The Kiwis’ Nest

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 62, 23 February 1934, Page 15

The Kiwis’ Nest

THE POWER OF A SINGLE WORD (AUTHOR UNKNOWN) Drop an unkind word, or careless, in a minute it is gone, And there's half a hundred ripples circling on, and on, and on; They keep spreading. spreading, spreading from the centre as they go, And there ain’t no way to stop them once you’ve started them to grow. Drop an unkind word or careless—in • a minute you forget, Hut there’s title waves a’glowing, and there’s ripples circling yet; And perhaps in some sad heart a mighty wave of tears you've stirred. And disturbed a life that’s happy, when you’ve dropped that unkind word. Drop a word of cheer and kindness—just a flash and it is gone, And there’s half a hundred ripples circling on and on, and on; Bearing hope, and joy, and comfort on each splashing, dashing wave, for you wouldn't believe the volume of the one kind word you gave. Drop a word of cheer and kindness, in a minute you forget, But there’s gladness still aswelling, and there’s joy a’cirding yet; And you’ve rolled a wave of comfort, whose sweet music can be heard, Over miles and miles of water, just by dropping one kind yord. Dear Kiwi# What do you suppose has happened to our summer? It cannot be that we did not give her a welcome when she first arrived, and that she has taken offence and decided not to stay with us, for 1 remember how, in the late Spring, we all wrote about the happy days ahead which the advent of summer would bring to us, and we prepared such a welcome for this season, and hoped she would linger with us tor a long, long time. Instead of a hich she seems to have adopted an orgy of travel —is here today, and flitting off to some other part tomorrow, leaving us filled with surprise and consternation at her abrupt departures, and wondering whether there has not been some mistake made in all the calendars, for we feel that this surely cannot be February in. Hawke’s Bay. How the mushroom elves must be laughing under their umbrellas, for they have taken possession of the fields a whole month earlier than usual. I wish I could catch them at their glee ■iances, don’t you? But they well know that mortals do not venture over wet fields on dark nights, and so they dance more gaily than ever, and with every step they take, the pink linings of their umbrellas merge into pretty, glowing patterns. At any rate, that is what I imagine happens. Even if the summer is wet the days have their compensations. If you cannot go swimming in the sea or the rivers, you can go mushrooming in the fields, and what fun, when you come home with a big basket of mushrooms, to help peel and prepare them for a delicious meal. As I write this it is raining hard, and a cheering fire is necessary, but by the time you read it, summer may have became tired of her present surroundings, and decided to return to us and show us the warmth of her smile. She vies with spring, this year, in her fickleness.

With such a long story to tell you last week, I had not space to welcome a new Kiwi, Boyd Wilson, so 1 rectify the omission now. Up to the present there has been only one response to my request for “Waitangi” verse. This comes from Linda Lee, but I regret that it did not reach merit mark. I am ever so glad, though, that Linda Lee had a try, and hope that she will try again until she succeeds. “Waitangi” was not an easy subject for a beginner. love to all my Kiwis. Chief Kiwi. REALISM. One evening a young mother heard a great deal of noise coming from the dining room, where her three small children, ranging from four to nine years of age, were evidently having a very happy time. She went to the door and asked what it wa s all about, and was told that the children were playing radio. She paused for a moment befor e attempting to quiet the racket, when the youngest little boy gave out an unusually loud shriek, when she turned to the older sister and said, “Yes, but why is Junior screaming?” The girl replied, “Oh, he’s static!” A GAME FOR KIWIS TO PLAY “FINDING THE ARROW.” You have all played hunt the thimble; here is a similar game that is even more interesting. Cut about a dozen pieces of cardboard or stiff paper about an inch long, end point one end so as to represent an arrow. While the rest of the players are out of the room the leader hides the arrows, putting them in such a position Ahat a part of the point ig slightly exposed. Then the players are called in, and the one finding most arrows in the time arranged wins, and has tho advantage of hiding them the next round. ANOTHER GAME (Tor Very Small Kiwis to Play.) This is a game for Kiwis to play in pairs. On a very large sheet of paper (foolscap if you can get it) draw a line across the centre, and in each half each player should draw a numbet— say six or eight—of small birds to represent crows. One ef th* players then takes a pencil, closes his eyes—very tightly remember—and draws a mark from his own territory across that of his opponent Then ’ho other pin ver does likewise. Tho object is to “kill” the “crows” by putting a mark through ♦hem. and the player who succeeds in killing off his opponent's flock first wins

