DIARY OF THE YEAR
Wednesday 21 April: Mr Vorster said that crafty President Kaunda had been in full pri- vate contact with the S African government for three years, while publicly denouncing it. A 'leak' from the Department of Trade and In- dustry was disclosed in London, concerning vital information about the V & G insurance firm before it crashed. Cecil Parker died aged seventy-three. Thursday 22 April: President Duvalier of Haiti finally died; his tubby ninteen-year-old son took over, as did Mr Bill Ryland as Post Office chairman. International multi-racial sport was allowed in S Africa.
Friday 23 April: Charges under the Official Secrets Act seemed likely in the V & G affair and the Lennons were arrested in Majorca under an abduction charge. The Government became more determined to discourage smoking and shares had their best day since the election. Saturday 24 April: The Soviet manned craft Soyuz 10 docked with the unmanned space station Salyut and then separated for 'further manoeuvres'. Nobody told the PM about the V & G leak last November and the second set of quads in a week was born. 'Papa Doc' Duvalier was buried in Haiti, but there was still no sign of the struggle for power for which reporters were waiting.
Sunday 25 April: Two tragedies: a boy aged four was mauled by two alsatian guard dogs and underwent an emergency operation; three men in a rowing eight were feared drowned after the boat was smashed on a weir. The first commercial flight by a Jumbo-jet was made a
week late and several MPS complained of swollen feet from tramping through the lobbies. Monday 26 April: Mr John Davies announced that London's third airport would be sited at Foulness and that there would be no second runway at Gatwick. Meanwhile, Mr Wilson was busy warning the Government against getting the wrong terms for joining the EEC. A us report advised that China should be admitted to the UN and it was decided that hot-panted women will be admitted to the Royal Ascot Enclosure. Tuesday 27 April: The Government is setting up a tribunal to examine the V & G leak, and Mr Robert Maxwell has rejoined the board of Pergamon Press. The NUR has accepted British Rail's pay offer.
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