BEFORE THE MISSIONARIES CAME

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVIII, Issue 297, 1 December 1928, Page 14

BEFORE THE MISSIONARIES CAME

Dear Chief Kiwi, —This week I am writing on the above subject. Before the missionaries came the natives used to like to be fighting against each other and seeing who could collect tho most skulls. When there had just been a war the natives generally held a feast of human bodies. They would worshin idols for their gods. If two people of the tribe loved each other and ran away, and if ther were caught they would both be killed and eaten. The father of the girl would drag her to the middle of the ring and there he would strike her a hard blow on tho hack of ths neck and then she would bo eaten by the tribe. The women and girls were treated very badly in those days, but now that the missionaries are in those terrible lands, great changes have taken place. We owe a great deal to tho missionaries, don’t wo. Chief Kiwi. I will close now with love to you and all the Kiwis. —Orange Certificate to Rona Allan, nge 11 years, 607 Buller street, Hastings. « * ♦ * JUNIORS. HOW THE STOCK WENT TO THE SHOW

Dear Chief Kiwi,—As I did not go td the show 1 will tell you how some of the animals were sent there, as the valley is the home of some of the show stock. The horses were the first to leave. They were led to Hastings by their grooms, so they left very early in the morning, four days before the show. Afterwards the lorries came for the cattle. The lorries were backed into a loading bank which was cut out of a hill, then the cattle were led on to the hill so that they might walk straight into them. When the lorries had delivered the cattle on the showgrounds they came back for the sheep. A little platform was let down from the back of the lorries so that the sheep might walk jnto the lorry. It must have been worth all the trouble as they came back with mr ' of the best prizes. Thanking you for the Certificate and one shilling you awarded me last week. I will close now with love to you and the Kiwi band. —Pink Certificate to Chris Campbell, age 9 years, The Valiev. Maiaekakaho. & * * ♦ GUY FAWKES Dear Chief Kiwi,—Many thanks to you lor awarding me the prize last week. I am going to write tin's time aj»out the jolly time I had on the sth November. Tne Saturday I /ore, I was allowed to buy a lew cracaers, and Daddy promised to make a “Guy,” but on the morning of tho sth my auntie (who lived next door) invited me to her place to join in their fun, and Uncle gave my sisters and me such a variety of fireworks. Wo had Mother’s consent to accept the kind invitation but how long that day was to me. At last darkness fell and we set alight to the big heap of sticks and rubbish that Uncle had put ready and everyone was so happy except the “Guy,” but he watched and listened to us until half our crackers were gone, when we put him in. as the fire was then at its best and would burn him well. How careful we had to be to make sure it was not Uncle or Daddy we grabbed as it was rather dark. Now the rest of the crackers did not take long to ?et rid of but 1 think they were the prettiest. There were inkpots, smokes, cartons, and Roman wheels. Most of them were Japanese mane. I did like the Roman wheels. They were so pretty. I could only describe them by saying they went round and round and sent out. hundreds of sparks of many colours. Discovering our fireworks all gone our mouths and throats were awfully dry. so Auntie asked us all in and wc were very delighted to find that, she had prepared a nice supper for us and all went well until we were awakened in the morning by a voice which made me jump and I thought it was the “Guy’’ back punishing me for being so cruel in helping to burn him. Love to all. —Pink Certificate to Peggy Flanders. a"o 10 years, Mangatercterc, R D., Hastings. * * * * MY SURPRISE . Chief Kiwi,—Tin's week 1 would like to tel] you about my surprise. One Friday night, while having tea. I thought I heard a squeak like a babv kitten, but Mum said I was dreaming it, so I had to be content with that, but.. Chief Kiwi, I kept thinking about it for I was so sure I had heard it. My suspicions were again aroused when Mum said to Dad to keen mo inside They did not think I heard but I was listening all the time, taking care not to let anything pass my ears. Next morning Minn told mo to <ro outside nn<] see what I conbl find. I looked in the washhouse and saw two wee kittens and their mother. You can just imagine nre iov. 1 took up both the kittens an<’ the mother cat and ran in and showed Mum. but I bM to put them both bi n k because Mum said they would die. I have called them Flossie and Elizabeth. I have given Elizabeth to my him sister nnd I am sh-'riim Flossie with my other sister. I will close now with love to yourself mid the Kiwi hand. -Blue Certificate to Pbvllis Loom*». neo 9 rears, 813 Lyell afreet. Hastings.

