Kiwi Opens the Mail

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 175, 20 April 1929, Page 24

Kiwi Opens the Mail

LETTERS FROM LEAGUE MEMBERS

Dear Kiwi, —The hunting season has come again, and I am glad, for, although I cannot jump, I can ride, and I am very fond of horses. But I always feel sorry for the poor little hare. “Last Saturday there was a hunt in Havelock, and at. 1.30 p.m. all, or most, of the followers were assembled at the village. I did not ride, but I went to see it, and I walked (with my mother) up the hills, following the horses, for about two hundred yards. Then the hounds caught the scent, and we saw the hare streaking across the grass, with the hounds in - full cry, and the master shouting and cracking his whip. They soon lost it, but another hare was sighted, when the jumping began. About seven who could’ not jump •stayed in th'e first field,-as there were no gates, and cantered about, or stood in groups. The followers meanwhile rode right up the hills, where they became mere black objects, and and there they wandered about, or seemed to. So that day was not a great success, although it was good weather for the hunt. Next Wednesday there is another. I liked the rabbit family and “the pixie acquaintance” very much, but they were not at all punctual. Still, we’ll see.—Kiwi.

Doreen Crawley, of Eketahuna, writes:—Our little winding road to school is bounded on one side by the Tiraumea River, and on the other by steep hills. One of these hills has been slipping away for years—the result'of deforestation. With the constant winter rains it often runs rapidly, and the wet soil comes right across the road, sometimes five feet in depth. It is then impossible to ride our ponies across, so we have to go back and lead them over the hills. Sometimes treacherous rocks come down, too, and the men have to blast them with dynamite. In the summer,-though,-it is entirely different, for it is all dry and bare. This summer the county council men have done their best to fix it. They have widened it considerably. Before, if a ear should skid on the slippery mud. there would be a dangerous drop" of 60 or 70 feet into the river below. When it was sufficiently widened, they backed it up with willow logs, and next put huge posts in, and stayed them up. They then planted willow to hold the soil together. Whether this will be successful, I do not know, but I am hoping it will be, though, it is fun to canter along the wet road, and slish-slosh through the mud and along the windy sheep track over the hills to school. Is this the faithful member who is responsible for all those other messages from Eketahuna. Give the new members a hearty welcome, Doreen. — Kiwi.

Dear Kiwi. —A friend invited me to spend the Easter holidays at her country home. It was a lovely ride, to the farm. We travelled along a narrow road winding in and out the lofty hills, between gorges and over plains. When we arrived tlibre, the dogs, calves, poultry, and pigs were all waiting for their “tea.” They were not the only ones, for we were very tired and hungry after dur journey. The days were spent out on the hills, burning scrub and watching the blazing

; fires spread, in sheep work, and horse- , riding. We were very sad when the , time for packing bags came, but still, at the bottom of our hearts, there was a feeling of happiness and pleasure, and we went into Martinborough with .light hearts, and ready for a i good remaining term’s work at school. : —Grace Anderson, Martinborough. The “apple pie” sounded very funny, , but wasn’t it very uncomfortable, too? —Kiwi. Clarice Hobbs, Foxton, writes:— The Life Saving Guards of Foxton went .to camp at the beach in the Easter holidays. We went in a bus, and sang merry songs as we neared the place where we were to camp. The first thing we did when we arrived at the cottage, was to. make our. beds, unpack our things, and have supper. It was great fun preparing for our short stay. We enjoyed ourselves by swimming in the river, practising life saving, and with games, exercises, and walks. Did you have a campfire by the sea? I think campfires are quite the nicest ’ part’ of camp.—Kiwi. Audrey Willson, Roseneath, writes: — The other night I was sitting on our verandah watching the moon climb over the hills. First a little golden kiss-curl peeped over the hills, then his eyes, next his nose, and his mouth, and then his whole jolly, round face drifted slowly 'into the heavens, while the little stars clustered about him like little ones gathering about their mother. Have vou ever seen in the moon a seventeenth century lady, or a rabbit, or a widespreading tree? They are there sometimes. I am going to look carefully for the kiss-curl next time. —Kiwi. Verena Gundesen, Featherston, writes:—A few Sundays ago, a partj of us went for a trip to Western Lake, 30 miles distant. The road ran through many miles of beautiful native bush to the beach, where the breakers rolling over the sand beneath our feet were new to us, fresh from the country. Looking across the wide expanse of sea we saw a glimmer of black arising from nowhere. To bur surprise, a funnel appeared, and slowly a boat, came into sight. That funnel, peeping over the horizon, was one. of the things that told the people of many years ago that our world was not flat, as they thought. But' I think it would have been a sailkin those days, instead of a funnel. —Kiwi. Letters, riddles, jokes, and puzzles received from: Roma Burt (Featherston), Iza Williamson (Eahautanui),’ Flip (Wellington), John Flynn, Tomboy, Isla Davidson (Martinborough), Margaret Young (Eltham), Jean Meuli (Manaia), Muriel Dunn (Greytown). Roy Barnes (Te Horo), Audrey Willson (Roseneath), Faith Harrington (Wellington), i Allan Gordon (Lower Hutt), Molly Hudson (Eketaliuna), Margaret Garrick (Lower Hutt), Jov Mullins (Seatoun). Eileen Matson (Carterton), B. Edwards (Featherston), Roy Kilmister (Belmont). Olive Smith (Masterton), Jean Fleming (Khandallah), Leone Cameron (Levin).