LETTER FROM CHIEF KIWI

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIII, Issue 275, 3 November 1933, Page 15

LETTER FROM CHIEF KIWI

My Dear Nature Lovers, —So much Jiave 1 enjoyed your Nature essays, ■nd all tlie kind and intelligent thought which urged your pens forward, that 1 emerged from my judging ol them feeling as happy as the singing birds, and as peaceful as the held flowers. A truly wonderful state of Bund, dears. 1 wonder if any one of you has over beeu fortunate enough to ■ee the godwits begin their migratory flight to Siberia. It has been an ambition of mine for a very long time to •co this marvellous sight, and perhaps ■onio day, if I keep hoping, 1 shall realise it. Soule years ago, a friend of mine, •ho had witnessed the birds starting •u their journey of thousands and thousands of miles, told me a little of the romance of it all, which 1, in turn, shall try to impart to you. Fur up in liie most northern part of New Zealand is a bay which the Maoris call Spirits Bay, for they believe that it is the place where the spirits of the dead depart from this world to the next. This bay has a beautiful sandy beach, which, for the greater part of the year, is deserted by man. and indeed, by any •ther sign of life. It is just a lonely ptretch, with only the sea to keep it ptunpany. But here, every year, towards the end of March, the godwits Some in large flocks. They keep coming pud coming, until, in a week or two, the beach is massed with them. Then, one day jn April, when the wind veers round to B favourable quarter, they seem to become restless, and then, all at once, bhey rise, with an unforgettable sound pf whirring wings, high up into the air, Bud after circling and circling, they fettle again on the beach. Then, just bo the last rays of the setting sun are Uisappeanng behind the hills, one bird, pvidently the captain of this mighty feathered flock of millions, utters a plear call, like a trumpet, and rises into phe air. He circles, and another bird pises, then another and another, cirpluig and calling, with numbers of the flock constantly joining the circle, and pismg higher and higher into the sky, Bntil all the birds seem to be on the fliove. Then the captain heads due florth, followed by his vast feathered flrniy and so the godwits began their Solitary flight to Siberia. What an impressive sight it would be, Kiwis, and wouldn’t one, watching from a lonely pill, want to wish each bird Godspeed pn its journey, and a safe return to Ba for the summer months One could put bear to think of mishap or cruelty pvertaking these brave travellers. And now, dears, 1 must hurry and Brake almost as complete an exit as the godwits do, or Mr. Printer will be looking glum. I must hasten to tell you fhat, having donated two prizes (junior pud senior) this week, there will be no prize next week, but certificates as Bsual, and in any case you will all be •<> busy celebrating Guy Fawkes Day fiiat you won’t remember about a prize. I want to ask Kiwis please to write •n one side of the paper only. Lester Earnshaw and Alfred Soppit erred in this respect, and if it occurs again their entries must be disqualified. Butterfly Blue omitted her name, and J Biay not send a badge until I have her assurance that her work will be entirely her own, uncopied and unaided. We welcome, as new Kiwis, June Kitt and Joan Manson, but the latter’s putry was in pencil, so had to go to the Dragon. It was such a nice little letter, too. J shall post Joan a copy •t the rules. The lines to Butterfly Blue apply also to Heather White, whose request for a badge is not accompanied by a promise of original work. Much love, dears. CHIEF KIWI