Kiwi’s Nest

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXII, Issue 192, 29 July 1932, Page 3

Kiwi’s Nest

ONLY ONE GLEAM If you only bring one gleam of light To a life all dark and dreary, If you only bring one happy smile To a face all sad and weary If only once, with a word of nope You have made some tired heard beat faster, Your life has not been lived in vain, You have added a link to a wonderful chain, You have gathered in some golden grain For the storehouse of the Master.

Dear Kiwis, —It is a curiously but frequently occurring fact that when it is their own particular week for a prize, senior Kiwi contributions seem a little colourless and uninteresting. This week, alas and alack, 1 find myself unable to stretch the merits of even the best of your essays to anything more thrilling than a blue certificate. The great numbei of sunny days we have experienced should have brought countless glad thoughts for your young hearts to enthuse over and for you to relate in your letters to me. They are nice letters which 1 have beside me as 1 write, but—there is just the little disappointment that a prize is non est.

There are one or two errors 1 want to point out, chiefly for the benefit of Kiwis who have recently become members, and who have not had opportunity of seeing the rules. First of all, margins (very important). Will scribes please leave a good margin on each page of their letters. Tom Taylor, Mary Moroney, and Wilmot Luttrell all broke the margin rule this week. Will Tom Taylor, m addition to leaving a margin, also please give titles to all future essays. Jack Taylor and Wilmot Luttrell wrote on both sides of the paper. As they are new members, and are perhaps not familiar with the rules, I copied the offending lines on to a fresh piece of paper, so that Mr Printer, who never by any chance looks over the page, should hot subject you to the indignity of having an unfinished letter printed. Now that you will read this and know what is expected of you, the dragon will be on the watch for future deficiencies of the kind. Jean Newman inquires about a certificate album which she expected to receive with her 5/-. These albums have not been distributed to Kiwis since the ’quake, Jean. Henry Mollier has found a number of pre ’quake certificates. As there are only sixteen marks, Henry, it will be necessary for you to continue to compete until you bring the number up to 25, and so gain your 51- award Though you have reached the age of fourteen, it is permissible to continue writing until your marks are completed. Shall I hold your certificates in the meantime? A welcome to three new Kiwis— Edna Giles, Tom Taylor, and Wilmot Luttrell. Love to all my Kiwis from CHIEF KIWI.

ESSAYS—SENIORS.

A LATE MORNING. (Continued.) Dear Chief Kiwi,—After resting a while we rose again and continued our journey, which was about two and a-half miles more. We had not gone very far when we came across a bottle lying on the side of the road. We decided to pick it up and see if we could sell it at the store. Shortly after the ’bus came along and picked us up. How glad we were to get a ride, for we felt as if we could go no further. When we arrived in Otane it was half-past ten. We sold our bottle at lunch time, and bought some sweets with the money, which we divided among those who walked with us to school. —Blue Certificate to Connie Budge, age 12 years, Te Kura, Otane. A DAY IN NAPIER. Dear Chief Kiwi, —When my cousin from New Plymouth visited us we showed her all the sights of Hastings and as many as possible of Napier. She enjoyed herself immensely, and was delighted with everything, and thought Hastings a lovely town. We went to Napier for a day, and she was shocked and sorry to see how the town had suffered from the earthquake and fire. We told her she had not seen it at its worst. We went round to the Breakwater and showed her where the Bluff had altered so much, also where the Technical College once stood. Enid does not like thinking about that. She was very fond of the "Tec.” We went about as much as we could, then, feeling tired and hungry, we went into the "Strand” tea rooms and had a lovely afternoon tea, then left for home after an enjoyable time. —Blue Certificate to Huia Kirby, age 12 years, 508 Alexandra street, Hastings. A BUSY TIME. Dear Chief Kiwi, —I am sorry not to have -written to you for a long time. My time has been taken up lately. I go to the Scouts every Saturday, and on Sunday I go to Bible class at Pukehou. Besides having home lessons at night, sometimes Dad gives us jobs to do, such as teaching us to make fences and shovel shingle, and various jobs to make us useful for farm life when we leave school—not to leave out Mum, who is teaching us to milk cows. We bought two pigs a month ago, and called one Pat and the other Mick, but poor Pat died, so we are getting two more, but will christen them Sandy and Jock to see if we shall have better luck. —Red Certificate to Colin McKenzie, •ige 12 years, P. 0., Otane. OUR FIRE. Dear Chief Kiwi,—On Saturday we Saturday we burned the hedge trimmings that Dad had cut off. John brought seven potatoes, and we put them on the fire to roast. Tn about a quarter of an hour they wore cooked, so we took them out to eat. John, Margaret and I each had two potatoes, and there was still one left, so when

