickness, it is most unlikely that enough resources will be available. Certifying sickness (temporary incapacity) and the major part of certifying invalidity is likely to remain a primary function of medical practitioners. Added to the resource question is that of medico-legal liability. As welfare and patients rights movements strengthen, legal contest over decisions of this kind will increase. New South Wales doctors now pay upwards of $900 per year for medical liability insurance to cope with rising litigation; other professions may not be so willing to accept these costs. Assessment of needs versus eligibility criteria An important issue raised by the increasing use of assess+ment teams is that needs assessment will become directly linked to deciding whether a person is elibible for govern+ment assistance or access to government-funded facilities. In the past society has taken steps to separate medical and administrative functions. It is the judge and jury which decide the extent of damages on hearing the medical evidence in the courts. In occupational medicine, in assessing persons for insurance and pensions, this separa+tion has been strict, especially excluding the treating doctor from the eligibility process. This does not gainsay the value of the treating doctor's opinion and perspective! Ethics In medical ethics the primacy of the patient's needs runs counter to the imposed role of the doctor as a gatekeeper to the welfare system. Set against this the wider interests of the community and accountability. In addition there is the conflicting loyalty to the employing authority and to the claimant citizen. It is critical that the medical judge+ment should be independent - the true stance of a professional. I think the conflict of loyalties can only be reconciled by separating needs assessment and responsibility for care from deciding eligibility for government or third party provision. I have no doubt they should be linked but independent decisions. For example, needs assessment should be done first and its results fed into the eligibility process, the final decisions for which should not be medical. Conclusion I once said to a professor of law that a medical practitioner should be an advocate. He disagreed. He viewed medical practitioners as independent, unbiased arbiters of health, sickness and need. His concept of a legal advocate did not gel with my idea. The legal advocate presents his client's case persuasively to get the best deal for him: a contest according to the rules of law. The doctor, however, needs only to be honest to act as an advocate for individuals or communities. There is so much injustice in the social system, of the kind I have described above, that to be fair is to be an advocate! Is this the scenario fanciful? To be realistic, medical concep+tions will need to reflect concerns with social justice and welfare if medicine is to contribute in ways I have propos+ed. Of the purpose of medicine, Theodore Fox, a distinguished editor of the Lancet, said: "Our purpose is to enlarge human freedom to set people free so far as we can from disability and suffering. Although these ideas struggle for a place in contem+porary medicine - they are not foreign. E32 Australian Accountant 2008 words E32a Australian Accountant - November 1986 Freedom of information: obtaining information from the Commmissioner*Commissioner By Chris Butler Traditionally, information interaction between the Commissioner of Taxation and the taxpayer has been kept to a bare minimum. Rarely has either party been willing to provide information to the other, prior to a judicial confrontation. However, in recent history, the tax+payer has been given significant conses+sions in obtaining information from the Commissioner. Information can generally be obtained from the Commissioner by way of the following legislation: • Income Tax Assessment Act (1936) as amended. • Administrative Decisions (Judicial Re+view) Act 1977. • Freedom of Information Act 1982. The Income Tax Assessment Act con+tains various provisions for dealing with the Commissioner, most notably in the areas of secrecy, assessment and objec+tion procedures. However, the major concessions have been provided by the Administrative Decisions (Judicial Re+view) Act and the Freedom of Informa+tion Act concerning the Commissioner's application of the Income Tax Assess+ment Act and regulations. To some degree the Commissioner has participated in this spirit of co-operation by way of publishing Income Tax Rulings on specific topics. While these state+ments are useful in determining broad attitudes and policies, the major benefits of gaining additional information occur in direct contests between taxpay+ers and the taxation Office. This issue is of growing importance in view of the ever increasing number of tax audits. The Income Tax Assessment Act (ITAA) Secrecy Employees of the Commonwealth or a State who acquire information about the affairs of taxpayers are required to main+tain confidentiality (s16). The officer may only disclose such information in the performance of his or her duties or if authorised by a Taxation Commissioner to communicate informa+tion to authorised recipients such as a Royal Commission. Similarly, disclosure to a court is only possible when it is necessary to carry into effect provisions of the ITAA or a State income tax law. The penalty for contravention of these sec+recy provisions is $5,000 and/or 12 months imprisonment. Assessments The provision by the Commissioner of income tax assessments represents the most vital information (ie - income tax assessed) that a taxpayer will receive. It is the additional descriptions and expla+nation for adjustments to income as returned which cause the most signifi+cant problems. A taxpayer has limited rights to force the Commissioner to make an assess+ment of income tax. If an assessment does not issue within 12 months of lodge+ment then a request to make the assess+ment may be made. However, there is no statutory right to insist on the making of an assessment. Similarly, when an amended assess+ment issues at the Commissioner's initia+tion (ie - not resulting from a tax-payer's objection eg - a tax audit) the Commis+sioner is under no obligation to provide an adjustment sheet disclosing the basis on which taxable income is varied (Lan+cey Shipping Co). This is so even where the amended assessment decreases net taxable in+come but includes disallowances of items which a taxpayer may wish to object against. Objections The taxpayer has more power to obtain information when an objection is lodged within 60 days of the date of an assess+ment or amended assessment. Although no time limit applies in making his deci+sion a written notice of the Commission+er's decision must be served on the tax+payer. Additionally, an explanation of any adjustments made in an amended assess+ment is essential. (Trautwein's case). Accordingly, because of secrecy re+quirements imposed on government offi+cials and the limited rights available in relation to assessments and objections, the Income Tax Assessment Act, al+though providing basic fundamental in+formation, has only limited capacity to produce more detailed informaton for taxpayers upon request. The Administrative Decisions (Judicial Review) Act (ADJR) Generally, the ADJR Act may be invoked when a decision of an administrative nature is made under a Commonwealth enactment. However, some forms of deci+sions are expressly excluded from re+view. The major exclusion can be sum+marised as being a decision referable to any assessment or calculation of tax concerning income tax or sales tax. This exclusion is supported in cases where decisions were found not to be reviewa+ble in relation to: the refusal to give rea+sons for disallowing an objection that was initially withdrawn by the taxpayer (Higgs v FCT); and the refusal of the Commissioner to refer a decision to a Board in the absence of a request from the taxpayer to refer the decision (Rac+cuia & Anon v DFCT). Applications to review administrative decisions are made under the ADJR Act to the Federal Court for order of review. Applications must be made within 28 days from the time of notification of the decision and the cost of the review is at least $1,000. The major grounds for review include denial of natural justice, lack of jurisdic+tion, improper exercise of power, error of law involved, decision affected by fraud, irrelevant consideration or an exercise of discretionary power in bad faith. Successful applications under the ADJR Act have included cases involving the refusal to grant a sales tax exemption certificate (Bayford Wholesalers P/L); additional time for making a sufficient distribution (Intervest Corporation P/L); extension of withholding tax exemption (Mercantile Credits Ltd); extension of time to pay tax (Ahern v DFCT); decision to institute recovery proceedings (The Hells Angels Ltd (No 4), Terruk P/L, Manners); notice to person owing money to taxpayer (Huston v DFCT); the time constraints of notice requiring informa+tion (Clarke & Kahn); and the refusal to grant extension to a tax agent under the standard lodgement program (Balnaves v DFCT). Accordingly, the Commissioner's exer+cise of discretion may be reviewed under the ADJR Act in many instances with the notable exceptions of decisions referable to assessments or calculation of tax. Other discretions which may well be open to challenge are the grant of a sub+stituted accounting period, the remission of additional tax for late payment and the satisfying of the Commissioner that a taxpayer's permanent or usual place of abode is outside Australia. It can therefore be seen that the ADJR Act substantially expands the provisions of the ITAA in obtaining information. For example, the limited requirements to provide a notice of decision of objection under the ITAA are expanded by the ADJR so that the Commissioner is obliged to explain any adjustments. The Freedom of Information Act (FOI) The FOI Act provides a statutory right of access to Commonwealth Government documents to every person. No special interest needs to be demonstrated in order to access the documents. Clearly, this provides a powerful tool to the tax+payer to obtain information from the Commissioner. Requests for documents must be in writing and be sufficiently detailed to enable identification of the document. A request must be responded to within 45 days for requests before 1 December 1986 and within 30 days for requests thereafter. However, certain documents are not discoverable under the FOI Act. These include documents pre-dating 1 Decem+ber 1977 unless they relate to the appli+cant's personal affairs or are reasonably necessary to enable a proper under+standing of other documents discovered by the applicant. Exempt documents also include cabi+net documents, internal working docu+ments, national security, protection of public safety, confidential documents and documents to which security provi+sions of other laws apply (eg - s16 of the ITAA). However, where access to docu+ments is denied, a review of that decision is available through various avenues. An initial application can be made under the FOI Act to the principal officer of the relevant department within 28 days of receiving notice of the decision. The result of the officer's decision is required within 14 days of the applica+tion. A further request for review