THE "GOOD ENDEAVOUR" LEAGUE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 103, 22 December 1939, Page 7

THE "GOOD ENDEAVOUR" LEAGUE

(By PETER THE WHALER) Christinas is nearly hero, ma Hear tics! Here we stop off the coast of Japan, in one of the lovely bays, where t lie cherry orchards extend almost down to the water's edge. Certainly Japan is a very beautiful country. In the background you can see the sacred mountain of Fuji Yama. Some people think it very like our Mount Egmont because of its conical top, which like the New Zealand mountain is always covered with snow. Well lads and lassies, I hear that most of you arc going away for the holidays, so 5 am chartering the fastest clipper planes to take you all home in less than live minutes. Hop aboard, the lot of you. You can leave the S.G. Good Endeavour in the practical hands of Old Peter. He knows every inch of her planking and every wheel of her machinery. Now off you go and let me wish you all again the happiest Christmas and the best Ncav Year you have ever had in your young lives. I will save our children's column until you are all safely home again next February. Till then there will be no Peter the Whaler corner on Fridays. Cheerio ma Hearties, and when you all come back with sunburnt noses, and brown happy smiles don't forget to drop me a note and tell me all about your holidays. When I muster you all again wc will continue our World Cruise. Your old friend Peter the Whaler.

THE CHRISTMAS COMPETITION COLOURING IN SANTA CLAUS I had seven wonderful entries for liiis. They were all so good that 1 decided to give you all gifts. Hero are the "winners: Nanette Raymond (excellent) Beverley Armstrong Jean Howat Cecily Sullivan Janetle McLeod Ivan Meyer May Hanham. Congratulations, call in at the BEACON and collcct your presents. CHRISTMAS GREETINGS Hope you all received your cards. I had an awful job to get Reuters to accept sq nvim r cables from Japan, even though they were to such important people as my crew. Thanks to the Third Mate r I oni Maxwell for neat Christmas card. I just rescued it from Butinsky as he was sniffing at it. It is now in my sea chest nearest my birth certificate so you can see how I prize it. P.T.W.

A KINDLY NEIGHBOUR Two little children presented their apartment-dwelier mothers with bou quets of beautiful iiowcvs the other morning and learned a lesson in love and gratitude. And all because an unknown neighbour chose to expiess her appreciation. During an early morning walk the children came upon a front. door garden in full bloom —one of those gardens we all love so much because we know the owner unselfishly planted it and tends it just for our benefit! Instead of following the destructive inclinations of many youngsters of their age, these two children were attracted to the garden lor its beauty. They wandered into its midst, where they stood enraptured for a few minutes chatting quietly, stooping now and then to smell some garden beauty, and giving vent at intervals to little "Ooo's" and "Ah's, of pure childish joy. Then, as if they were loath to leave, they started on their way. But they had not reached the boundary of the property when a kind voice called them back. \ou may have some ilowers lor yourselves, children, because you have not taken them Avithout asking, or harmed the garden in any way." And then- a friendly woman appeared and cut each chilid a bouquet while they all chatted together. The bouquets were not common flowers ready to drop their petals, the sort some people give to children because they think children are unappreciative of flowers, but fresh new roses and delphiniums still wet with dew. Could the friendly neighbour know - how much her kindness was appre- . ciated by two mothers and two little children, she vould be very grateful.