CHILDREN OF OUR CITY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 27, 26 October 1907, Page 3

CHILDREN OF OUR CITY.

Wellington lias feiv gardens, and one must search tho florists' windows for the blossoms that in more fortunately situated towns iiro to be found along every suburban street aiiil. labile, but -in • its -possession of little human, flowers our town lias reason, to bo ,'ycry pr.oiuL... There is many a squalid street aiitl dingy right-of-way that out of school Hours is -gay with children, and from ■tho very fact that there are no gardens the citizens of Wellington have tho pleasure of seeing all tho children thero are. Children of good homes.who in Christchurch or Aitcklahdj.would he playing quietly with one or two littlo neighbours in a sheltered garden, hero'may be. seen playing hop-scotch on the pavement, heedless of the passer-by, and the man in whoso home the.'e are no children finds .many .a little picti.re of child-life to delight him as he passes' through those shabby streets in crowded neighbourhoods, which are the real flower gardens of Wellington. One such street that 1 know of, swarms with children every holiday as if it creche, and all, the children are a joy to seei so round and rosy, and well-kept-are they. The district-/'also swarms with cats, but I seldom'see a child caressing a kitten, nor have I ever seen a cat chased by.- .any of, the . boys who haunt the place.

Tho cats go-thoir way, and the*children' go' theirs,! 111 ■a- quite . • indifferent .* amity.' A little .black."-sprawling-puppy" "has been the soui co of a good doal of interest, and, wrap-, petl :iip- m ii shawl from'which ;it. persistently emerged,, has done duty. in a • baby-carriage,' wheeled- .carefully ;.up.- and an qariiost-faced- little girl. But that was dur-: mg school hours, when no. other playmate was: availAlde.' Out of' thos'6 hours'" th'e children- thomselves aro each other's''greatest delight-. It is however,, when a' hew baby comes" .to. tho.'- street- that the children arc happiest,- and it' is those families which have had,.most" to do with the care of little babies that"-v/clcoinc the new. ,ono- most- cagerlf; Lhilciron. w ho ; one, Trould/ thinkj, avoto worn out with the caro of ninny younger- brothers ? ni u;? 1 ?* 0 "' fight' for tho. privilegc 'of taking .? aro of the next-door,.lady's ..baby for an Hour, and Jio-discussion usually ends in half a dozen of tlicni taking of it,,andforining.a precession to escort it safely up and down':tlie' street. "■ "• - " /

; Qiicrrels. among the playmates there niustsurdy be, but one- can go through tho streets-for days and-see no-sigh of disa«'ree-ment,;HndLat-the oiid -of many, davs come to the conclusion .that though, the. children may' ignore the. grown-ups, and clai-m the rights ot the payement ,t-o : tho, complote and rude .disregard 'of all - adult', passcrs-iiy; thev arc to ..their equals."' -Their presence doea, give agreat; charm totho stroets. If only the streets could, bo made worthy of tho children,! if fehccs could', be done "away with,-, and everv possible bit of sparo jground /oultiya"ted, ; so" that here' .would be a littlo grassy patch, and-thero a bank of hardy -But '.'that would not bo' .enough. Ihe children ought to have some placd-to play-in. I/AVeHingtoii owes, it to'the children .to' providb'. t-heiii wit-li little playiii" grounds here';'"and-'there quito 'as riiucli a° she. owes light and roadway to," the people tclioso odd fancies.tako.them. abroad at niiTbtwlicn -the' children aro sound asleep.- You may. any- day soo. ,-i row of little ones sitting on a kerbstone:with their feet in a dry gutter, as: .'happy, 'and • contented as birds oil a. rail. But- the kerbstdne is r.o place for a child..', ' . .. ..