by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) can then be lodged within 60 days of the subsequent refusal by the principal offic+er. The ADJR Act then allows further appeal to the Federal Court within 28 days of the AAT's decision. In addition to this review procedure, the Common+wealth Ombudsman can investigate and report on complaints and make recom+mendations to the relevant authorities. The decision in Murtagh v FCT pro+vides an interesting insight into the pow+ers afforded to the taxpayer under the FOI Act. The taxpayer sought access to copies of all records relating to the assessment of her returns for three years. Access was denied by the Commissioner who claimed the information was con+tained in internal working documents and therefore exempt. Arguments were raised by the Commissioner that the denial of access was to protect its offic+ers; promote the candid consideration of alternatives; protect the public from premature exposure to discussions be+fore the settlement of policies; and pro+tect decision makers to continue to make uninhibited recommendations. In what proved to be a major victory to the taxpayer it was held that the assess+ments were routine in nature not contain+ing any element of special sensitivity. It was accepted that the ITAA and Regula+tions make little provision for informing taxpayers of the reasons and evidence used in making assessments. It was con+sidered highly undesirable for negotia+tion purposes for the Taxation Office and the taxpayer to deal in a `mutual half+light'. It was considered that the granting of documents which disclose the factual basis on which the Taxation Office has proceeded would advance the process of resolving disputes. There are further victories for the tax+payer in obtaining information under the FOI Act to which the Commissioner had denied access. The unsuccessful grounds for denial include legal profession privi+lege, breach of confidence, prejudicing the enforcement or proper administra+tion of the law and the proper and effi+cient conduct of the operations of a government department. Conclusion With the introduction of recent statutes the taxpayer is now in a much stronger position to obtain information from the Commissioner. This should substantially aid the negotiation procedures between the taxpayer and the Commissioner and hopefully produce a more productive network for mediation. In addition, reference should be made to the removal of the jurisdiction of the Boards of Review to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT). This will have an important bearing on the ability of tax+payers to secure additional information as the AAT operates under recognised rules of court which include the power of discovery of documents. E32b Australian Accountant - November 1986 Building Societies changing their act By David Macoboy Financial de-regulation has created new pressures and new opportuni+ties for finance professionals every+where - but nowhere so decisively as in building societies. Building societies as we know them are an endangered species. Within five years, some may still survive in name, but they will bear little resemblance to the placid creatures that grew and bred so pro+fusely in the lavish pasture of financial regulation. Nobody will feel that change so acutely as the building society executive. It will involve not just a change in attitudes and philosophies, but honing up a whole range of previously under-used skills in risk management and marketing. The opportunities it creates are every bit as great as the pressures. To explain why the change is so dra+matic, we need to look at the environ+ment in which building societies grew. After World War II there was a chronic shortage of housing finance - indeed, there was sustained demand right through the 1950s, 60s and even much of the 70s. In raising housing finance, the building societies then had a clear legis+lative advantage. The savings banks were limited to offering 3 1/4 per cent interest on savings, but the societies were under no such constraints; they could, and did, offer up to three times that rate. The money poured in - and there was ample demand for housing finance. For the building societies these were halcyon days. In this environment a distinctive man+agement philosophy developed that still owed much to the co-operative nature of societies. There was little need for mar+keting, only modest need for risk man+agement. It was a single-product busi+ness - savings came in one door and loans went out the other. All that was needed was to contain administration costs. This philosophy lingers today in some societies. It is an inward-looking view, concerned largely with simple internal efficiency. Yet, for building societies, the world was turned upside down in 1982 when savings bank interest rates were de+regulated. Suddenly the societies had lit+tle advantage in attracting savings. E33 Australian Teacher 2017 words E33a Australian Teacher - November 1986 Keep the kids in the country By Barbara Preston The controversy over the fringe benefits tax has flushed out another form of public funding of private schools. This time it's the full accom+modation for boarding school housemasters and housemis+tresses which has in the past been tax free. That means that the board+ing schools often get away with paying the live-in supervisory staff low wages, then providing free board worth from about $10,000 for basic accommoda+tion and meals. That is an annual subsidy by the public of about $14,000, $10,000 or $5,000 per staff member, depending on their marginal tax rate and the value of their board. Principals and other senior staff with quality accommodation and high salar+ies would of course be subsi+dised by well over $14,000 a year. That means boarding fees are much lower than they would otherwise be - they are subsidised by the public through taxation expenditure. The most wealthy private schools appear to be lobbying strongly for this particular form of state aid to continue, and the media have treated their plight sympathetically. The National Times on Sunday, under the heading, "The pain, pities and potty pettiness of the new `perks' tax", quoted the bursar at Shore (one of Sydney's `Great Public School' private schools) estimating that FBT will cost the school between $60,000 and $70,000 on house masters' accommodation alone (plus more for fee discounts for the children of staff, free meals, etc.). Xavier College in Melbourne has also taken its complaints to the press. The Sun (28/10/86) quoted Xavier's finance manager estimating a cost of $25,000 a year for accommoda+tion for supervisory staff. The National Council of In+dependent Schools, according to The Sun, said the `parents who sent their children to boarding schools would be in+nocent victims of the federal government's fringe benefits tax'. Perhaps it's really the rest of the community who have been innocent victims - not realis+ing that their taxes have been subsidising the fees of those who send their offspring to board at schools like Shore and Xavier as well as providing the better known forms of state aid. It's a price for private board+ing schools that we should thank the federal government the community no longer has to pay. Rural communities already pay far too heavy a price for the deserting of their local schools by the children of the wealthy. When the farmers and graziers, professionals and bus+iness people in the country send their children away to boarding schools their actions have an impact on both the lo+cal economy and on the educa+tion of those who continue to attend local schools. If more children attend local country schools then more teachers, cleaners, clerical and ancillary staff could be em+ployed. There would be more money locally for buildings and maintenance. The money spent on wages and capital works would be largely ploughed back into the local economy. Schools pay a vital part in rural econo+mies, especially providing sta+bility in times of rural recession. Fewer children staying in the area to attend secondary schooling often means a lack of sufficient numbers for viable schools in the smaller towns. As it is often those with the highest academic aspirations who are sent away to boarding school the local school does not have a representative mix of students, but has the more aca+demic creamed off, and may have difficulty maintaining a viable years 11 and 12 pro+gram. Educationally it's a bit of a vicious circle - the graziers et al send their children away, then the local schools are thought not to provide a full quality education, then others feel pressure to send their chil+dren away, compounding the problem when they succumb. The contrast between different areas, otherwise similar, but with different traditions of sending children away or hav+ing them attend local schools can be striking. In the latter there is usually a vitality and strength of local schooling, playing a major role in local economic and cultural life, and in the social integration of the community. By sending their children away from the local area the higher income rural families are depriving the communi+ties, on which they them+selves depend, of economic, cultural and educational input and stability. Perhaps it's time for a `keep the kids in the country' cam+paign ... E33b Australian Teacher - November 1986 Getting information about the Third World The Ideas Centre-Resource Centre for International Co+operation is the largest centre of its kind in Australia. It has easy access, well catalogued informa+tion on development and all Third World countries. It looks behind the media image of the Third World - countries where one disaster seems to happen after another - to give a back+ground to current political, social and economic events in those countries. It examines the causes of poverty and not just the symptoms. The centre consists of a large reference library, which is open to the public 9-5 Monday to Fri+day, with a special extension on Wednesday to 7 pm. Many hundreds of secondary and ter+tiary students, teachers, and lec+turers and others use the centre each year. School groups can make a booking to come in and work on assignments and hear talks. The Centre also does a lot by mail, for people who cannot use the library in person. It has three mail services: the Ideas Bulletin, a sales centre and an ad hoc information service. The bulletin comes out ten times per year. It produces the catalogue of journal articles held at the Centre. The Ideas Centre has a large journal collection - about 200 periodicals from all around the world. This means the information is constantly be+ing updated. The best articles are catalogued under topic and country headings, in the form of ten line summaries. These make up each issue of the bulletin and subscribers can order copies of the whole article if they have an area of special interest. There is a photocopying request form at the back of each issue; the charge is 12c per page plus postage. Teachers find this a very useful service. The sales centre provides at reasonable cost a whole variety of fact sheets, country over+views, occasional papers and other publications which are not readily available in other book+shops. Some of these are produced by aid agencies in Australia; others are brought in from overseas. All of them pro+vide current and reliable infor+mation in a non-academic style. Teachers can order publications from the sales