A NEST Dear Chief Kiwi, —I would like to tell you about a nest 1 found the other day. I went for a walk down the drive and under a pine tree I saw a pretty blue egg, so 1 looked up the tree for the nest. It was not high so I climbed up. The nest was tipped up so I fixed it and put the egg in it again. I did not see the mother bird but when she came back I think she would be pleased. Some day there might be a little bird in the nest, Love to Aiu and all the Kiwis. —Pink Certificate to Margaret White, age 5 years, Crownthorpe. * » ♦ ♦ a Daughter of Hastings Dear Chief Kiwi, —This week I am going to write aboiu a picture I went to last Thursday night. It was entitled “A Daughter of Hastings,” starring Daisy Truman and Donald Campbell, Freddy Fishface, the villain, was played by a Mr. Pickup, who played very well. The Municipal Theatre was full, and it was as hot as could be. When the picture started the people clapped and shouted. It was all about a young schoolteacher and a farmer’s son, who first met her in a car coming to the Grand Hotel. He again met her at the hunt where he had a talk w’ith her then went away. At Cornwall Park. Freddy Fishface w’alked with her along the paths, when the firebell rang, which called Freddy away. In the fire scene I picked my father on the engine quite plainly. Freddy faked an edition of the “Tribune” to give to the school teacher. It read that Bill Cowcocky had stolen a number of cars, but while Freddy was aoing this he was seen by a. detective, who looked in at the window. He was running- away in “ a car with the girl, when Bill Cowcocky rode m> on a horse and saved her. Freddy was found out and tied ur>. as the detective told on him. It finished as all the movies do, hero won the girl in tho end.

" n d Certificate to Cecilia 0 lxe.il. lO years, 710 Avenue road, Hastings. * * ♦ * THE tui — i Dear Chief Kiwi,—l am going to I tell you about the tui. The tgi is i sometimes palled the parson bird on I account of the tuft of white feathers I under bis throat. It is a great mimic. Tuis are very fond of honey, berries, and insects, and are splendid singers, and sing in the early morning and late in the evening. They are very fond of fun, but sometimes they become very angrv with one another. The tui builds a lovely nest, with a tiny porch over the doorway. The cuckoo lays its eggs in the tui’s nest, to be batched out. I must close ir ■ !o"e to all. —Orange Certificate to Elsie Leipst, nee 7 years, 1020 Jellicoe street, Hastings. ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ A GLOW-WORM Dear Chief Kiwi,—The insect which we call the glowworm is wrongly named as it is really a beetle. The scientist calls it the lantern-bearer. The male beetle has six legs, which lie uses a great deal and also two wing cases. The male glowworm is a skilful hunter and kills snails. He fixes himself fast to the snail. —Orange Certificate to Nelly White, age 10 years, 613 Queen street W., Hastings. ♦ * ♦ » OUR SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT Dear Chief Kiwi,—l was very sorry that 1 did not get a Certificate. There was a lot of singing and recitations and there was a post office and a girl serving behind Uie counter, and an old woman wanted vO get iid of a bag of coppers, and the girl said she would not take coppers, only silver, .so the old woman kept buying penny stamps until the girl got fed up. She said she would take the coppers for stamps and told her not to come back again. It was a great joke. I must close now because it is getting bed-time. Orange Certificate to Peggy Trew, age 7 years, Tollemache road, Hastings. ♦ * * * I • MY LIFE AS A DESK Dear Chief Kiwi,—Once I was a beautiful tree in a forest. The birds perched on my branches, singing their melodies. Nearby was a little log hut where some woodcutters lived. One day two men came with a large saw and cut me down. I was taken to a mill where 1 was made into a second desk. After being varnished 1 found myself in a schoolroom. f was a long desk where five children could sit. At first, while 1 was new, the boys took great care of me. One day an inspector came and the boys behaved very well. After a long time the boys began to ill-treat me, and soon 1 was very shabby. In a year or two 1 began to crack so I was pul on the rubbish hea b to bo burnt. I must (hank you for the Certificatel you arwardid me. The news-box is finished. •Jean l.lliofi, 9 ycrirx, 3ff Southampton ttUern. Hustiiign,

CAPTAIN COOK Dear Chief Kiwi,—l am writing a small essav about Captain Cook. It is two hundred years ago since Captain Cook was born in a little village in England. He grew year by year until he was a man and then he set out and made some great discoveries. Captain Cook was the first white man to land at New Zealand. He was sailing around in his ship, which was named the “Endeavour,” when a young man shouted that he could see land. Of course he must have been in the look-out to see that. They steered for it and that point was named by Captain Cook as Young Nick's Head. Ho finally landed and when the natives saw Captain Cook they wanted very badly to kill him. After coaxing and persuading them they became friendly. Lucky for him he had a native on board which he took ashore. To everyone's surprise the native spoke the same language as the Maoris that lived there. After giving many presents he decided toleave that nlace because he could get no food or water. He called that place Poverty Bay. He named two or three places, one being Bay of Plenty, where he got plenty of everything.

I must close now as it is getting late. Love to all. not forgetting to thank you for tho Certificates you awarded me —Jean Pedersen, age 9 years, Otane. ♦ * * * A SPARROW’S STORY Dear Chief Kiwi,—l am a sparrow, and 1 live in an orchard where there are some children. I am very happy up in tho peach tree. I iov e the children and sometimes the girls throw crumbs out for me. I hatched three little babies, and when the girls knew this they said, “We will have a bird each because there are only three of us.” When my babies "tew they each belonged to one of the girls. Ixn-e to all. —Rosa'ie White, age 8 years, 613 Queen street W.. Hastings.