BIG BROTHER BILL and the BAIRNS

Evening Star, Issue 22975, 4 June 1938, Page 8

BIG BROTHER BILL and the BAIRNS

A POUND OF PLUCK IS WORTH A TON OF LUCK Competition winners for Saturday, May 21, will be announced in nest week’s columns. THE COMPETITIONS The under-tens have a puzzle picture this week, and the over-tens a changed letter puzzle Neither is very hard. Send your answers to Big Brother Bill, care of ‘ Evening Star,’ Stuart street, Dunedin. C.l. Be sure to mark the envelopes “ Competition.” WHAT IS HAPPENING? (Under 10 years. Prize, Is.) If the letters on the yacht’s sails are put together correctly, the single word will tell what they are doing. Can you do it?

CHANGED LETTERS. (Over 10 years. Prize, Is 6d.) Can you find five words hidden in this paragraph? Find the first word, then follow directions for the others. I am a flower made up of four letters. Change my first and I am part of your face; change my second and 1 am a verb meaning to get up; change my third and I am a thick cord; change my last and I am a Scottish county. - PEN FRIENDS' CORNER If you want a pen friend write to Big Brother Bill, and your name and address will appear , in this corner. If you have pen friends overseas or in Kew Zealand who wish for bairns with whom to correspond, send their names, ages, and addresses to Big Brother Bill, and he will gladly publish them in this corner. The letters printed below are from bairns who wish for pen friends. Brother Bill thanks them for their letters, and hopes, they will be successful in obtaining good chums. Nancy M'Credie. 15 Harwood Avenue, Willoughby, New South Wales, would like pen friends in New Zealand 15 to 17 years of age. She is interested in all outside sports, stamp collecting, and dancing. Nancy would like a snap with the first letter if possible. Noel Platts, 91 Spencer street. Bunbury, Western Australia, would like pen friends of either sex living in New Zealand. Noel is interested in sports and swimming. Alan Hyde, Malapiro Station, Fenhill, Hastings, would like girl pen friends living anywhere, 16 to 18 years. He is interested in writing, drawing, and film stars. A snap with the first letter if possible. Doris Mapey, Renmark, (River Murray, South Australia, would like pen friends anywhere, 15 to 17 years. Doris will answer all letters. 19 Hanover street, Dunedin, C.l. May 29, 1938. Dear Big Brother Bill.—l would like very much to have a pen friend in the .North Island—a boy or girl between the ages of 14 and 16. I am interested in film stars, photographs, swimming, and basketball. Snapshot with the first let- ■ ter, if possible.—l remain, yours sincerely, Thelma (Rowe. 19 Hanover street, Dunedin, C.l. May 28, 1938. Dear Big (Brother Bill, —I would like to have a pen friend in Australia—a girl or a boy about 12 or 14 years. I am interested in film stars and skating. A snapshot with the first letter, if possible.—l .remain, yours sincerely, Marion Rowe. WINTER “1 wish I knew, now winter’s here, Why is the world so grey? Where has the lovely blue sky gone? ” I heard a small boy say. The Wind, who happened to be near, Laughed shrilly, then he said: “Why, small boy, don’t you really know What’s happening overhead ? “ The Fairyfotk are busy now A-painting up the sky With lots of lovely bright blue paint It’s lucky they can fly! “ The sky is very, very big, I The Fairies very wee. , And they must have it nice and fresh 1 For summer, don’t you see? | “ So every winter time they draw ) A dust-sheet ’cross the sky. It’s prey and rather ugly, but j Quite useful. Now, good-bye.’’ j The small boy gazed above and said; I “ It’s like a dust-sheet, so | I s’pose it must bo true—besides ; The old Wind ought to know! ” ! —Lilian Alice Scott. I