ESSAYS—SENIORS. On Saturday, January 6, we left Hastings for Auckland via Rotorua. The weather was very unsettled when we left home, and it was raining hard before we had gone half-way. At Maori Gully we saw the relief camp. The camp was set out very neatly. We had to climb two big hills called Titiokura and Turangakuma. After crossing Stony Creek we came to Tarawera. There were pieces of burnt wood in the hills. As we ’.eft Tarawera we came to beautiful bush. In this we saw the Waipunga Falls. On the Taupo plains we saw nothing but wild horses and burnt trees. As we neared Taupo we saw many miles of State forestry. The sun came out to meet us at Taupo, but when we had pitched our tent the rain started again. With love. —Blue Certificate to “Rose Marie,” age 13 years, Hastings. (Did the mist obscure all the beautiful view from Turangakuma, “Rose Marie”? Tell me more of your holiday adventures.—C.K.) Bill was always late. His mother and his teacher were in despair, and at last determined to teach him a lesson. “Bill I” said hi s teacher, “I want you to take this note home to your mother and come back quickly.’’ Bill ran straight home, and his mother gave him an answer to the note. “Be sure you hurry back to school I” she said. But Bill did not mean to hurry. The next lesson was arithmetic, which he hated, so he dawdled along and took nearly an hour reaching school. Ho thought Miss Watts would scold him, but she only said: “I’m sorry you are so late, Bill. I wrote to ask your mother if I might send you to tho circus matinee to-day and she wrote back ‘Yes,’ but as the matinee is half over now it isn’t worth going.” Bill tries to be in time now. —Blue Certificate to Valentine Robin, age 12 years, Hastings. (Mother and teacher resorted to rather drastic measures on behalf of Bill’s punctuality, didn’t they?—C.K.) On < Friday morning I got up very early and went to the railway station to see the circus train arrive. I had a fairly long wait, as it did not come in until close on seven o’clock. After the engine had shunted the trucks on to a side line, the work of unloading began. They all seemed in a hurry. First Alice was let out of the truck. She and the other elephants do all the transporting to the grounds. They must be very powerful in the head because they push along the trucks and cages with their heads. By the time they had finished they would be ready for breakfast. After the evening’s performance everything is dismantled and loaded upon the train ready to make an early start for the next place they visit. —Red Certificate to “Mr Nobody,” age 13 years, Hastings. (A circus life is very hard, both for the animals and the human performers, but it is wonderful to us to observe the sagacity of the dumb creatures.—C.K.) (Continued from Last Week.) There was such a crowd in Auckland City on Christmas Eve we could hardly move. A day or two after we went in the tram to the Zoo and saw the different animals. Just as we got there they were feeding some of them. We saw them feed the polar bears, who had meat and fish. The black and brown bears had bread and lettuce. The sun bears had eggs and bananas and the lions had meat. The next day we went to the Museum where we saw all the ancient Maori curios. On the next storey there were stuffed birds and animals, and skeletons of different birds, kauri gum, and different sorts of timber. We saw the new railway station on Friday night when we were waiting for the train. We left Auckland at 7 p.m. and arrived in Feilding at half-past six a.m. We had some breakfast and left Feilding about 10 o’clock, arriving in Waipawa at one o’clock. We had some dinner and then went home. —Red Certificate to “White LadyBird,” age 11 years, Omakere Station. Waipawa. (Feeding time is the most interesting for a visit to the zoo. Did you see the Memorial at night when the flood lights were on? It is most imposing.—C.K.) Having a friend from Gisborne staying with us, we decided to take her to the Peak to get a good view of Hastings and the country around. We took the ’bus to Havelock and then walked the rest. When we got to the top we were tired, but tho magnificent view was well worth the hour and aquarter climb. It i s wonderful the way the town is set out in blocks, and also the way the orchards are set out. Being a clear day we could see Mahia Peninsula faintly in the distance. We carved our name on the beacon and then started for home. When we got nearly to the ’bus stop we met a friend who brought ns home fn his ear With love to you and all the ither Kiwis and the dragon. —Red Certificate to “Songthrush,” age 12 years, Hastings. (You were fortunate to have such a clear view, “Songtbrush.” Sometimes it is misty, and then one is disappointed after IHe climb.—C.K )

