YOUNG FOLK'S CORNER

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 227, 24 September 1943, Page 5

YOUNG FOLK'S CORNER

By NANGYE MASON

RANGITOTO FANTASY

NEW ZEALAND'S FUTURE

Qsonciurffed lx/ $&n o*d W&ridy

Raena, a young Maori girl, sat knitting with her dear friend Pipi, the kiwi, while awaiting the arrival of her father, Rangi Tahara, who, taught at a schoo; near Takapuna. Raena's family lived high on a cliff overlooking Milfora Beach. As she sat there dreaming, Rae, as she was called, saw far out on the horizon a fleet of warships, planes and lan pipi g hadTeen it, too, and he ran off into the underbush to hide in the bracken, gorse and ti-tree. As the fleet came nearer, Rae saw that it was not as she had thought, an English convoy, but Japanese. The girl stood numbed witn horror To think that her country anu that of the British was to be invaded— no; it couldn't be ! But just then the air raid alarm sounded, and Auckland's planes and ships sped out to check tne O T S nen gh b6mbs, which the North Shore had not known'before, fell thick, and fast, and aeroplanes became locked in deadly battle Rae wondered why all the fortifications on the islands surrounding the Hauraki Gulf did not put up a fight foi 'now comeback, and pointed his beak towards their favourite island, Rangitoto, where Rae saw that the ba S g o e h R e an e giJo?o d ! ng bo something!. Do something!" she cried, cuddling PlptVi Rangitoto heard her cry and answered herbvthe scene which followed. The ntn tiers heard a deep throaty growl and then saw a mass of blazing molten Sck showering down, on top of them. m a ost horrid,' afespWWV.nl &3 f h h r«S h S a i= = .run* 188 Jinked his arm? causing him to drop his Iler^^up- U^SS 3 n 3r. d r« ssAst STs shores and Rangitoto's slopes were once again Wsty, blue and peaceful.

A big change is needed to make our country a better place in which to live. If there were more true Christians, it would bo a far happier country. New Zealand's future depends upon the youth of to-day. If they are taught to do what is rignt now, when they grow older they will bo able to help the future youth and so build up a country of which to be proud.—Beryl FitzGerald (14). To-day, New Zealand stands side by side with her'unconquerable Allies, Britain, Russia and America, in this fight, for freedom. When the sun of liberty again casts upon us his benevolent rays, then New Zealand shall take up her part in peace as she has done in war. To complete this freedom, which was won so gallantly on innumerable islands of the Pacific and Mediterranean, New Zealand must increase her population by at least 20 per cent, have her ports open to all friendly nations, and build her own factories.—Filomena Talijancich (16). In the near future, New Zealand will be the destination of many. Immigrants will come to live here and build up our population. Our country will be the terminus of new air and sea routes. Streamlined aeroplanes will be making record flights in a few hours. All our men returned from the war must be treated well and justly. We must import more machinery in order to become more selfreliant in our manufacturing.—Dawn Stephens (17). New 'Zealand must cultivate Christian home life, for this is a sure foundation. Living in flats is not the same as living in a house with a garden and more privacy. Being interested in New Zealand's progress industrially, I think of flax. This was useful always in New Zealand, and in the future we will prosper more with its cultivation, which is being revived. Hare-keke is its Maori name, and it grows well on river banks. The future of rope and twine, besides many other things, depends on our use of flax.—Joyce T. Ramsden (16).