FROM THE HUB

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6849, 2 March 1929, Page 14

FROM THE HUB

Dear Cogs, ■ • ' I am absolutely snowed in with letters from my Cogs this week; that is the way I like to see them come in. I shall publish as many as I can, as they are lovely to read. Now to begin the first part of my life travel story and experiences. I was born on a sheep station in a place called' Bathurst, . N.S.W.> Australia, Bathurst is on the other side of the Blue Mountains, and is one of the oldest parts of Australia. In fact, the convicts built the .placo where I was born, a beautiful homestead of stone, and called “Carwinyan.” We had a most beautiful garden, sorbeautiful that a little girl visitor, when she came to stay with us, asked her mother if it was the Garden of Eden.

There were eight of us and we were all baptised in a little old brick ivycovered church, with most wonderful windows.

Bushrangers came to our place when my father’s mother lived at “Carwinyan,” and everybody had to hide, I am glad J wasn’t there then. When i was eight, a drought came and we lof/ 200,000 sheep. Nobody had any money and it seemed as though it would never rain again. However, my father sold everything, .including somo valuable, thoroughbred' horses, which brought 35/- each. We left Bathurst to go to' tho Eiclimond river on the North Coast, to a place called Lismore. The North Coast is considered the roughest sea coast' of Australia and the steamers were very small. You can imagine what an awful trip that was in those days—3oo miles in a train, and then 280 miles in a horrid little steamer. But the scenery compensated for a very great deal. We left when the flame trees, wattle and red gum nut trees were in bloom.. There were thousands and thousands, of them, and as many more brilliantly coloured birds. We don’t see so many now. As most of the bush has been cut away. We liked the Richmond river very much, and used to go in the steamer to visit different places—Coratin and Casino and Ballina; then we would travel by train from tho .other end to Byron Bay. The biggest butter factory there is at Byron Bay. We rode horses out to a place called Mintin, and had to cut tracks .before we could penetrate the scrub; We could either walk or ride up a place we called Blue Rock point, and on a clear day could *eo the boundary of Tweed heads and Brisbane. We had to.walk over three miles to school find used.to pass dozens of Aborigines with spears, but they were quite harmless, and often showed us how t<A kill snakes, which they used to eat. Now dear Cogs, I will say good-bye just now, and continue next Saturday when I shall tell you a little more. And now for the letters.

The Skilltests are going to be a gxeat success and little Joan Haywood of Bunnythorpo has tied with Lloyd Hardie. Well done Joan. That is a splendid beginning for a little stranger to New Zealand. You know Cogs, Joan has just arrived from England. We must welcome six new Cogs; Molly Leany, Lydia Thessman, Peggy and Molly Fitzherbert and Joan Haywood, and Frank Nutsford. Quite a number of excellent letters made it hard to choose a first prize, however, Jack #3earlo is tho winner. Thank you dear Cogs. Any Cogs wfio visit Palmerston North, please call in and see me, I want to meet you all. Go right upstairs and knock at my door, there is always a welcomo waiting for you. THE HUB.

BIRTHDAY GREETINGS TO Elsie Winnard Pauline MacDonald Arthur Brown Valerie Drewitt Mavis Youle. Ethel Leslie Adam Beattie Hughes ■ Joy De Manser Nita Jakobsen Joan Haywood SKILLTEST No, 1.

I am so very pleased you like these puzzles so much, and I received such a lot of entries it, ■was hard to pick the winner. Nearly all of you sent in solutions that could be correct, but -some of you found better words than others. I have awarded the prizes equally between the two best entries, counting neatness etc. Lloyd Hardie and Joan Haywood, are the names of the prize winners. You all did very well indeed, though ono or two did ndt remember to use the letters once only. Highly commended entries were those of Mavis Youle, Connie Vautier, Elsie Keast, Mabel Milne, Kemp Taylor, Annie Kearney, Phyllis Hogan, Ethel Adams, Douglas Bockett, Joy de Manser, Colin Smith, Margaret Bell. Ist. Prize. Dear Hub, For my letter I think I will tell you a little of my life before wo came here to live. Wo have only been here six months. Before this I lived away up in the King Country at Karioi not many miles from the mountain. I lived in a sawmill, and this is what I will tell you about. It is a very busy time at the mill in thb summer, but often in the winter the mill tad to eloso down for a day or two because