list by mail or phone, and the school can pay on an invoice. The information service is particularly useful for teachers, whose needs may not be met entirely by the sales centre pub+lications. They can ring or write for information on any develop+ment topic or Third World coun+try. Ideas Centre staff photoco+py articles from the library files and post it out for 12c page plus postage. As they keep the cataloguing up to date they know of the best recent articles on each subject. Teachers and students of ge+ography, history, economics, so+cial studies, Asian studies, home science, agriculture and gener+al studies all find useful resource material at the ideas centre. We hope you will find us useful as well! E33c Australian Teacher - November 1986 Wage increases will not be handed to us on a platter By Graham Marshall Bill Kelty argued in the weeks leading up to the ACTU Special Unions Conference that the union movement had three options on wages. One, go for full wage indexation in the next national wage case in the knowledge that a discounted two per cent increase would be the inevitable result and that the centralised wage fix+ation system would then collapse. Two, go outside the centralised wage fixation system and try to get increases in the market. Or three, go for a new system which would give protection to low income earners through the centralised system but allow greater flexibility for unions to get further increases above the fixed general increase. This third option, or the two-tier op+tion as it has come to be known, was cer+tainly Bill Kelty's preference and it was clearly accepted by the ACTU Special Unions Conference as the best means of maximising the wage outcomes in the present economic and political environ+ment. It was not an option which was sup+ported by the ATF and a number of other public sector unions. For us there was too much uncertainty about the se+cond tier. It is clear that the second tier is designed primarily as a safety valve mechanism to allow the industrially strong unions in the private sector to get additional wage increases to those hand+ed down in national wage cases. But now that the ACTU has made its decision, we will have to look at various ways teachers might be able to get wage increases in the second tier. We must remember here that the ACTU decision simply deter+mines what it will propose to the Commonwealth Conciliation and Arbitration Commission at the next national wage case. What the Commission actually decides might be quite another matter. For this reason the ATF Executive decided prior to the Special Unions Con+ference ... `that if the majority of unions agree to the two tier proposal as the most viable option which retains some measure of centralised wage fix+ation, then the ATF reserves its final position on the two tier proposal until such time as the Commission brings down its decision with the details of the increases to be awarded, the timing of such in+creases and the principles that would be attached to the operations of the second tier'. If teachers are to have any chance of getting second tier wage increases, these increases must be made possible by the principles adopted by the Commission. The decision of the Special Unions Conference means that the ACTU will argue for an expansion of the current principles covering additional wage in+creases (additional to those increases which everyone gets) so that many more unions will have an opportunity to get these increases on an industry by indus+try or award by award basis. If the Commission decides to adopt expanded principles which will make it possible for teacher unions to mount cases for salary increases on the basis of increased work value, wage compara+bility and/or restructure and reclassifi+cation, then clearly the ATF will be more inclined to support the new wage fixation system. Because the Special Unions Confer+ence decided to hold a further ACTU Special Unions Conference after the national wage decision case is handed down, the ATF and all other ACTU af+filiated unions will have another oppor+tunity to collectively decide whether we want to stick with the two tier system or not. But whatever further decisions lie down the track, it is clear that teacher unions around Australia are going to have to start gearing up for industrial campaigns on salaries and salary relat+ed issues if we want to maintain teachers' living standards. The best possible decisions of the Commission will simply provide us with an opportunity to get wage increases. They won't actually give us these wage increases. To achieve this we will need to suc+ceed with particular claims for second tier wage increases. And we can be cer+tain that these wage increases will not simply be handed to us on a platter. Whether we decide to campaign on reclassification (which is becoming a significant issue around the country with increasing numbers of teachers stuck at the top of the automatic salary scales) or some other issue, it will re+quire a concerted and nationally co+ordinated industrial campaign to have the best chance of success. E33d Australian Teacher - November 1986 Deregulation: the tough get going In 1903, seventeen independent owners published twenty-one capital city dailies. By 1982, the number of newspapers had dropped to seventeen, and the number of owners to three. This massive concentration of ownership of the press has also happened in radio, television and, most recently, satellite. The `Big Four' - Herald and Weekly Times, Consolidated Press, News Corporation, and John Fairfax, continue to expand and consolidate their powerful empires - and the government has done nothing to stop them. What this means for us all, as media-consumers, is critical. Liz Fell, a keen and critical watcher of the Big Four's maneouvres, looks at some of the issues. E34 Engineers Australia - June 13, 1986 2008 words Highway one RMIT helps give computer chips a better memory The Royal Melbourne Institute of Tech+nology has joined a project to revolutionise computer memories by producing com+mercial high-speed, non-volatile memory devices for computer chips. The project is based on a technology called Rampac which uses a thin film of the ferroelectric material potassium nitrate to store information on standard silicon or gallium arsenide chips. Rampac was developed by Ramtron Corp, a US subsidiary of the Sydney technology-transfer company Newtech Development Corp. Ramtron staff worked with engineers at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs to prove the technology on a laboratory scale. Newtech is now setting up a company in Victoria to manufacture the memory devices which are known by the acronym FRAM (ferroelectric random access memory). The company will be strictly a manufacturer, and all further R&D and testing will be carried out by 2 groups at RMIT - the Microelectronics Technology Centre and the Centre for Industrial Microelectronics Applications. MTC director Dr Jim Williams said RMIT is still negotiating a contract with Newtech but the 2 groups are likely to earn $1-2 million for contract R&D and design assistance. Total investment in the project over the first 2 years will be about $25 million. Rampac represents a major break+through in the search for memory chips that do not lose their stored information when power supply is cut off. This charac+teristic, known as non-volatility, is cur+rently available only from slow and rela+tively expensive magnetic bubble and PROM (programmable read-only memory) devices. These take milliseconds or micro+seconds to store 1 bit of information. FRAM, by contrast, takes about 15ns. Williams said the lack of high-speed, non-volatile memories is what has pre+vented widespread use of chips in environ+ments where continuous power supply is not guaranteed - for example in condition-monitoring systems in cars. Successful development of FRAM would solve that problem and put Australia in a leading position in the non-volatile RAM market, which he estimates will be worth about $16 billion by 1990. The feasibility of Rampac technology was first demonstrated by George Rohrer, an engineer in the US doing research on ferroelectric materials, which can be switched between 2 polarised states by voltages passing through them. Ferro+electric materials remain polarised even when power is cut off. Most of these materials lose their ferro+electric properties when they are reduced to thin films. But Rohrer found that potas+sium nitrate, which normally is ferro+electric only at high temperatures, also has a ferroelectric phase in thin-film form at room temperature. Equally exciting was his discovery that KNO#;3 can be switched between states of polarisation by an input of less than 5V, much less than is required for other ferro+electric materials. And when the film is partitioned into tiny cells, each cell can be polarised individually - the basic principle of microprocessor memory cells. Rohrer was negotiating to sell the rights to his technology to General Motors when Ross Lyndon-James, executive chairman of Newtech, stepped in and bought them instead. Newtech set up Ramtron Corp in the US rather than Australia because of doubts about Australia's capacity to develop such an important and sophis+ticated technology. However, now that several technical milestones have been reached, including production of a proto+type 1kb memory array for General Motors, Newtech and its backers feel confident enough to bring the technology to Australia. The new factory will initially make memory devices and put them on conven+tional silicon or gallium arsenide chips made in the US. It is expected to turn out about 10,000 chips/week after 2 years. A longer-term goal is to manufacture the entire chip assemblies in Australia. Williams said State Government incen+tives and proximity to RMIT were the reasons for the new factory being located in Victoria. "RMIT has a unique combination of the facilities and capabilities needed, both for chip design and for depositing and characterising thin films," he said. RMIT's involvement will include design of the chips to be made overseas, materials testing and assessment, testing the initial memory arrays and general troubleshooting. QEC helps repair damage from cyclone The Queensland Electricity Commis+sion is providing the Solomon Islands Electricity Authority with powerline steel structures to repair damage caused by cyclone Namu. After receiving a request for assistance from the Solomon Islands, the QEC found it had 2 suitable steel structures for a construction project that could be sup+plied to the Solomon Islands without affecting the local completion date. The cyclone brought down a 33,000V transmission line that supplied a rice mill, major sawmills and a large residential area. The steel structures are needed for a river crossing where an island was washed away and a new powerline span of 700m is needed. The QEC is also supplying the services of a surveyor to supervise the construction work. Third Aussat launch date up in the air The launch date of Aussat 3 may be delayed by up to 6 months following the failure of the recent Ariane mission. The Ariane rocket and its satellite payload had to be blown up by mission control in French Guyana when the third stage of the rocket failed to ignite. A committee of investigation will be set up by Arianespace by the end of this month. The third Aussat satellite was due to be launched on Aug 12. Aussat spokesman Leighton Farrell said a delay of up to 6 months will not worry the company which, however, is still confident Aussat 3 will be deployed by the end of this year. The other 2 Aussat satellites were deployed by the US Space Shuttle program. The decision to launch the third satellite with Arianespace was made before the Challenger disaster in January. Farrell said it is not yet clear what implications the Ariane disaster will have for satellite operators trying to obtain insurance. Professional virtue Engineers are considered to be more honest and ethical than many other pro+fessionals including accountants and lawyers and they also rate higher than both state and federal members of parlia+ment, according to a Morgan Gallup Poll survey of professional virtue contained in a recent issue of The Bulletin. 