With the recent announcement of the retirement of Roel ten Cate (Perry White) and reporter Bill Jayet (Clark Kent), and the transfer of Denis Howard (Jimmy Olsen), I would like to share the following with readers.
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As a police officer, I have had some bad experiences with newsmen in Sydney, but all this ended on my transfer to the country and over the past 37 years, I have had a very good rapport with the first two.
However, one Sunday morning Roel came into the Police Station for some news and being in a playful mood after giving him what he wanted, I asked if there was anything else.
I then told him there was a fraud being committed three times per week on his readers, and he started writing.
He asked how it was done and I informed him that the price of his beloved Champion Post had gone up a whopping 20c from $1 to $1.20.
Poor Roel did not see the funny side of this and left muttering something under his breath!
Sorry Roel, I couldn’t resist it.
The second was when Roel had an argument in his car with another vehicle at the boom gates.
After we got him in an Ambulance, Clark Kent arrived with his trusty camera and took a number of happy shots of the damaged cars.
He then came over and asked for some particulars of the accident for the paper.
I told him if he had been there five minutes earlier, he could have taken some of his boss being loaded into the Ambulance.
Well, the notebook and camera and Bill left the scene faster than a speeding bullet (was he Superman?_
Bill, that story never did get in the paper. Did you have pressure forced on you to kill this story or was it professional courtesy?
Now Roel, are you really going to retire this time or will you be back?
I wish the two of you all the best in your retirement.
You will wonder in time how you fitted work in.
Now Denis, it has taken me four years to train you - he was the one who did all the sport headlines.
When dropping in our notes I would call out “Copy boy” and Jimmy Olson would come out and collect it or, on hearing my truck, he came out to get it.
Have you instructed your replacement?
All the best with your new position.
PS: There are still a few of us left who write our notes in longhand and don’t have access to a computer online. Please don’t try to change this like a couple of years ago.
Roel did not like this action also.
Brian Drabsch, Parkes.