it was cither too wet for the bushmen to work or else the ground was white with Vnow, and the big logs could not be got in from tho hush. It is lovely to watch the big logs coming in from the bush over a line on a motor tractor. When they get to the mill they aro pulled off the trucks by the mill engine onto the skids. From there they roll them by the engine onto the breakingdown bench and cut them into flitches ready for the breast bench. Here they are cut into boards, after this they are placed in their own stacks and some aro left at the mill to dry, while others aro put on a big motor that runs over the tram lino an’d across big log bridges and taken out to the junctions, where they are loaded onto a motor lorry and taken by road across the river where they were loaded onto the railway trucks and- taken away to build houses and other buildings. Tho mill is built alongside the sulphur stream and the water is a green colour and no lish live in this stream. The toot tooting of the whistles, the buzz of the saws, tho noise of the timber getting stacked, and the motors running in and out never let us get lonely even, though wc were so far back in

the country. From the mill we could see Mount Ruapehu quite plainly and in the summer evenings it did look pretty. It seemed to have coloured lights all over it, and in tho winter it looked beautiful covered in snow. We often saw the other mountain smoking and sometimes while it was smoking we got earthquakes Ohakune was our nearest town and in the winter we had to go out over five miles of mud road to get to it. We had big chains on the back wheels of our car to keep us from skidding in the mud or getting stuck. I had a lot of playmates there, and wo had good times together. When the snow was on the ground we had no school because it was too cold in the big school house as it is not comfy like a town school, so wo all had great fun snow-balling and building snowmen. Onco we were snowed in for four days and there was eleven inches of snow at the mill. I did not like leaving there and all my playmates; but I like all the animals, and it is nice learning to ride. Daddy says the farm lifo among the sheep is a fine life for a boy. Your loving Cog, Jack Searlc.

Dear Hub, I cannot think of anything more interesting to write about than a trip to Wellington which I had some rime ago. For. weeks I . had been looking forward to tho trip and the time seemed to pass so slowly, but at last the day actually came, and I found myself seated in the train and my holiday had really begun. When wo arrived in Wellington, everybody'seemed so busy, rushing here and there, but, there was no time to lose, for we too had to hurry along the •platform, in search of our luggage, ana then before I know where I was, I was bustled into a taxi, and on my way to Northlands, to my Aunty’s home. After lunch Mother wanted to rest, but I would not hear of that, for I had maile up my mind that very day to visit the wharf, and see all the shipping. So I had my way and how I did enjoy all the sights there. A big Home boat was being loaded, and I stood looking in wonder at tho great cranes at work, lifting the loads of cargo off the wharf and depositing them in the hold of the ship. It was wonderful to me, and it was getting quite late, when at last we took an electric car ,and we went home for tea. Every day there was some new excitement, but best of all I think, was my visit to the Zoo. Ido not know which animal I was most interested m, but I loved the big lions; but I was also greatly amused at the monkeys and their funny ways. Then I came to all tho beautiful birds—some were tiny, and others so large, but they were all so pretty to see. I liked going over to Day s Bay in the ferry boat. There were always crowds of people on board, and I used always pretend I was starting on a long voyage across tho sea to visit ot er countries, and it was no end of funThen when we reached tho bay, I would play on the beach with other boys, and time would pass so quickly. I did not go out at night very much, because I was always so tired after the excitement of the day, and was dad to go to bed early, but I loved to stand on the hill, and see the city all lit up, and the electric cars moving about in all directions. But at last it was time to start for home, and my happy holiday had come to an end; but for a long time I had such a lot to think about, and to tell my friends. Love to you and all the Cogs, . Colin Smith. (Kimbolton.)