56% of the people interviewed for the poll thought engineers had high standards of ethics and honesty. Above engineers in the poll came dentists, the top scorer with 63%, doctors, bank managers and school teachers. Police were on the same level as engineers. The 2 lowest scorers were union leaders with 5% and car salesmen with 3%. Test drilling for proposed harbor tunnel Test drilling of Sydney Harbor's floor began this month to establish the best route for a road tunnel proposed as a second harbor crossing. The drilling, being carried out by Coffey & Partners, is only one facet of a $2 million feasibility study for the project. The Transfield Pty Ltd/Kumagai Gumi joint venture proposing the $350 million tunnel has also engaged the services of other consulting engineers including: • Gutteridge Haskins & Davey Pty Ltd, Maunsell & Partners Pty Ltd and Parsons Brinckerhoff of the US as a consortium to design the tunnel's mechanical, electrical, ventilation, control, hydraulic and fire control facilities • Macdonald Wagner Pty Ltd, assisted by Freeman Fox & Partners of Hong Kong, to design the immersed-tube tunnel section • John Connell-Mott Hay & Anderson to design the land tunnels. GHD is also carrying out land survey and traffic studies for the joint venture. All the groups working on the project are being co-ordinated by Wargon Chapman Partners Pty Ltd, the design manager. The NSW Government has ap+pointed Pak-Poy & Kneebone Pty Ltd to advise it on the engineering aspects of the project. Lee Gibbon, formerly of Transfield's Queensland office, is project manager. He has worked on the recently completed Gateway Bridge in Brisbane, 2 other major bridges across the Brisbane River and on a 11 km, 880mm-diameter sub+marine pipeline under Spencer Gulf. The joint venture is to complete the feasibility study and report to the State Government by the end of this year. Painting inspired 'city of tents' concept A travelling exhibition described as a journey through time and space will hit the road in Australia for the full year in 1988. Designed to entertain, delight, celebrate and enjoy, it is an exhibition that will be about attitudes, values, perceptions, myths and dreams. The Australian Bicentennial Exhibition will start in Albury/Wodonga on Jan 1 1988. It will travel 30,000 km throughout Australia visiting 34 towns and cities in all states and territories. Exhibits will include hands-on elements such as computers, interactive games and computer-activated audiovisuals. The exhibition will be transported by a convoy of 20 pantechnicons pulled by prime movers. At each location 6 pairs of pantechnicons will form display modules concentrating on different themes. Each module will comprise 2 pantechnicons linked by color+ful fabric structures. There will be about 250m2 of exhibition space in each module. The dominating feature of the exhibition is expected to be a 25m-high, 600-seat Bicentennial theatre. Other structures will include a specially designed sound shell. The structure of the exhibition was designed by architect Daryl Jackson. His concept was selected as the result of a competition conducted by the Australian Bicentennial Autho+rity in 1983. Jackson said: "My ideas for the design were inspired in part by a Eugene von Guerard painting depicting Ballarat as the tent city it was in the 1850s." The computer-aided design work for the exhibition's "city of tents" recently won a prestigious award in the US against 40 finalists from 5 countries. The Best CAD Application Award was made to Computer Plot Australia Pty Ltd of Mel+bourne. It is the highest award made each year at the annual conference of the Inter+graph International Graphics Users' Group. Jackson used Computer Plot's Inter+graph 780 CAD system as a design tool to refine his original concept and to produce a series of line drawings and colored photographs displaying transparency and shadow. Once he formed the idea for the "city of tents" the structural details were added by engineer John Connell & Associates. After this the drawings went to Computer Plot which generated 3D full-color models on its CAD system. The models can be rotated and expanded and internal as well as external views can be displayed. Computer Plot used the Intergraph sculptured surface modelling and RSURF software packages in this work. The contract for 25 prime movers has been awarded to Kenworth Trucks, while the order for the pantechnicons is expected to be announced soon by the exhibition's project manager, the Federal Department of Housing and Construction. The Federal Government is providing $19 million for the project and BHP is providing a further $6 million. Other funds will be raised through the activities of a bookshop, exhibition shop and food services. Bureacratic red tape smothers development Community concerns about many major engineering developments in the past have been largely responsible for the complex review procedures of government agen+cies which now must be satisfied before development proposals can proceed. Engineers accept that the environ+ment must be protected and that the community should be consul+ted about planned projects. But the approval procedures cause so many uncertainties and delays, says John Hannan, that developers can lose confidence and seek opportunities elsewhere. Hannan, who is manager, plan+ning and environment, of the NSW Coal Association, says in the Perspective article beginning on page 42 of this issue of Engineers Australia that the commendable aim of protecting the environment seems to have become lost in a plethora of bureacratic proce+dures. RMIT to stay with Rockwell The Council of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology has rejected a move to end RMIT's association with a fellowship scheme run by the US arms manufacturer Rockwell International. At its May meeting the Council voted not to accept a recommendation from the academic board that the Institute sever its links with Rockwell which each year gives 2 RMIT engineering graduates the chance to work in the US for 12 months. The academic board's recommendation resulted from a motion put by Andrew Dodd, president of the Student's Repre+sentative Council, who said RMIT should not be the recruitment ground for a nuclear weapons manufacturer. E35 Architecture Australia 2176 words E35a Architecture Australia - September 1986 Roleystone District High School The Building Management Authority of WA The site chosen for the school is typical of the hills suburb of Roleystone. It is steeply sloping, heavily wooded, and composed entirely of lateritic rock. The planning of the school is based on the idea of a small town or village, with the main street being curved to follow the site contour. This enables better access to each building, with a minimum of stairways and ramping. At this early stage there are gaps in the street frontage, but as the school is developed, buildings will appear on the `vacant lots'. The focal point of the planning is the library forecourt and this space serves also as the stage for the amphitheatre which has been formed in the slope of the hillside, to the north of the library. The roof of the amphitheatre (it is also the lunch shed) is formed of structural steel, covered in corrugated zincalume with patent glazing skylights, the whole forming a sort of half buried gazebo. All buildings are structural steel framed, with brick and glass cladding, the roofing also being steel framed except for verandah rafters. Eaves and barge details for the steel framed sections were designed using commercially available zed purlins and cold formed channels. The system enabled rapid erection and finishing off, the building contract being completed two weeks ahead of schedule. Limited water supply and the rocky terrain precluded the provision of the traditional suburban school landscaping. Also, the nature of the terrain meant that the existing vegetation would be slow to regenerate once disturbed. Because of these factors, maximum effort was made to preserve the natural landscape. This part of the design philosophy was actively supported by the builder who took great care in minimising damage to the environment by construction equipment and vehicles. In line with government policy on energy conservation in Western Australia, all classrooms are designed to take maximum advantage of natural lighting and ventilation. The total cost of the project was $3,372,385 (1983). Included in this was the cost of excavating four and a half metres into the ironstone hillside to create a football oval. After adjustment for location and difficult site conditions, the cost per square metre of building compared favourably with the national average for schools of its type. E35b Architecture Australia - September 1986 Design at NSWIT Neville Quarry A selection of work from students at the School of Architecture NSWIT The NSWIT Bachelor of Architecture course involves the completion of six years school attendance part-time, and the equivalent of four years architectural practice experience, as the requirement for the degree. The combination of an academic input and a confrontation with the realities of design and documentation in practice provide a foundation for instilling creative and technical skills. In each year the subject of Design is concentrated upon a four hour studio experience. Years 1 and 2 stress design as a language for the communication of ideas about materials and places. The design of complete buildings tends to be avoided until an elementary design vocabulary has been established. Years 3 and 4 involve the development of design from a given brief. Over the last two years these Design Studios have been decentralised into several studios. Each studio consists of 10 to 12 students and is independently organised by a single tutor who is responsible for the teaching process and for the achievement and assessment of each student throughout the year. Some of these studios lean strongly toward student participation while others are more tutor-directed. As a result of this studio independence a wide variety of approaches have emerged. The academic staff as a whole determine the general educational objectives for each of the Design years, with the strategy for the pursuit of these aims being delegated to individual tutors. Staff-student ratios range from about 1:10 to 1:12, with many of the tutors being part-time. In years 5 and 6 the design projects involve large and/or complex buildings as well as urban design issues. Students are expected to present a personal design philosophy at this stage in their