i THE POSTIE’S BAG 30 Arden street, Opoho. Dunedin, N.E.I. , May 28, 1938. Dear Big Brother Bill, —1 would like to join your band of children. I am interested in aeroplanes, astronomy, and electricity. I have a good collection of stamps, but my mother does more to them than .1 do, because 1 am busy doing other things. I have just been flying my aeroplane, and have > broken it—it is a low-winged cabin 1 plane which flies quite well. My father . used to have a telescope, and when we looked at the moon it looked like por- ; ridge boiling in a pot, only it was quite : still. I must close now.—l remain, yours sincerely, lan Pairman. P.S.: I am 11 years old [Thank you for your letter, lan Pairman. Your name is on the Honour Post, and you are the winner of the best letter prize for this week. You are welcome to the family." Brother Bill hopes that you will write again. With all your interests, you should be a very happy fellow. The trouble with model aeroplanes is they are so fragile—they have to be to fly well—and they break easily. Brother Bill hopes you will be able to repair it again. There is a telescope where Brother Bill lives, and those who use it find the moon one of the most interesting things to see [n the night sky. Write again soon.] 62 Peter street, Dunedin, S.W.I. ■ Dear Big Brother Bill, —I am in I Standard I. at Cavershajn Schobl, and am seven years old. I had a good holi- ■ day at Owaka. The foal I told you i about has grown such a lot. It eats the big horses’ feed when they are out,’ and comes to the house for a drink of water. The pet lamb has grown into a sheep now We were away for two weeks. At home we have nine wee bantam hens as pets. I am learning the piano now, and next year I would like to play for you over the air.—l remain, yours faithfully, Kathleen Harris. [Thank you for your letter, Kathleen Hams. Your name is on the, honour post for neat writing. What a capital holiday you hand at Owaka. I In the next letter you will probably be able to say that the foal is old enough to go to work, Kathleen. That is the way of life. School to learn things, work to use what has been learned.” It is a good way, too. Brother, ]3ill does not quite know what to say about the pet lamb growing up. He imagines it is rather dangerous for a lamb to grow into a sheep—a sheep is very near to mutton. Which is not a very nice thought for the sheep, if it thinks at all. Let us hope this pet lamb will stay a pet, and avoid being eaten as mutton chops. Brother Bill will be glad to have you play over the air, but you must come and see him first. Write again soon.] 30 Arden street, Opoho, Dunedin, N.E.I. May 26, 1938. Dear Brother Bill,- —How are you getting on? This time I write to you I 1 have great news. I now have a wee I baby sister, who was born on Friday, May 20, at 8.45. I am sure you will j be pleased to hear that. I am very : impatient for Tuesday to come, so ! that I can tell my teacher and friends at school. The trees on our bank were rather late in turning colour, but now they are all dressed in rich colours of yellow and brown. I think I will close now.—Your loving bairn, A. Pairmain. [Tkank you for your letter, A. Pairman. It certainly contained exciting news. Good news, too, by the joyful way you tell it. Brother Bill hopes the baby sister will grow up into a good chum and a helpful companion to mother, which will repay a little for all the care mother will have to give from now onward. There is an old superstition that says an autumn baby will be beautiful, with hands filled with gold. That is an excellent wish for the new baby at your house—happiness, beauty, and prosperity. Write again soon.] 17 Larkworthy street, Dfmedin, 5.2. May 28, 1938. Dear Big Brother Bill,—This is the first time I have written to you. I am II years of age, and in Standard 111. at Musselburgh School. We have a pet canary, and he is four years old. At times he whistles, but sometimes he is absolutely quiet. “ Biddy ” is his name. Last year # we had a black Angora rabbit. He was over six years old, and we were very grieved when he died. I would be very pleased if I could join your band of bairns.—Yours faithfully, Nola Burton. [Thank • you for your letter, Nola Burton. Wellcome to the family. Fancy calling the canary Biddy. Is it not something like calling Jack by the name of Mary? But then names do not matter as long as Biddy sings. Angoras are very beautiful rabbits, the most beautiful in all the rabbit tribe, but they are not very strong. White things—they are usually called albino—are more delicate as a rule than coloured. If your bunny lived four years he did very well. Write again soon.] 24 St. David street, Dunedin, N.l, May 28, 1938. Dear Big Brother Bill,—l have entered for this week’s competition and I hope 1 may be successful, but everybody cannot win. There are four girls in our family, but we really all agree quite well. Do you like this kind of weather? I do not; not very much, anyway. Well, I close now, with love to yourself and the bairns.—l remain, yours sincerely. Iris Wilson. [Thank you for your letter, Iris Wilson. Everybody cannot win, as you say, and it is nice to take it in such a sporting spirit. It so happens that as Brother Bill writes this answer to your letter the day is a lovely autumn picture— shining mid and cool. Ho hopes you will like it hotter. Do you

