Junior- Dominion League

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 134, 2 March 1929, Page 24

Junior - Dominion League

A CLUB FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

For a long time past, requests have been streaming in to "lhe Dominion to provide a section for young readers, and arrangements have now been made whereby this page will be devoted to the interests of our young people every Saturday. , ~ , . .... This section would have made its appearance at a much earlier date, but it has been felt that the average young person is not altogether satisfied with the usual collection of fairy tales which have, far many years, been regarded as the principal literary diet of the rising generation. While we recognise that the fairy story will always play a very important part m the life of a child, it is not sufficient in itself to fill the needs of the growing and inquiring young mind, in this section, therefore, an effort will be made to cater for the principal needs of the young readers. * t ,, , iT In conjunction with this page, it has been decided to conduct the Junior Dominion League,” which all young readers of “The Dominion” are invited to join. As this organisation develops, it is hoped to bring many of the young people of New Zealand and the outlying islands into closer contact with one another by means of correspondence,'exchange, and other sections. One of the principal objects of the League will be to foster a spirit of patriotism—love of country. - . .. . .. ‘‘The Junior Dominion League” will therefore be an organisation for the readers of “The Dominion,” under the age of 16 years, who agree to adopt the League’s motto. ■ The League’s motto is: “Every day to learn something new; to strive to become a better New Zealander; to uphold the traditions of the Empire.” The emblem of the League is the Kiwi. . , . x The junior section of “The Dominion” will contain many special features of interest to bur young readers, not the least of which will be a weekly children’s cartoon. Other features will include short stories, puzzles and competitions, all of which will make the section of interest‘to our young readers. To become a member of the “Junior Dominion League,” it is only necessary to wylte to Thb Editor, “The Junior. Dominion,” giving your age, name and address. A certificate of membership will then be forwarded, which will entitle the holder to/enter any of the competitions or other activities of the League, which will be announced from time to time.

PORPOISES Everyone has he..rd of the fearsome sea dragons that are said by superstitious old sailormen to haunt the deep, and the sea-serpents of fabulous length, though not one of us has .ever seen a specimen of this terrifying tribe. But there is one kind of sea monster that many of us have seen, almost as fearsome to look at, but . disappointingly harmless. > \ r The first time,one.catches a glimpse, of a school of porpoises threading their ponderous way through the waves, their . inky black ■ backs gleaming wickedly as they rise in the water, one is justified in being a little timorous. A The/look most uncanny, rising and dipping, one after the other, in a long chain, sometimes as many as a dozen together. • You will not be able to see them from the shore probably, unless they chance to be unusually close. But if you are rowing about quietly in a boat at a little distance out to sea, you may get a very good view of them. The porpoises have an alarming way of suddenly appearing on the surface of the waters, seemingly from nowhere, and then, just as suddenly they give a flourish of their tails and are gone again, perhaps not to reappear until they are a long way from that disturbing boat. I ■ '

i Though as a rule these queer blundering creatures gambol at a safe distance, sometimes they will seem to be completely oblivious of .the boat and its occupants, approaching so close that one might well feet alarmed lest either playfully or with mischievous intent they should collide with the boat and capsize it. J A blow from one of those strong, black, tails would be sufficient to overturn a light craft. Yet one rarely hears of any such collision occurring. '. \ Though the porpoise seems such a clumsy, lumbering creature, he is in reality an expert swimmer and can steer his bulky body more deftly than you can steer your! boat

Once one has overcome one’s alarm and got used, t him, the porpoise would seem to be a most good-tempered and playfully disposed creature, as together with the rest of the porpoise “school,” he frolics about on the surface of the water, ow displaying his queer, shiny back, and now plungiug into the waters, scattering ( the white spray in showers as he goes.’ ‘ But we must not look upon the porpoise as a fish, for all that he. inhabits the mighty deep, any more than the whale, which in a great many ways he resembles, though he is built on a less gigantic style. He is a lungbreathing, warm-blooded creature, like

WHAT THE FISH TOLD US It is far from Africa to India, and the Indian Ocean, into which creatures of the fresh water cannot. enter, stretches between the two lands. ■ How strange it is, then, that we find certain types of life, particularly backboneless types, in the rivers and streams of India, precisely those of the fresh water of Africa and of the Mother Country. Still stranger we find similar types of life in Indian and South American waters, which are not found in Africa; What can it mean? The question has been asked at a conference of clever men and the answer is a fascinating one. Africa and India were once joined together, and the fresh-water life of one was the fresh-water life of the other also. The land bridges from Africa to India broke down, and the humble creatures of the fresh waters remain to tell the tale. But South America was joined - to Africa in the same way, and through Africa to India, and at that time all three lands had fresh-water life in common, as India and South America, though now far sundered, have to-day. The rea. on why these two widely separated countries have corresponding life-forms in their streams, life-forms that are absent from South America, is that, although those life-forms originated in Africa and colonised South America and India, they have died out in the parent country. South America lacks examples which the other two countries still possess, the reason being that South America split off, as it were, from Africa, while India still remained joined to the Dark Continent, and so did not receive the little'creatures evolved from other forms at a later, date. A certain duchess owed a bill to a milliner, and the latter’s little daughter was sent to collect it. “Be sure to say, ‘Your Grace’ to the duchess,” said the mother, and the child promised to remember. When, after long waiting, she was ushered into the presence of the duchess, the little girl made a low curtsey, and then folding her hands and closing her eyes, said, softly:

“For what I am about to receive may I be truly thankful.”

the familiar animals on land. There is really nothing about him to suggest the fish except his tail and flippers, and it is comforting to know that being a gentle creature, peaceably disposed, he will do us no damage.