career. With the intention of complementing the studio work in Years 1 to 5, architectural history is taught largely by the vigorous critical analysis of seminal models of all periods thereby establishing a strong theoretical basis for assessment of all design work. Hospice, The Entrance, NSW Scott Weston The design is for a hospice extension to an existing local hospital on a flat site near the sea on the NSW North Coast. The need for communal activities plus a degree of individual privacy in this design resulted in a grouping of pavilions (each identified externally by the roof), and a series of internal garden courts. As a `familiar' traditional load-bearing structural system was used to integrate with the existing buildings, the unifying device was one of using the `thick wall' and applied decorative devices expressed as formal pattern-making. These devices were extended into the garden design as well. Some patterns were used as nodes, others to indicate directional movement. In fact, the close integration of garden, outdoor activities and building was the main thrust of the design. Hospice, The Entrance, NSW Adriaan Winton The design is for a hospice extension to an existing local hospital on a flat site near the sea on the New South Wales coast. The design accepts the `free' use of the non-structural wall which a framing system of construction allows. However this concept is extended to give a richer and slightly more complex interpretation by having two grids intersecting and exploiting the resultant grid-shift. Each `grid-system' (the structural frame) responds to a different drummer; - one related to the existing building, the other to a more sympathetic orientation. The careful juxtaposition of these two `systems' and the free wall, which unites and divides, results in a more interesting reading of the solution, presenting sometimes clarity and direction and sometimes complexity and ambiguity. The external skin wall is of the same material, colour and detailing as the existing building, thus uniting and extending the established situation. Community Centre, Parramatta Gary Lewin The design is for a site between refurbished river bank and formal park, bounded by old Church Street bridge on one side, to be used for pedestrians only, and on the other by Marsden Street with increased heavy traffic. The solution attempts to link river to park. The duality of the design needs (two theatres) is used to create a classical axial solution; the main axis cutting the building dividing it into two distinct `zones' and the creating `a thoroughfare' from park to river terraces. The interrupted screen wall confronts the park to create a similar formality as `backdrop'. The designer considered that the use of traditional classical devices gave the design the `civic' quality required by the brief. Cultural Centre, Gosford, NSW Tim Antiohos The design, for a civic building for a large coastal town, is to incorporate the major features of a theatre, multipurpose hall, and art gallery. The overall design concept, while formal, allows for a response to the environmental parameters set up by the physical nature of the site and its orientation. The result is an expression of the three major uses as individual elements, carefully juxtaposed in relationship to each other with individual responses to their own particular site location. The overall a priori formalism however sets these three crits seemingly on a collision course, - metaphorically described by the sculptured `disintegrating wall' and by the overlapping landscape design. The overall building complex is kept restrained in form and colour (black and white) to highlight is*its formal monumentality and to give a neutral background to the planting of the parkland around. House at Mackeral Beach, NSW Peter Scott The site is in a fringe area of Sydney, originally a holiday resort developing an outer suburban character. At present the only approach to the site is by water and all supplies including building materials have to be shipped across. This work is more by way of an exploration of design `elements' and the search for an `architectural manifesto' by the designer. The views from the sloping site, the nature of the use, the celebration of entry, the importance of the concept of a `retreat' within the complex, are all features considered, which are still governed by the parameters of construction and series, orientation, and so on. Commercial development, The Rocks, Sydney Mark Pearse This design is for a commercial venture for mixed development in the historical area of The Rocks in Sydney. It is traditional in its basic approach, and uses a simple framing system of construction, with facades that confront a street at each end of the site, and allows for a light-court in between. However there is an implied `low-scale' nature to the development to suit the character of the area. Thus the frame is expressed as a control, and this allows a variety of infill between : solid/void, projections/recessions, textures, and so on, as a response to the use within, and to allow for the personal expression of the occupants by way of decorative devices, blinds, signs, etc. Office Block, Elizabeth Street, Sydney Mark Ian Jones The site is a narrow commercial block which joins two major streets Elizabeth Street, (facing Hyde Park) and Castlereagh Street (narrow, with many early commercial and public buildings to be retained). This design has accepted the role of the facade as a major aspect of the design but not as a decorative unrelated exterior. The freedom of internal planning which modern technology allows is expressed. The building therefore `signifies' the structure/use/type in a Modern sense, but at the same time sets up a traditional proportioning game with the fenestration to relate to the buildings' context. This design attempts to amalgamate the Modern structural aesthetic and the classical tradition in one elegant understated whole. Sculpture for library interior centre Belinda Montgomery & Ron Pointon This sculptural form is the response to a `design-and-construct' experiment related to a study of interior space. Emphasis was to be given to considering space/form relationships, use of lighting, movement and perception, and to the nature of the `scale' of whole environment. To concentrate these issues, a single area was to be chosen from designated areas within the new NSWIT library. These two designers chose the stair+well, - a tall cylindrical space topped by a glass roof with the winding form of the stair clinging to the wall and rising five floors. This design emphasises the verticality of the stair, responds to the existing winding form and the stripped-down elegance of the structure, and becomes itself a metaphor for the building's use and part of communication as art. The whole `object' is the elegant expression of one material (steel) and of the fine detailing that can follow. History Studies The History strand of the NSWIT architecture degree course is closely associated with the teaching of design. Primarily the educational objectives are to develop a critical approach to the design process by the detailed analysis of historical models, and thus to use architectural history as a source for a body of theory related to the design of the built environment. This then becomes the basis for understanding and evaluating excellence in all such design, as well as a `language' for criticism which students can use as part of their individual design skills. The history programme is allocated one or two hours per week from Year 1 to Year 5 with a high percentage of workshop sessions conducted in a studio situation, with a minimal number of formal lectures. In Years 1 & 2, historical models are not necessarily presented chronologically and this is a broad cross-cultural view of architectural design concepts; but in Years 3 to 5 a more detailed study of the European experience is considered in a chronological format. Fifteenth-century Italy is seen as the beginning of the development of modern architectural theory. The number of written essays for assignments are kept to a minimum and a good number of three-dimensional analyses of specified historical works (models & drawings) are required instead, to encourage students to think of these examples primarily in design terms. E35d Architecture Australia - September 1986 Tools of the Trade CAD - the early projects Working on an actual project within your own office on your own CAD system is the only real test of the suitability of the system for your practice. Once the terminals arrive and everything is switched on, the pressure is really on for the people responsible for its introduction to make it perform. There you sit at the bottom of the learning curve staring at the bleeping screen and haunted by the dubious logic you iused to such good effect during the cost justification stage of the purchase. The next step you take will determine whether the system becomes a useful and valuable addition to the office, or an unwanted burden and a drain on that hard earned cash flow. No matter what you do, it is vital that as soon as is humanly possible, the system be applied to doing real work. E36 Rural Research 2003 words E36a Rural Research - Autumn 1986 Thistle control by grazing management By Steve Davidson Spear thistle seems to flourish particularly well in grazed pastures where soil fertility is high. To find out why, scientists compared its population dynamics in grazed and ungrazed pastures - and they have come up with some strategies for control. Introduced from Europe more than a century ago, spear thistle (Cirsium vulgare) is now widespread in Australia. Despite its attractive purple-flowering heads, the species has won few admirers, being declared a noxious weed in New South Wales, Tasmania, Victoria, and Western Australia. A prickly customer also known as bull or black thistle, it is particularly common in pastures of high-rainfall areas. Spear thistle is usually biennial; it flowers in its second year then dies. The seeds, shed in late summer or autumn, typically germ+inate after the first substantial drop of rain and by spring the plants take the form of small rosettes. In late spring of their second year the rosettes undergo a radical change - they `bolt', sending up tall stems that, by mid summer, bear 10-200 globular flowering heads. In pastures, dense stands of spear thistle can prove impenetrable to livestock and man alike. Even after their full 2-year term, the dead spiny plants often remain standing for a further 1-2 years - obstructing stock and lowering wool quality. A New Zealand researcher recently report+ed that in the first year (of a 2-year study) every extra thistle per square metre of pasture reduced the liveweight gain of young sheep by 1.68 kg between November and March. However, in the next year - when the sheep were 1 year older, thistles less abundant, and more feed was available - he found no significant correlation. Application of a herbicide to control thistles - one that also reduced the clover content of the pasture - was counter+productive. In the first year, it actually reduced sheep liveweight gains to the same extent as a thistle density of 1.67 per sq. metre because the clover content of the pasture was temporarily reduced. A more specific her+bicide did control the weed without depressing liveweight gains, but chemical treatment is both