Dad came round with the topdresser we gave it to him. When all the hedge trimmings had been burned, we went over to the drive and got some buckets of pine needles to burn. We each got a piece of burning stick and made a little fire with some of the pine needles, which we kept going for about three hours. Love to you and all the Kiwis. —Red Certificate to Alex Whyte, age 12 years, Crownthorpe. STAMPS. Dear Chief Kiwi, —Thank you for the blue certificate you awarded me. I have 317 stamps in my album. There are 52 German ones, 30 Bavarian, 20 New Zealand, 16 English, 19 Hungarian, 15 Belgian 14 French, and 40 French Colonials. I have no really valuable stamps, but I have quite a few that are not very common. I think saving stamps is a very good idea because it is good for a person’s geography and history; for when you. see a stamp with the name of a country you don’t know on it, you want to read about it and see when stamps were first issued there. It is also very interesting to find the value of foreign stamps. With love.

—Red Certificate to Keith Thom, age 13 years, Maraetotara, via Havelock North.

CAMPING. Dear Chief Kiwi, —Last Christmas holidays I went to a camp at Kereru. We arrived at 7 o’clock in the morning and set to work putting up tents and collecting firewood. Most of the days were taken up in Scouting games. Each day one patrol went on duty to cook the meals and wash up, as well as do odd jobs. We had beautiful weather except for one night. We had two camp-fires a week, but one was spoiled by rain. We had stalking games in the evening and two hours’ rest a day. This camp lasted for two weeks, and was enjoyed by all. —Red Certificate to P W. Giblin, age 13 years, Hereworth School, Havelock North. OUR COW. Dear Chief Kiwi, —This is my first letter to you and I am going to tell you about our cow. We have a cow called Dawn. She gives a bucket full of milk and a bowl of cream. She is a Jersey cow and sometimes bolts. One day she swallowed an apple and nearly choked, so we had to call the vet. When he came he put a hose with a nozzle on the end and put it down her throat, pushing the apple away from the dangerous place in her throat. Love to all Kiwis. —Red Certificate to Tom Taylor, age 11 years, Arataki road, Havelock North. A WET AFTERNOON. Dear Chief Kiwi,—As yesterday afternoon was wet I decided to do my home-work for Monday, as I would have no time on Sunday. After this I wrote my Kiwi essay, and when this was completed I had a game of cards with my brother till mother called me. Then as we were about half-way through the game mother came and joined us, and in the end she won. After this we had a look at the "Auckland Weekly News” which we had not seen for a long time. At five o’clock we had our tea as Dad was home and we were all hungry. Thank you very much for the certificate you awarded me last week. With love.f —Orange Certificate to Elsie Leipst, age 11 years, 1020 Jellicoe street, Hastings.

WINTER. Dear Chief Kiwi, —Thank you very much for the certificate you sent me and also the 5/-. I have not received my album, but I expect it will be here soon. This week I will tell you about winter. Winter is a cold season, and generally very wet, and there are no flowers in bloom. Some of the birds fly away to a warmer country, and some remain in New Zealand. The days are getting shorter and the nights are getting longer. When I peep out the window I see Jack Frost. With love to you and all the Kiwi band. —Jean Newman, age 12 years, Napier road, Havelock North. ESSAYS—JUNIORS. AN OUTING. (Continued.) Dear Chief Kiwi,—When we arrived at Hastings Daddy drove us down to the camping grounds and golf links, where we watched the people playing golf. I was watching some small boys going in and out of the stream, and as it was a very cold day 1 wondered why they were enjoying it so much. Peggy, Molly, and 1 went across to the stream, to find that they were rescuing golf balls, returning them to their owners, and receiving pennies. It was nearing afternoon tea time so we drove down to the river at the bottom of St. George’s road, and found a sheltered opot opposite our own home, only the river dividing us. Here Daddy boiled the billy, w'hile Peggy and I went exploring, and I will tell you next time what we found and how we enjoyed it. —Pink Certificate to Gladys Flanders, age 10 yqfrs, Mangateretere, Hastings. OUR FARM. Dear Chief Kiwi, —The other day one of our cows got a little calf. It is all brown. Every morning and night Margaret feeds it. Do you like calves, Chief Kiwi? Daddy is milking five cows and they still give a lot of cream and milk. Margaret puts the cows’ covers on at night, and takes them off in the morning for Dad. We also have lots of hens and pullets and Margaret always feeds them for Mum. They come running along to her when she goes near them. —Pink Certificate to Isa Whyte, age 8 years, Crownthorpe. LEARNING TO MILK. Dear Chief Kiwi, —Last night Dad said that if I liked he would teach me to milk. He was going to make me a little bucket, but Mum said I could have a little billy which she had. The first try 1 had was at night, and I could manage fairly well. I milked Daisy—who did not seem to mind—and she was fairly easy. I milked one cow while Dad milked the other four. The cows are used to me, because 1 put their covers on them every night and take them off in the morning. This morning I had another try, and Dad said I managed even better than last night, f would like to be a good milker, because I think it is very useful. —Blue Certificate to Margaret ■Whyte, ago 9 years, Crownthorpe.

