SUNBEAM COLUMN

Grey River Argus, 29 June 1925, Page 8

SUNBEAM COLUMN

Good Thoughts to All the World! Once upon a time there was a king who, by his cruel and unjust rule, made himself feared and hated by his subjects. One day he was riding through the capital when he saw an old man shrink down a side street out of hi> way. The King overtook and seized the man. “Why do you try to avoid me, he asked. ‘ “Sire, 1 was afraid of you’ stammered the poor man, and- sought to escape. The King caught him by the back of the neck, and lashed him agai'.i and again with his riding whip, roaring out in fury. — “Love me, you shall love me! l‘U teach you to love me.’’ Do you think, Sunbeams, that the King was going the right way to make people love him? Yet the nations of the world to-day are acting very much as that King acted. Each is trying to force its neighbours to love it. by having a bigger army and navy and fleet of airships than they. Nearly cvcij country is now spending more on armaments than before the war. Almost every 'lay the newspapers tell of feverish preparations for another war, of the discovery of new poison gasses, of 1 • loath rays of disease spreading microbes, of aeroplanes that will rain death without a pilot, and of deadlier bombs and guns, and battleships. The number of poisonous gasses used in the last war was about thirty. Owing to the efforts of scientists, since, there arc more than one thousand available for the next Avar. Our own little country is increasing its navy, while England has just built the largest submarine in the world, and is building two new battleships each of which is to cost £6 000,000. You know how many people there are in New Zealand., and you know how hard one has to earn £l2. Well every man, woman and child in New Zealand would have t$ earn £l2 to pay for those two battleships; would have to give two or three weeks of useful work to produce something for destruction. And, Sunbeams, you, 'along with every other person in our country, Nvould have to earn nearly £IOO to provide the money that England is going to spend altogether this year on preparing for Avar. Think Avhat could be done Avith that monev if it were spent to make people happier. Think of all the houses and schools and railways that could be built. As it is, in England thousands of people live with their families in single rooms have no. homes at all millions have to and millions have never known Avhat it is not to be hungry. And can armies and navies make us safe? Was the King I told you about safe because his subjects feared him? Don't you think he would have been a great deal safer if he had not a single soldier or a single Aveapon, but had made people really love him by doing good deeds? And wouldn't our country be safer if she spent to make herself loved one quarter of the 'money she is spending now to make herself feared:—A.W.P. The above is from the International Sunbeam, which I hope you Avill all enjoy. Love and good thoughts always, —AUNT FLORA. Blakotow n. Dear Aunt Flora', Uncles and Sunbeams.—Greetings and good thoughts lo all. 1 was very sorry to set' so few letters in last week's column, but I sincerely hope there are more .n this week’s paper. I wrote last weei-: but Gwcnnic forgot to post it. i was very pleased to see that the row Sunbeams are waiting. It is 1 hey who are keeping the wall from tumbling down. Don’t you think sc, Auntie? SUNBEAM MARY. To Na mu. Dear Aunt- Flora.— I send good thoughts to all the. world. I have not written to the column for a gooa while now . The All Blacks were !< at.en by 2 points at New South Wales. Wo just saw’ it to-night in the •‘Argus.” The whitebait are very earl’.’ this year. AVe saw in th e paner where some have been caught at Hokitika. We have three ducks, one with a sore leg’. My youngest brullier and sister as well as myself, have bad colds. A family went away from Kongahu ,and they had a I t’.<‘ girl called Lily, and she was a. Iricnd I of mine. My brother started sHhh'l I last Tuesday, but the whoop n2. cough keeps me away. My sist- r has her music lesson <‘very Mond iv evening. 1 shall close now Aunt\. with rood thoughts from SUNBLAM JEAN. Runanga. Dear Aunty Flora— Greetings a d good thoughts to all. 1 hope our tc.o new Sunbeams keep on writing * 1 4\e will have no> wall at all. \‘.v only had five, letters in last wee,!-.-This is a. short letter Aunty. Gooo thoughts to all the world and go“u n^ht,! . SUN’BEAAI VI ) Blaketown. Dear Aunt Flora., Uncles and Sun-beams—-Greetings to all, I am going to a party at. niy school-teacher s house, next Aveek. I am pleased to see a few new Sunbeams. I musr close! now, as my sister wants my let ter to 'tafee it up. Good thoughts. SUNBEAM BLUEBFJ.i,. Moonlight ■ Dear Aunt Flora.—There were >'■ I many letters in hist week, hut the old Sunbeams . will surely think to write again. Why don’t you write. Sunbeams? It is raining here to and I’m afraid we'll get wet -7onig to school. I will close now with got,.! thoughts to all from SUNBEAM NORMA. Ahaura. Dear Aunt Flora, —I am very sorry that the Sunbeams lire not waking up.

I wish that I could coax them. The weather lias broken, so there is now some rain. 1 am busy at my school work. Good thoughts to all. SUNBEAM CORAL. Blake town. Dear Aunt Flora. Uncles and Sun. beams, —Greetings and good thoughts to all! I am sorry that T. did not write last week. The frost was thick yesterday, and it is very roM going to school in the mornings. After the winter, we will have to go to school at half past eight. We will also have to go <>n Saturdays to make up for the time we lost during the epidemic. Good thoughts to all. SUNBEAM GWENNIE. Moonlight. Dear Aunt Flora, —I do wish the old Sunbeams would write again. 1 would like to see the whole page lull of letters. It’s going to be a very dismal day f think. I'll close now. SUNBEAM BONA. Dear Sunbeams—l feel a lot in’!' cosy to-day for some of my old p'ds have called to see me. Our column has been unavoidably delayed somewhat on this occasion. You know, I like you to come and tell me b.->w you are. I feel as if I am not stnv ing in vain when you peep in am! say ••Hullo!” You will notice a ;000 few letters to-day Coral, so tlrn-t very encouraging is it not? T am sorry your whooping cough is not yet better. Jean. You will gcH better as the days get warmer. I hope you write more often now Hint you have conic back. You are like a xxhole run instead of a> Sunbeam. Gwcnme. > had almost given up hope of aux ol my old Sunbeams coming back, i hex seem to want such a lot of coa.xiug. My two l nephews go to school cvmy day at half past eight, but to come from Blaketown h is far too car > . . hope you will not forget me my week. I hope you enjoy your par y Bluebell. How about a letter r.W week’l am glad you. came Mary, yo-.ir more letters this «ee • I P do not get xvet going.tosch o ltot a™ short a lot n. re Sunbeams come next week. L all. aVN’T FIAHUU