costly and time-consuming. The expense of herbicide treatment and the fact that spear thistle infestations are mostly a nuisance in pasture land has prompted interest in controlling them by grazing. The trouble is, thistles seem to be worse in grazed pastures of high fertility than in ungrazed ones. They can even be used as above-ground indicators of soil fertility. So what hope do we have of stamping out the weed by grazing management? Dr Frank Forcella of the CSRIO Division of Plant Industry and Dr Helen Wood of the Riverina-Murray Institute of Higher Educa+tion recently addressed this question with a 3-year study into the effects of sheep on spear thistle populations. They were particularly interested in how grazing affects the various stages in the life cycle of the plant and its competitive ability in the pasture community. Why do thistle prosper in grazed paddocks? The scientists also investigated how the timing of herbicide applications influences thistle numbers and assessed the use of grazing pressure, or withholding of it, as a control measure. Demography: vital statistics For their field work, the researchers chose a heavily infested annual pasture of red brome, annual ryegrass, sub clover, and fescues at the Ginninderra Experiment Station, near Canberra. To examine the effects of grazing, in 1981 they divided the pasture into two plots: one was left ungrazed for the next 3 years, the other was stocked with sheep whenever forage was available. By mapping the location of seedlings and rosettes in prescribed areas of the plots, by tagging rosettes, and by recording the prog+ress of these individual plants at monthly intervals, the researchers determined the usual fate of thistles, both with and without grazing. They also recorded peak thistle densities each year, and counted the seeds trapped in sticky traps placed in each plot, the number of flowering heads on mature plants, and later the number of viable seeds in the fruiting heads - adding up the thistledown. At senescence, the plants were weighed. To see whether herbicide is best applied when thistle populations are suffering high natural mortality or in seasons when their probability of death is low, the researchers ran an additional experiment in the grazed plot. They sprayed small replicated plots with dicamba herbicide on 31 March 1983, 30 June '83, 30 September '83, or 3 January '84, leaving one set of plots untreated to act as a control. Densities of any seedling, rosette, and adult thistles were determined before spraying and again in all plots in February 1984. As fruiting heads matured, the scientists counted the seeds produced. Seedling competition They also set up a series of seedling compet+ition experiments in a glasshouse, sowing two thistle seeds and two annual ryegrass seeds in the same pots, and thistles together with sub clover in a second group of pots. Thistles were also sown (four per pot) in the absence of a second species. Various clipping treatments were imposed on the competing plants (not the thistles) in the two-species pots to imitate grazing by stock, and half the pots in each group received additional nitrogen. After 10 weeks, the scientists dried and weighed the shoots and roots of the plants. Results of the study indicate that undis+turbed pasture plants make life extremely difficult for thistles. Sheep complicate matters by their selective grazing and by inadvertently trampling on pasture plants and early life-stages of the thistle. Initial (1980/81) densities of seedlings, rosettes, and adult thistles as well as adult plant size were comparable in the two paddocks. But within a year thistles in the sheep-stocked pasture, in which the more palatable species has been grazed, were larger, bore more flowering heads, and produced more seeds per head than those in the ungrazed pasture where competition was presumably stronger. However, effects of sheep on thistle population densities as a whole only became apparent after a few years. By 1983/84, all life stages of the thistle from seed to adult were more abundant in the grazed than in the ungrazed pasture (see the table at the foot of page 17). Grazing favours thistles - usually Looking at population survival, we see that thistles suffer a sort of mid-life crisis, with the transition from seedling to rosette proving much more hazardous than transitions from seed to seedling and rosette to adult. Whereas 10% of thistle seeds germinate successfully in ungrazed pasture to produce seedlings, and 49% of rosettes successfully graduate to adulthood, only 0.2% of seedlings survive to form rosettes. In each case sheep aggravate the situation, but particularly in the transition from seedling to rosette where the success rate in grazed pasture (1%) exceeds that in ungrazed pasture by a factor of 5 (see the table of transitions on this page). It seems that grazing of the non-thistle component of pastures promotes survival of young thistles, and this is probably due mainly to lessened competition from nearby plants after grazing - an indirect effect of sheep. This view is strengthened by the findings of the glasshouse competition exper+iments. Thistles sharing pots with sub clover or annual ryegrass weighed less than those growing only with their comrades. Clipping of sub clover invariably promoted growth of the associated thistles, while in the ryegrass-thistle pots clipping had more complicated effects (see the table opposite). The effect of competition from pasture plants is also reflected in the observation that thistles in the ungrazed pasture suffered high mortality during periods optimal for growth - autumn and spring - and by earlier research conducted on the Northern Table+lands of New South Wales by Mr John George and his colleagues, of the then CSIRO Division of Animal Physiology. They found that fewer spear thistles invaded perennial pastures if there was a lot of plant cover, and they attributed this to competition from grasses. Thistles tend to falter when the going gets tough. During severe drought in 1982 and early 1983, sheep also had a direct effect on the thistle population. Thistles were the only green plants available to sheep and the rosettes were heavily grazed and trampled from early winter until the sheep were removed in October. As a result, adult thistles in the unstocked pasture significantly out+numbered those in the grazed pasture that year. Thistle Management Do the combined results help formulate strategies for the control of spear thistle in the Mediterranean-like grass-clover pastures of southern Australia? Dr Forcella and Dr Wood suggest that since seedling mortality is natur+ally very high after autumn rain - when competition from pasture plants is strong - this is probably the best time to hit the weed with herbicide. Temporarily removing stock from thistle-infested paddocks in autumn should further reduce the number of seedlings surviving to the rosette stage. The study also showed that in a Mediter+ranean climate, at least, herbicides like dicamba are best applied in autumn for control of seedlings and rosettes and to depress summer seed production. This is when thistles are making rapid growth condu+cive to herbicide action, and in winter and summer large rosettes and mature plants can screen seedlings from the spray. In Tasmania, research by the Department of Agriculture indicated that slender thistle (Carduus pyconocephalus and C. tenuiflorus), both usually annuals, can also be controlled by deferral of autumn grazing. In this case, thistles competing for light in tall (ungrazed) autumn pasture become elongated, lush, and less prickly and so tend to be eaten by sheep in winter and spring. Findings of the competition experiments also suggest that promoting the growth of annual ryegrass rather than sub clover will depress spear thistle under grazing. This can be achieved by using a herbicide toxic to both the thistle and to clover (such as dicamba), although a New Zealand scientist found that under the conditions of his experiment this depreseed lamb growth rates. If possible, ploughing the pasture to a depth of 5-10 cm in May or June will tend to have a similar effect on pasture composition. So to grasp the nettle: avoid grazing thistle-infested paddocks in autumn... and, with luck, watch those seedlings disappear. If you intend to use herbicides, autumn looks the best time to spray. E36b Rural Research - Autumn 1986 Managing manganese deficiency Manganese deficiencies in cereal crops are becoming more common. Recent research has determined how much manganese a crop needs and produced ways of determining whether that need has been met. More information on the best cultivars for manganese-deficient areas and on the general manage+ment of manganese deficiency is now available. Manganese, an essential micronutrient involved in the early light-harvesting steps of photosynthesis as well as many other enzyme-mediated reactions within plants, has an equally complex role within the soil microbial population. Acting on the soil manganese pool, reducing microbes create more soluble forms, which then become available for plant growth. Competing with these groups are oxidizing microbes that synthesize insoluble manganese compounds and, if conditions are right, their activities can lead to manganese deficiency in crops grown on those soils. Defining the precise conditions leading to manganese deficiency is difficult. However, the more alkaline soils - such as the calcareous ones dominated by limestone - favour the oxidized forms of manganese and have a low natural availability of the element. The seasonal wetting and drying cycle that the soil experiences also influences availabil+ity: saturation of the soil leads to low oxygen levels that favour the activity of the reducing microbes; conversely, as the soil drains, the oxidizing microbes are favoured and man+ganese levels decline. As the soil approaches an air-dry state the oxidizing microbes cannot continue operating, but chemical reactions in the soil slowly release manganese, which is then available to the plants when the soil is re-wetted. Manganese deficiency also occurs in the seedling phase of cereals grown in southern Australia. This is most pronounced when the start of the growing season is cold and unusually wet. Under these conditions root activity and elongation are slow and the volume of soil that is exploited is relatively small. E37 Inside Australia - Summer 1985/86 2009 words Inside view CRISIS often produces anger. But what rural Australia needs most is a clear head. THERE are no fat marathon runners. They are lean and efficient, like most of Australian agriculture. Marathon runners have to take the long-term view: years of work and discipline for a few hours' race. In the case of Australian agriculture, the race is one against acute financial crisis caused by natural disaster or market collapse. In today's race, no doubt some of the runners will weaken, perhaps due to muscle fatigue, from which they will recover to run again. For others, a basic incapacity will mean they cannot cope and must find another pursuit. Given the significance of the race, particularly for the participants, the causes of weakening are worthy of investigation. Is it because of failure on the part of the participants? Is it because of factors beyond their control? Or is it the result of deliberate sabotage by others: officials (governments and public