know the poem with a verse saying: “ If rain comes, then rain’s my choice ” P It saves a lot of worry to feel that way even about the worst weather. But some of it is really very tiresome. Write again soon.] 5 Benhar street, Mornington, W.l, May 21, 1938.. Dear Big Brother Bill, —Seeing so many nice letters in the paper, I thought 1 would like to write to you. New Zealand is new to me, as I have just arrived from China. I am 11 years old, and have never left China before. I think New Zealand is a lovely place, but I would love to go back again to China. If anyone would like a pen friend there, I will get him one, but not a Chinese boy or girl. I would like a pen friend in Scotland. I am entering for that competition of wrong pictures. I think competitions are great fun. We have a car. We go out in it quite a lot. I enjoy the rides very much. On Saturday we went to Portobello. That is a lovely drive. We saw some lovely scenery.—l remain, your loving bairn, Irene (Richardson. [Welcome to the family, Irene Richardson. A very warm welcome. Brother Bill is of the opinion that China is a safe place to be out of at present; there is so much nastiness and danger. It would be delightful if you would send a letter describing your life in China. Everybody in the family would love to read it. Suppose you do so, Irene? Write again soon.]

A PLAGE FOR BIRD LOVERS The Pledge.—“ I promise to care for all wild birds, especially New Zealand native birds, to feed them in winter, and to protect them at all times. I promise also to protect our native trees and bush, and at no time to assist in their damage or destruction, since they are the natural home of our native birds.” Name Full postal address, If you wish to join the Bird Club it is necessary to send Is in stamps or a postal note, and a bird* book and badge will be sent to you. Address your letters to Big Brother Bill, care of ‘ Evening Star,’ Stuart street, Dunedin, 0.1. Be sure to mark your envelope “Bird Club.” THE LARK A young man stopped to listen An old man raised his head, With thankful heart a sick man heard The singing overhead. A beggar found the dusty road More pleasant to his feet, A king whose crown weighed heavily Thought life more kind and sweet. A washerwoman at her tub Was gladdened by the song; A lonely woman smiled because The day seemed not so long. A child who stumbled in the way, Though hurt, forgot to cry. A boy looked up and called aloud: A lark is in the sky! A PRESENT FOR A KING The school children of Yugoslavia are spending five years in preparing a present for their young King Peter when he comes to the throne in 1942 “ Our country is beautiful,” they say, “ but it would be more beauti ful if all the mountains were crowned with forests, and all the barren places had trees.” They have set on foot a scheme for making this dream come true. The scheme begins in a small way by calling on every school to plant fruit trees, which will be a useful source of nourishment for future generations of scholars and a weapon in the country’s fight against alcoholism. “It is proved,” they say, “ that people who eat a great deal of fruit do not like alcohol.” “We will do more,” says their brave announcement. “We will plant trees for our friends, and for all those whom we do not know, for all men are brothers.’ ” A NEW SNAKE STORY If you go to a country in which snakes abound you will hear almost impossible stories about them. Here is a true one. At Sea Lake, Australia, a little boy of three told his father that there was a snake coiled np in the kitchen. When the father arrived it started to go through a crack in a corner of the concrete floor. The man just managed to grab the snake’s tail, and called to his wife to bring a rope, which he tied round the tail. His wife then held the rope tightly while he weftt outside the house and dug down the wall until he reached the place the snake had reached. Then he killed it.