One day in the Holidays when we had nothing to do my brother suggested we should have a competition. We were both to make a vase and see who could make the better. We cut a sheet of newspaper into squares, after which we made some paste. Then we each found a nice shaped jar and different coloured scraps of wallpaper. After getting everything we wanted we set to work. First we put paste all over the jar to make it sticky, and then we put on the squares of newspaper neatly, after which we left it to dry while we cut the wallpaper into squares. When the newspaper had dried on the jar we pasted the wallpaper over it and then put a pretty picture on the jar to ornament it, and varnished the jar all over. My brother had the better vase. —Red Certificate to “Golden Eagle,” age 11 years, Hastings. (Next time you and Keith make a vase, try tearing the wallpaper carefully instead of cutting it. This give 8 a better finish.—C.K.) It seems ages since 1 last wrote to you, but we were so busy in the holidays I did not seem to have time, so I will tell you about them now. As usual we had nearly six weeks at Kairakau, but it did not seem so long as that. At first the weather was very stormy ami the sea very high, and washed over the bank several times, once coming within a few yards of the house. It was night when it occurred and we were sorry we did not see it. Bathing was our chief pastime, practising swimming for the sports. Wo went in a boat up the river once for a swim, and also walked to Mangakuri, scrambling over the rocks home. The beach was spoilt rather this year with stones, and we were not able to play games much in the evenings. With love to all. —Red Certificate to “Cinderella,” age 12 years, Otane. (How is Mangakuri from Kairakau, “Cinderella”? There is morn beach at the former [dace on which to play games. —C.K.) ESSAYS—JUNIORS. This time I would like to tell you about my holiday in Hastings with friends. The little girl where I stayed has a lovely play-house, made from the top of a caravan. We had it all decorated with pretty streamers and furnished like a real house. We played hospitals, and used the two long seats for beds. The day before I came home the lady gave Daphne and me a birthday party. We had a lovely cake with eight candles on it. We also had many other cakes and biscuits as well as sweets. While we were having our birthday tea our names were called over the radio. I had to look in the letter-box for my present, and found a nice lunch case and a bear. Love. —Rink Certificate to ‘ ‘ Lolomh, ’ ’ age 3 years, Pukehou. (What a perfectly scrumptious holiday, Loloma, and to have a party on the very last d-ay was wonderful.— C.K.)

Last Monday we went back to school again, after our long summer holiday, and I was very glad. My brother and I have started at a new school and I was very nervous at first, but I soon made new friends, and I love it now. It is a beautiful school built right on a hill and such a nice large playground. It was quite an exciting time going back after this holiday for we were going into new standards and making new friends, and buying lots of new books, etc., that the week has gone' very quickly and to-morrow we go to a new Sunday School. With love.

■—Pink Certificate to “Clover Leaf,’’ age 8 years, Waipukurau. (I like tho idea of lessons in a school on top of a hill, “Clover Leaf.” I hope you will find the new Sunday School as congenial as you have the day school.—C.K.)

Just as we had finished dinner one day, to our surprise our Nanna and little Aunty came in. We were all so pleased and hurried up to get them some dinner. They told us they had come to stay for two or three days. So we took our little aunty (who is just as old as I am) to the park, where the swings and slides and other amusements are. The next day we took our togs and went to the river. The day after we had to start school, so our little aunty bad to go back to school in Hastings. We are hoping she will come and see us again when it is holiday time, because we bad such good fun. With love. —Pink Certifiate to “London Policeman,” age 7 years, Waipukurau. (Surprise visits from people whom we like are jolly, “London Policeman,” and I hope you will have more pleasant holiday times with your ■auntie.—C.K.) Johnny was very proud of the homing pigeon that Uncle Jack gave him, and when the boys all went for a picnic he insisted on taking the pigeon too. Everybody laughed at him, but he didn't care a bit, and he fed the pigeon with grain and tiny scraps of biscuit. In the afternoon Jim and Harry were walking along the cliffs when a landslide swept them over into the valley. The boys could not get down to them, and did not like to go for help and leave them alone. After a time Daddy and Uncle Jack appeared. “What made you come!” asked Jim, wheu fin l<«4 reaewt