servants), equipment makers (input costs) or spectators (consumers)? Taking the long view, Australian agriculture has clearly been a success story. And so it will continue to be. The key to its past success has been its capacity to change and adjust. In his recent Shann Memorial Lecture, Professor Fred Gruen pointed out that the terms of trade for Australian agriculture (the ratio of prices received to prices paid) have been slowly but steadily declining in the long term. Yet we still have a strong, efficient, and innovative agriculture. To what do we owe this success? The most visible contribution has been by those who have survived by increasing their production efficiency, by introducing new products, or by bringing more land into production. Also important (but perhaps more painful) has been the exit of those who, for one reason or another, have not survived the changing market conditions. This kind of adjustment is also part of the Australian experience and has been important to the overall performance of the industry. If those ex-farmers had been encouraged to remain through wasteful methods of support, the costs would have been paid in the long run by the rest of the economy - consumers, taxpayers, and other industries. A clear example of the costs of such a policy is the distortion in the domestic and international economies created by the EEC's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). In all the heat and dust of the debate on the current "crisis" in agriculture, one basic characteristic of the market system - a system whose virtues are usually either implicitly assumed or explicitly extolled by farming spokesmen - has been obscured: competition produces losers as well as winners. The market system teaches lessons from which society learns how to satisfy economic needs efficiently. As in any learning system, there is trial and error. The rate of failure for non-farm new business is particularly high; Australian research shows that about 90 per cent fail within the first five years. The market system is characterised by instability and change and not predictability and equilibrium, and failure is inevitable for some. This does not mean that the community should not treat the casualties compassionately, and recognise their problems. PRODUCT LIFE RESEARCH on non-farm business also shows that, even if they survive the initial period, competition from other producers eventually threatens their market. The concept of the "product life-cycle", in which the final state is decline, draws attention to the likelihood that eventually there will be pressure to diversify and innovate. Perhaps in agriculture the growth and maturity stages of the product life-cycles are so long that farmers in the decline stage see it as an aberration rather than as inevitable. They have been very successful in prolonging the maturity phase through process innovation - in pasture improvement, fertilisers, pesticides, and machinery. There has also been product innovation, as improved breeds of livestock and new crop varieties testify. The next step is innovation in marketing, where there are already success stories such as the wool industry. The red meat industry is the latest to stress marketing and is looking at the messages it has been receiving from the marketplace to help it assess the reasons for the decline in per capita consumption of its product. The award in October of the 1985 Nobel Prize for medicine to two American scientists for their work on cholesterol reminds us that the health effects of foods will probably remain high in the consciousness of consumers. In response to this trend, the Meat Industry Association of NSW has recently appointed a nutritionist to ensure that the public is informed about the nutritional value of red meat. Dr David McKinna, engaged as a marketing consultant by the Cattle Council of Australia and the AMLC, has recently drawn attention to the effects changing lifestyles are having on consumers' buying decisions, in this case their desire for convenience and variety. In a calorie-rich diet, food is taking on more of the characteristics of fashion items. This draws attention again to the product life-cycle. The fashion connection forced the wool industry to learn similar lessons years earlier. These are all examples of the need, popularised in the management best-seller In Search of Excellence, for farm business to get "closer to the customer". No longer does the truism "everyone has to eat" mean that producers and marketers can afford to ignore the valuable information consumers can provide. Ultimately, consumers will be heard. Greater attention to consumer needs might well be achieved through more farmer involvement in agribusiness, a trend discussed by Sarah Sargent in this issue. CONSUMER KEY CONSUMERS are a key part of the audience for a new agricultural policy that has potentially greater significance for Australian farmers than any other of recent times. When the Bureau of Agricultural Economics (BAE) recently took the results of its research on the costs of the CAP to Europe, its purpose was to make clear to European consumers and taxpayers the vast cost to them of subsidised European agriculture. This marks a significant tactical change after years in which the Australian government tried to impress on the EEC the costs of the CAP to Australian producers, and pleaded for a fair go. If the swift and sharp response from the European media and policymakers is any indication, the change in tactics has been successful at least in drawing their attention. The pressure now being felt by many Australian farmers has as much to do with depressed prices for our agricultural exports as it has with the more visible and frequently nominated evils of cost increases, union power, and government charges. To the extent that depressed prices are caused by over-production stimulated by economically irrational price-support policies and export dumping, how should Australian governments respond to pleas for assitance*assistance from Australian producers in the short term? The federal government, despite its rhetoric, still seems willing to provide special assistance to some industries, such as dairy and sugar, when their problems are acute. Governments have to be careful that in responding to real financial hardship they do not inhibit long-run adjustment to a lean and efficient agriculture. It can be argued that we should at least be slow to wind back any industries efficient by world standards on the grounds that in the long run this efficiency will be rewarded when other governments can no longer afford the cost of supporting their less efficient producers. One positive response here would be to initiate rational debate in the way the BAE has recently done in Europe. The long-term adjustment of agriculture involving the exit of firms from the industry, usually happens slowly and quietly without drawing public attention. But occasionally several pressures coincide to create what can be identified and promoted as a "crisis". Farmers have been going broke almost continuously over the years, and for those involved such failure is a crisis. The human effects are the same, and they are profound: bewilderment, frustration, and loss of self-esteem, not to mention the economic and intangible costs of moving, changing occupation, and learning about a completely new environment. At such times we find no stirring of the national conciousness*consciousness by opportunist media and political snake-oil merchants. But a brilliantly organised demonstration of 30,000 people in front of Parliament House on the day of the tax summit? Now that's a crisis! What can be done for those farm families facing acute hardship because of inadequate income, with all the human misery that brings? Equity demands that no less is done for them than for the officially unemployed, whose families are plunged into similar crises. It might be time to consider temporary income support, perhaps of one year and non-repayable, to allow their*there families to avoid the worst consequences of poverty and to give them a breathing space to think about the future. This is clearly a welfare treatment for a welfare problem, and the stigma that many farmers attach to such relief would have to be overcome with sensitivity. The Rural Development Centre has put a lot of thought into this problem, and its suggestions are contained in the McKay Report on the grape and wine industries. It is natural to feel angry when one's stability and livelihood appear to be threatened by forces beyond control. It is natural also to look for people to blame. But anger alone does not solve problems, and anger misdirected is not constructive. It can blind us to a proper perception of the problem, its causes, and its possible solutions. For many farmers, a Labor government must present a natural target. It has been reported that the NSW Livestock and Grain Producers' Association has resolved to try to bring about the defeat of the federal government. While the LGPA's strategy to help farmers is broader than this, if this objective comes to be seen as the chief use of farmers' anger, then a chance will be lost to convince the community that the solutions to present problems involve more than getting a preferred government into power. ANGRY EXPRESSIONS SOME expressions of the current anger and frustration may appear foreign to those who appreciate the value of some Australian traditions. For example, a leading farmers' journal recently had a picture of a hand grenade on its cover, captioned "Rural Australia: Ready to explode", perhaps intended*intented to be a dramatic metaphor for today's mood. Inside, it reported a farm leader's warning that "blood will flow" in a fight with unions. The observer of conflict in other countries is reminded sadly of Beirut and Belfast, where a hand grenade is no mere symbol, and where inflammatory words are dangerously irresponsible. An important aspect of our luck as Australians is to live in a socially cohesive country. Not the least benefit of such social cohesion, incidentally, is its contribution to economic efficiency. Australia is lucky in that it has had no invasions for 200 years, no civil wars, famines, military coups, or arbitrary and sinister denials of political rights. Social cohesion has also been forged by the potency of our bush values: compassion and generosity in the face of natural disaster, tolerance, slowness to anger, the ability to see the other person's point of view, scepticism about the bluster of the demagogue*demogogue, and about authority in general. It does not seem to fit that rural Australia, which has contributed much that is truly recognisable and attractive in the Australian character, might now be encouraged to foment and exploit what some find convenient to portray as irreconcilable divisions between groups in our community. A political scientist, Kathryn West of Melbourne University, has drawn attention to some concerns farmers have in common with small business operators. Her solutions are presented in a headline (Rydges, September 1985) as "Abolish the dole, stomp the militants, kill the compromisers, save the family". The headline surely does less than*that justice to her analysis. But the issues are too important and there is too much of substance that has to be genuinely faced in the policy debate for the discussion to be trivialised, the protagonists