WORLD GIANTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 124, 28 May 1938, Page 3 (Supplement)

WORLD GIANTS.

Trees are the giants of the world, for they are the biggest and oldest living things under the sun. Trees are the harps upon which the wind plays all the year round; they provide shelter and protection, for the birds of the air, and are used in a hundred and one ways by men. In a Spanish, park there is a notice board on a tree which is most o interesting, and gives, in a few words, an < idea of how dependent man is on trees. ■ The notice reads: — "Ye who pass by and would raise your i hands against me, hearken ere you harm me. I am the heat of your hearth on the cold winter nights; the friendly shade screening you from the 6ummer sun; and my fruits are refreshing draughts quenching your thirst as you ; journey on. ; "I am the beam that holds your house, the board of your table, the bed on which you lie, and the timber that builds your boat. I am the handle of your hoe, the door of your homestead, the wood of your cradle, and the shell of your coffin. "I am the bread of kindness and the flower of beauty. Ye who pass by listen to my prayer: Harm me not." One of the oldest and mightiest of living trees is the Big Tree by the Zambesi, not far from the Victoria Falls, in South Africa, a baobab with a trunk over 66ft round. Old as it is, prehaps 20 centuries, it is young compared with a cypress tree near Mexico City, a veteran said to be about 5000 yea'rs old. Trees have played a large part in history. Zaccheus climbed into a tree to see Jesus pass by. Drake climbed a tree in Panama and looked in wonder at the illimitable Pacific Ocean. Trees were used by Australian explorers to mark the places where they had travelled, their names and messages being carved deeply into the trunks of the trees. One of the most famous of these trees is on the Blue Mountains, in New South Wales, and tourists on the wonderful roads now crossing the ranges pause for a moment to view the tree marked by Wcntworth when he made his very first I journey across the ranges. A certain i small girl of Sydney, having seen the tree and had its story told to her by her daddy, never fails when setting out by car for a week-end in those wonderful hills, to ask her daddy to drive past the "tree with its hat on." The tree, which has been lopped off several feet above the ground, has a tin plate fastened over the top of the cut to prevent the wet soaking into the wood and rotting it off, giving it an appearance somewhat akin to the soldier with his "tin hat." The story and the tree captured the imagination of Miss Eight-year-old. Our grand old gum, oak and cedar trees are splendid in their strength and vigour, and bring to mind the words of a poetess: "Poems are made by fools like me, But only Clod can make a tree." PLAY THIS AT YOUR NEXT PARTY. (Sent in by Thelma Todd, 33, Marua Koad, Ellerslie.) This game causes quite a lot of amusement and will help your party along to success very quickly. Buy enough balloons to go round and blow them up before the guests arrive. Give one balloon to each person and get them to tie it to their right ankle. They now walk around in a circle, and each person tries to burst the balloon of the person in front of him. To the last person to have his balloon burst I would suggest 3-011 should give him a little prize, because I think he really deserves it. Don't vou?

Clinton Greenwood —Evidently you did not see the previous reply to your letter, Clinton. I cannot enrol you until you have sent me your date or birth and particulars regarding- your present age. IT you do this for me. I will be pleased to make you a member or the club. Mary Qreig —Thanks for inrormlng me of your new address, Mary, and thank you for the contribution. Patsy Riddle —Sorry that you have not seen an answer to your letter yet. Patsy. Yes, you are now a memher of the club, and I will be posting you a certificate or merit shortly. You do not have to be a member of the club to enter for competitions. Joy Hinton —lT the patch Is a wellknitted one, Joy, you will receive one point. When your name appears in the call of the Club, cut it out and forward ii to this olflce. You will then receive a prize of half a crown. The names that appear In the Call or the Club are chosen from our ranks of members. Kathleen Delamar —You have three points to your credit, Kathleen. Read the answer to Joy Hinton for your second question. You have to have 25 points before you can receive a book prize. Jeune Rowley —l cannot enrol you and your hrother until you let me know when your birthday is, Jeune. Will you do this for me, please? Alma Nelson —You may enter for any competition in these pages. Alma, whether you are a member or not. ll' you send miparticulars about your date and year of birth, I will be happy to make you a member of the club. Colin Walden —T think your small brother Is very lucky to have a person like yourself, Colin, to write and explain things to me. 1 shall be very pleased to send him a certificate of enrolment and welcome him to our happy band. Best wishes. Betty Pinnington —v think you must be a little uncertain about the rules governing our competitions, Betty. Sometimes our contests are such easy ones that there are more answers correct than prizes offered. As stated In the competition rules, the rewards go to those who, in the opinion or.the judge, have submitted the neatest work. Evidently yours was not quite up to the required standard. However, I'm sure that you will win a prize if you keep on trying. Pamela Marshall —You may send your badge money In postal note or stamps, Pamela. Margaret Paterson —Sorry that the fountain pen was sent to the wrong address. Margaret, and thank you for Informing me of your new one. Evelyn Winks —Yes, Evelyn, the paintings reached this office In good time, and were Included in the competition. Betsy Lynch —No, Retsy, I didn't have an opportunity to visit the show Uiis year, but I am so glad that you were aide to go, and to hear that you enjoyed all the exhibits. Annie Ah Chan —Well, Annie, I hope to untagle this little puzzle about your points this time. We are rather busy at the office during our winter campaign, and naturally now and then things get overlooked. I have looked up your number of points, and find that they amount to two. I am not quite sure whether this is correct, however, but If you have the certillcates it 'Will be quite ail right. Betty Birnie —lt doesn't matter when the certificates were won, Retty, you are still eligible for a book prize. Birthday points, however, cannot be carried forward from year to year. ir the items you mention are up to publication standard, certificates of merit are given for them. RAIN IN THE CITY. (By Audrey Beck, Ngatea.) Rain in the city streets, 1 The hurrying crowds splash by, Huddled againt-t the cold north wind . . But J, waiting on the corner for a tram, ' Watch silver lances flashing down, 1 Swift arrows from the sky. i Rain in the city streets, i Wet roads shining in the yellow lights, ; Puddles on the pavements ... i And dirty water swirls down the gutters. [ Pushing old papers and cigarette butts. i On through the night.