“Johnny sent his pigeon home with a message,” laughed Uncle Jack. “Johnny has a lot of brains.” And Jim and Harry both agreed. —Pink Certificate to “Blue Teddy,” age 9 years, Hastings. (Johnfiy would be more proud than ever of his pigeon after the accident. Does the instinct of a homing pigeon make you marvel, “Blue Teddy”!— C.K.)

This week the Maoris have been celebrating their anniversary, in connection with the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. At this event tho Gover-nor-General and his wife were present. They bought land and the homestead where the Treaty was signed in Russell, and presented it to the British nation. I,ord and Lady Bledisloe wero welcomed by Maoris doing dances of welcome. They were shown how the potatoes were cooked in hot stones outside by the Maori women. Lord Bledisioe was the first to carve the joint cooked tn Maori style. Accompanying the chair was a block of greenstone, which was presented from tho West Coast natives. A special camping area is now on the Waitangi estate. —Red Certificate to “Top Knot,” age 10 years, Hastings. (Wouldn’t it- have been nice if all the Kiwis could have visited Waitangi for the celebrations, “Top Knot”? — C.K.)

While staying at Levin for our holidays we decided to get up early one morning and go mushrooming. We walked along the side of the road until we came to the corner. Just around the corner what should we see but a bull grazing on the side of the road. It soon spotted us and came straight towards us, so we crawled through the fence into a paddock as quickly as we could. We threw sticks at the bull and at last succeeded in driving it away. We went further along the paddocks, then got out on to the road

again, and to the paddock we intended going for mushrooms. We gathered a big basket full and had great fun getting them. We had so many mushrooms that I*took off my jersey and made a bag of it and put some more in it. Love to all the Kiwis and yourself. —Blue Certificate to “Parrot,” age 9 years, Hastings.

(Mr. Bull is not the nicest creature to encounter when one is on an expedition of that kind, but 1 am glad you escaped him and had » happy mushroom gathering. —C.K.)

Last week I started to get ready for school. I packed most of my toys away because I will not play with them a lot dtiring schooldays. The first day of school I hurried to buy my new books. My school bag needed mending so I took it to the shop and got it fixed. Then I was ready for school. Although I had enjoyed my holidays I was glad to get back to see all the girls again. I am quite settled down in my new class now and like school very much. With love. —Red Certificate to “Rosebud,” age 9 years, Hastings. (It is great fun getting back to school, “Rosebud,” and beginning new interests. —C.K.)

In the holidays when we were staying at Mangakuri (black dog) some friends took my little sister and me crayfishing. There were nine of us in the car, and we had great fun. On the way we passed over a bridge near a woolshed after which the car wound round the road by a river for quite a long way. Climbing a hill we descended the other side onto the beach and ran along a rough track. Halfway there we had to get through a fence which crossed the sand. When we arrived there we boiled the kettle on the sand and went with nets and rods to crayfish among the rocks. Later we had tea and went home happily although we did not catch any crayfish. With love. —Red Certificate to “Strongheart,” age 9, Otane. (I am sorry the “crays” were too busy to attend to your enticements, but you had a happy day. I have been a little worried as to how the car got through that fence! I —OK.) Just after the holidays had begun another boy and I were playing in our backyard when suddenly a very strong wind came. At first we didn’t know what it was, till Mum told us it was a whirlwind. It blew down our tin fence, rooted out flowers, and scattered everything in the yard. Next day we got a man to come and fix the fence up. This is quite true. —Red Certificate to “Weka, ” ago 10 years, Hastings. (What a vicious little whirlwind that was, “Weka.” 1 am glad it did net. take you ia ita path.—C.K.)