Wainui-O-Mata—Big Black Water

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 136, 5 March 1938, Page 9 (Supplement)

Wainui-O-Mata—Big Black Water

]J)EAR Boys and Girls, — How many of you have been to the place in the IVainui-o-mata hills from where Wellington’s water supply comes? For that is where I went adventuring a few days ago. Those who have been will know that the zvay lies over the hills on the east side of the Hutt Valley, and down into the hot, dry little valley below, zvhere there are cattle among the flax-trees. There was splendid bird-song round the lake belozv the reservoir when I was there. Wild pigeons’ zvings made a whistling noise over the water. The tuis seemed to drink music; they flapped back and forth zvith their short, uncertain flight. A shag from the sea zvith his long, outstretched neck flezv dozvn quickly and made a perfect landing on the lake surface. Then he drank, dipping in his beak and “nibbling” at the water, tasting it and szvallozving it lingeringly. Perhaps, you see, he had flown the eighteen miles from the coast. Here in the bush-clad hills the rain falls heavily; the bush holds the moisture; it trickles,dozvn in rivulets and is stored ■in the reservoir, from zvhere' it travels to the people's taps in Wellington. All this water comes from the sky, and the bush. It is stored among the trees, zvhere the birds sing. It is flavoured zvith the good earth and the szveet leaves and the zvood. It holds the best of all these things. And as an “apple a day keeps the doctor away,” so, if you drink this zvat-er of flozvina, cold bush streams, you will be keeping the doctor away from your homes.

Let us have a “keep fit campaign” on our own. Shall we? My love to you all.