A DREAM. Dear Chief Kiwi, —Thank you for the certificate which you have awarded me. One night I had a very peculiar dream. 1 dreamt that my friend, Tom Minto, and I, were playing in an old motorcar. Suddenly I put my foot on the self-starter, and to my dismay the car shot forward, its engine running smoothly. Tom sprang to the wheel, turning it just in time to avoid crashing into a wall. He steadied the car, then I took over the wheel. All we could do now was to keep the car on the road till the benzine gave out. Suddenly a thought struck me. Putting my hand on the brake, I pulled it back. The car came to a stop with a jerk. Knowing now how to stop it, I was about to drive the car back to where I had found it, when I awoke. —Blue Certificate to Maurice Andrew, age 9 years, 15 Carlyle street, Napier. OUR DOG. Dear Chief Kiwi, —I am writing this letter in ink. It is about our dog. Wb Eave a dog called Spot and he plays with the kitten. He also plays with my brothers and me. He bites, but just in fun. When we got him he was a puppy. —Blue Certificate to Jack Taylor, age 7 years, Arataki road, Havelock North. A WINTER’S DAY.

Dear Chief Kiwi, —One very cold morning I awoke to hear the rain pattering on the roof. Proceeding to get ready for school, I noticed that the storm increased. Then venturing outside, what was my astonishment to see that the house was surrounded by deep pools of water. On the trees branches had snapped with the disastrous wind, and my pony’s coat was dripping with water. Going to school 1 tried to shelter by some trees from the furious gale. On arriving there, how pleasant it was to stand before a roaring fire. As the day wore on it began to snow, and soon the whole landscape was covered with a glittering white raiment. Thanking you for the certificate you last awarded me. Kind regards to yourself and the Kiwi band. —Blue Certificate to Sonia Rice, age 10 years, Te Rehunga, Dannevirke. MY KITTEN. Dear Chief Kiwi, I have a pure black kitten. His name is Beau. One day as I was walking home from school I saw a little kitten walking behind me. I picked him up and brought him home. Mother gave me a saucer of milk for him. He was a very thin kitten, but now he is nice and fat. Beau is about two months old. Alfie made him a bed out of some old pieces of blanket. One morning we caught a little baby mouse in the trap and we gave it to Beau. He smelt, then touched it with his paw. When he was tired of playing with the mouse he ate it. Beau likes to lie in the sun and sleep all day. —Blue Certificate to Wilmot Luttrell, age 9 years, 507 Victoria street, Hastings. GAMES. Dear Chief Kiwi, —The other day some friends came to play. We played football and hide-and-seek and lots of other games. It was good fun. Mum gave us tea, and at five o’clock our friends went home. —Red Certificate to John Whyte, age 6 years, Crownthorpe. PICTURES ON THE WALL. Dear Chief Kiwi, —The picture I like best has two horses. They had been working, so they went to get a drink. Another picture is a market scene in Holland showing the Dutch people buying their cheese. All the streets are made of bricks. The shoes of the people are made of wood and are called 1

clogs. Another picture shows a Dutch man giving a little boy a toy boat. All the pictures i have described hang on the walls in our class-room. —Orange Certificate to Tommy Leipst, age 8 years, 1020 Jellicoe street, Hastings. MILKING TIME. Dear Chief Kiwi, —I like to go with my Daddy to milk the cows when it is a fine day We get a nice bucket of milk from them and bring it in to Granny. —Orange Certificate to Allen Arrell, age 6 years, 502W. Frederick street. Hastings. SCHOOL. Dear Chief Kiwi,—l am sorry that I wrote in pencil. I am telling you this time about school. I go to the Mahora School. I am in Std. 18. At school we have drill stripes, and names of animals like tigers, bears, lions, and wolves for the rows. The teacher gives marks to the best row of children. We sing nice songs on Monday and Thursday afternoons. —Orange Certificate to Mary Moroney, age 8 years, “Kenilworth,” Tomoana.