polarised, and the solutions over+simplified. E38 Hobbyfarmer 2009 words E38a Hobbyfarmer - October 1986 Buying machinery - new or used? Few hobby farmers can afford all the machines they would like to make life on the farm easier. But once you decide a piece of equipment has become a necessity rather than a luxury, should you lash out on a new model or seek one secondhand? Bill Finlayson has some handy tips on the topic. They could also help you avoid buying a `lemon'. New machinery can appear very attractive. It comes bright and shiny, no one else has had the chance to abuse it and you should be able to have a long and trouble free life from it. It comes with perhaps 12 months warranty and spare parts should be easy to obtain. It's going to cost more than a sec+ondhand one of the same model but may be worth it. If you are not handy with tools and mechanical repairs or you have only limited time to spend, then new machines could be a wise choice. If the machine is an essential part of a cropping program or major farm enterprise then it may be best to con+sider buying it new. Let us take, for example, the tractor. Across the full range of power specifications there are more than 400 makes and models from which to choose and with the current slump in machinery sales it is possible to bargain for the best possible price. Generally, it's best to buy from your local dealer as a warranty usually requires the machine to be delivered back to the dealer. In some cases the dealer will send a mechanic to the property without a service charge if you live fairly close. If not, you may have to pay a mileage fee and travelling time for the mechanic. For major repairs, say to a tractor, you will have to pay the transport cost to the dealer. Try to avoid unknown or little known brands, especially with imported equipment, until you are sure adequate parts and service are available. Many machines are imported to `test the market'. If they prove unsuccessful then they simply disappear from sale and it is almost impossible to obtain parts unless you import them yourself. If a particular little known brand appeals to you then go to the importer and have a look for yourself and see the size of the operation and what their stock of parts is like. This may mean that you will have to delay the purchase until you go to the city, but it could save you many thousands of dollars at a later date. Delays of some months on some parts are not unknown. This can be disastrous at a critical time in a cropping program. Look for the well established brands that you know have good stocks of parts in Australia and adequate back-up service. This does not mean that lesser known brands are of inferior quality. It simply means that if there are only a few of a partic+ular brand of machine sold you may have difficulties and delays in having it repaired after some years of use. Used machinery The main reason for buying used machinery is to save on capital outlay, especially when the farm's size means there will only be occasional, light use of the machine. In making this decision you must bear in mind the degree of reliability required for the particular machine. Again, the question comes up "What brand should I buy?" The same principles apply as with selecting a new model, only greater care has to be taken. There are currently several thousand makes and models of non-current tractors being used in Aust+ralia. Many of these no longer have any trade representation and spare parts are only available through wreckers. With some of the lesser known ones it is impossible to repair them if anything major goes wrong. Look into the parts and service situa+tion very carefully and leave no stone unturned to assure yourself that the used machine you want to buy can be kept operational. Where to buy used machines There are three main sources of supply which are given in the order of preference. • the local machinery dealer; • private sale (through neighbours or newspaper advertisements); &bullet auction sales (farm clearing sales, repossession, ex-government equip+ment, disposals etc.) Don't let local friendships with dealers or neighbours influence your decision on a purchase. If you buy a bomb, it could result in much unpleas+antness and broken friendships. Select in a businesslike way and be prepared to accept the consequences of your decision. A well established and respected dealership or agency has a reputation to live up to. To protect that reputa+tion they should do necessary repair work before offering a machine for sale. If you have a genuine complaint after purchase you are more likely to get help from the dealer either free or at a discounted rate. Private sales do have a greater element of risk if you don't know the vendor or the real reason for his selling the equipment. A few hours spent in conversation in the local hotels and clubs can often bring to light a lot of useful information to help you in deciding on the purchase, parti+cularly when buying used tractors. Auction sales present the greatest risk. If they are held a long way from your home you may have little chance of a thorough inspection or testing of the tractor concerned. Reduce this risk by making some investigations well before the sale day. There are bargains to be had at clearing sales if you know the equipment and some+thing about the reasons for the sale. At times equipment other than that belonging to the immediate property is sold at clearing sales for a variety of reasons so check out the ownership of each item of interest to you, particu+larly tractors. What size? A machine that is too big for the work in hand is a bad investment even at a bargain price. Work out the size of equipment needed based on the time available to do the work with it and the power that you have to drive it. If you are matching tractor*tactor and implement you should aim to use about 75% of the maximum engine power in the appropriate gear to give the correct operating speed for the implement. This may not be possible for all implements but at the least it should be aimed at for the major culti+vation equipment of other major plant in regular use. Cost There are no hard and fast rules about prices for used machines. Beware if it seems to be too cheap. Check out prices with other dealers and in newspaper advertisements. Don't be in a hurry to buy. Work out an average price for a particular model and be prepared to vary that price up or down depending upon the condition of the one being considered. Set a reasonable upper limit and then arrange the upper limit with the lending body, if necessary. Don't let them talk you into a higher borrowing limit. Currently it's a buyer's market for secondhand tractors so don't give the impression of being over anxious to make a purchase. You will be sur+prised how the price can drop over a few weeks particularly if you don't have a trade-in. Use the waiting time to point out any faults you may have noticed. A positive prospective sale is a good inducement to rectify faults. Inspecting the equipment This is the most important part of the whole purchasing procedure. You may be making a major purchase so it's important to make a thorough job of it. If you inspect a number of machines don't rely on memory, make notes as you go and start with a list of things to be checked. If you are inspecting tractors or engine functioned machines never start them without the approval of the owner. Preferably get him to start it for you the first time. If you start it you could be blamed for the pre-existing problems. Don't be afraid to ask for a demons+tration on your property. This gives an additional opportunity to check for faults in used equipment and to ensure that either new or used gear will match and meet your requirements. If you don't feel competent or con+fident enough to inspect the machine, find expert help. In the major centres there is usually someone who is com+petent and willing to make such inspe+ctions for a fee and even give a written report. If so, check out his reputation or qualifications before you hire him. You are making a major purchase so be prepared to pay a reasonable fee. Such people could expect to be paid $50 to $80 an hour, or you could agree on a flat rate of $100 for a small tractor to around $500 for a big one. Warranty Most new machines have some warranty. Be honest about claims and don't ask for it when the equipment has been damaged through misuse. Don't be afraid to ask for some warranty when buying used equip+ment. Many reputable dealers do con+siderable rebuilding work on their used equipment and give warranty. If they are not prepared to then perhaps you should look a little closer at what you are buying. Safety If you are buying an agricultural tractor of any age weighing between 560 and 3860kg, it must be fitted with a roll over protective structure (ROPS). It cannot legally be sold without this fitted. Machines must also be fitted with PTO guards, and gears, belts, pulleys, chains, sprockets etc must be guarded. Don't let the salesman fob you off with the excuse that you can't buy ROPS or guards. If you buy it and use it without you could be prosecuted. There are considerable savings to be made by searching for the right used machines. Inspect it carefully and get a second or third opinion if neces+sary. Don't be in a hurry to buy. Have a good look around and let your needs to be known to local dealers and neighbours. The right equipment will soon come up. Be careful even with new machi+nery. Be sure that you understand exactly what the specification means. Check out on tractors such things as engine HP, PTO HP and drawbar HP so that you don't buy the wrong size. If you have a problem with new machines go back to the dealer until it's fixed. If he won't fix it then raise the matter with the distributor until you get satisfaction. E38b Hobbyfarmer - October 1986 Safe keeping Tread carefully ... by Nanette Lewis Since the invention of the first wheel some thousands of years ago, mankind has become increasingly dependent on its use. Its evolution from a wooden disc to a wooden rim with spokes, then a metal rimmed variety, to the metal and rubber tyred variety, has made motorised travel faster and more com+fortable. Today, the majority of responsible people ensure that their motor vehicles and agricultural equipment are regularly serviced - in fact, the law insists that our motor vehicles receive annual roadworthy check-ups - but many people, including hobby farm+ers, are apt to forget the importance of maintaining tyres at the right inflation as well as healthy tread. The Tyre and Rim Association (Australia) based in Melbourne produces a Standards Manual ($15) setting out correct tyre types and load limits for various agricultural vehicles, as well as approved rims, contours, pressures etc. This manual is standard equipment for all tyre dealers - so one can obtain advice from these special+ists in most situations. However, the "do-it-yourself" hobby farmer can obtain valuable information from a manual just releas+ed by the NRMA. Although this appl+ies mainly to cars, the basic rules apply to other types of moving equipment. It points out that tyres are one of the most neglected part of a car, so it is most important to regularly check them for wear and damage. Cuts or sidewall abrasions, stones or obstructions in the tread, or unusual bulges in the tyre shape should be seen to immediately.