The wings and tail can now be covered, and for this purpose Indian muslin will be quite suitable, and it can be obtained from any draper. The wings are covered in two pieces, as there should be a space in between the two middle ribs. On the drawings from

last week the dotted lines round the wings and tail show you how the covering should be shaped. Cover one half of the wings at a time, as the material should be stretched lengthwise, and then glued at the ends. After this the muslin edges, first at the front and afterwards at the back, should be glued to every rib. Lastly the remaining edges of the muslin should be turned under and glued down, the front over the longest spar, and the back over the cotton. The dark surface at the back of the body (fig. 4) shown on the drawings for last week has to be clad in material on both sides. The tail plane is covered in exactly the same manner as the wings, only the material for covering the tail should be in one piece. When the covering is quite finished all the material should be painted with shellac. The model should now look like the big drawing, and it is only necessary to attach the four thin bamboo struts from the top edge of the sledge to the middle of the wings. These struts (Fig. Z) are pear shaped, as shown on the drawing in the top right-hand corner, and they are glued on with an extra amount of glue. You must see that the sharp edges of the struts are turned towards the back A strut of this shape is said to be streamlined, and gives the least resistance when flying. The three drawings show clearly how the struts should be arranged. Now the glider is ready for painting in aluminium, bronze, or in bright colours, just as you please. HOW TO START THE GLIDER. On the drawing of the finished glider, as well as on the first drawing, you will notice that there is a little hook (Fig. C) at the extreme point of the sledge. This is made in a very simple manner. Simply knock a suitable nail slantwise, but only halfway,

HUNTING THE WOLF In some of the Western States of America wolf hunting, although thrilling as a sport, is a grim necessity. In several parts which lie near hills there have been so many wolves this winter that even good-sized towns have been terrified at night by their visits, in search for food. Even when they do not come into the towns their bloodcurdling howls easily reach the ears of the townsfolk and make them glad to stay in their houses. Such a lot of chickens and animals have been eaten by the hungry creatures that whole communities have banded together to hunt down and kill them. Drives are carefully organised, for wolves are nearly as clever as foxes. First of all, a great pasture near the centre of the infested district is chosen for the final round-up. The hunt may cover from four to a hundred square miles. . A fourth of the men, each armed with a shotgun, take their places along each of the outside lines of the square. At a given time all begin to move towards the chosen field, driving the wolves before them with the aid ot wolfhounds.

MAKING A GLIDER

CONTINUING LAST WEEK'S INSTRUCTION

into the wood, and with a pair of pincers nip the head off the nail. The glider can be started without a catapult, by throwing it forward and upwards into the air against the wind. This method, however, is only good when one is standing on the top of a

hill or some other elevated position. Real “ record flights ” are only made with the aid of a special mechanism to catapult the glider into the air. Find a suitable place for starting, and put two strong poles into the ground. The distance between them should be three to four yards. A strip

of rubber, of the same length? can be made from ah old motor car tube cut into pieces and knotted together. Each end should be tied securely to a pole. Take the glider, slip the book at the sledge nose over the middle of the rubber, pull as far back as the rubber permits, loose the glider, and on the rebound the rubber will send the glider into the air. With a catapult the glider starts direct from the ground, as the poles are only Sin high, and the plane is thrown forward so that it rises in a gradually ascending line. This start, also, must always he against the wind. Fig. (B is a plan of the glider’s start. 1 is the glider, 2 is the strip of rubber, and 3 the poles. The glider is thrown in the direction indicated by the arrows. Next week you shall hear about another method of starting the glider.

WHAT TO DO WITH A WHALE What would you do with a dead whale? That is the problem which is worrying the officials of San Francisco. .They awoke one morning to find a fifty-foot whale washed ashore in the Golden Gate Harbour. Of course, the whale must be disposed of quickly or it would endanger health, said the Health Department. It would cost too much to bury the monster, so they suggested to the fire department that it should burn the carcase. The fire marshal reminded them of the hundreds of complaints about the horrible odour which were received from unhappy citizens several years ago when the fire-fighters ,had destroyed a dead whale by burning. Next it was suggested that' the whale be towed out to sea, but_ seamen who were offered the job pointed out that unless the carcase was taken out a very great distance the strong currents and the tide would carry it back or wash it on to some other beach. The latest idea was to tow the dead whale out to sea and blow it up.