Dear Hub, I would like to enter into your competition, namely the most interesting letter. I wish good luck and happiness to the new Cog, the little Maori girl. I have many Maori playfellows at Raetihi and have-' lovely times with. them. I havo had many playmates of different kinds a.s my mother died when I was four, and I have had a good many different homes since; but tho home dearest to me. is in Te Aroha. My father is still living there and I hope to go back home soon to seo old faces. In Te Aroha there is a big Domain with baths, mineral springs, tennis courts, and croquet and bowling greens. Further on in tho town is a children’s playground, with swings, merry-go-round, “ocean wave,” sand pit, and a slide which is very enjoyable. We spent many a happy time in the play-ground beside tho baths where we used to go often. There is also a very high hill, which is called Mt. Aroha, and. it has snow on it in the winter. We. have often climbed up the part which is called the “Bald Spur” and that is not the top. It is very pretty up there in tho picturesque bush. There are baths which cure sickness and also springs where people obtain mineral drinking waters which are . very nice. Dear to tho heart of all ns kiddies were the picnics which we had at Wairouganiai, a little suburb of To Aroha. When I was going to school in Te Aroha. I went to many surrounding districts in a basket-ball team, and wo won matches very often and obtained a very pretty banner for winning. Although I have lived in many towns I love the beautiful quiet country. Love to you and all the Cogs from Joy Do Manser.

Dear Hub, I will tell you about my holiday. I went to Christchurch. It was tho fl-rst tune I had. ever been a sea voyage, so I was quite excited. I was on the Wellington harbour I was telling my mother to hurry, although there was an hour to wait. . It was a lovely day and the sea- was tinted with rainbow colours. Early nest morning I hurriedly dressed myself and went out on deck. We were then near Lyttelton. The hills looked glorious in the early morning sun. When in the train the guard came and put on the lights, for we had to be prepared for tho long tunnel. We arrived at our destination at 8.30 a.m.. Wc did not tell the people, whom we were going to stop with, when we were going! so we gave them a surprise. We went' to see the different gardens and places of interest in Christchurch and later wc went to New Brighton for tho rest of our holidays. I had a lot of fun with my cousins. One of my cousins had never been for a swim so she enjoyed it very much. On our return home wc stopped at several places, returning home thoroughly satisfied with I my holiday. Goodbye for now. From a Cog, Phyllis Thomson. (Otaki.)

Dear Huh, I am now. going to tell you different things. I have a little pup called Toss. Wo call him Toss because when we speak to him he tosses his head. He is a little fox terrier and such a mischievous little fellow. lam in Standard V and have just turned eleven last Sunday. I came fourth in the class ior the whole year last year, out of fifty nine. I hope you are well; to near you are not would make me very sad. I suppose the little ducks you were talking about a short time ago arc quite big now. and do not look so nice as when tiny, do they? I will say good-bye now. With love to you and all tho Cogs, Bona Thomson. (Otaki.)

Dear Hub, , , ' I have been getting such a 'lot of pleasure this last month or two playing with our four kittens and also watching them play together. I wish you and my fellow Cogs could see them too. That is not possible, and lam afraid a pen picture will give you no idea, how quaint and pretty they look as they lie nestled in our dollies’ prams My little sisters and I dress them m our dolls’ clothes and they really seem to enjoy it. If you could so us wheeling the prams round the garden paths with Tabby in a blue woolly coat and Toby in a pink frock, I am sure you would admire them. They lie with their heads on the pillows just like human babies and' with their front paws stretched over the pram cover like a baby’s hands. Sometimes one of them lies with one of her front paws over another’s neck just as though they are loving and cuddling one another. They just lovo the prams and come to meet us when they see us wheeling them out on to the verandah, and one day the mother cat tried to push the pram into the sunshine. She evidently thinks they belong to her babies and she leaves them sleeping there all morning. They look very pretty sleeping like that, but it is.much funnier to watch them all frisking about together playing hide and seek round the door or climbing about the branches of a tree. They have great fun too trying to catch their own or one another’s tails. Our puppy would dearly love to join them in their games but Pansy, the piother cat, will-never allow him to; she always sends him pff yelping with his tail between his legs. Poor little fellow, he’s only a baby and has no brothers to play with. I do like baby animals, but both puppies and kittens grow up far too soon and lose their pretty looks and ways. Don’t you think so, Hub?. 1 expect most of the Cogs do. Wishing you and them every happiness, Connie Vautier. (Whakarongo.)

B ear Hub, Last Wednesday week two lorry loads of happy people left Halcomb e en route for the Moana-Roa beach, about 23 miles away. To get there we had to cross the Rangitikei river and go irp Westo Hill and through an avenue of pine trees which opens out on to the main road along which wc sped for about 15 miles. Alighting from the lorries at the beach, we walked for about a quarter of a mile across the sand until we reached the tea kiosk where one could get a good view of the sea. For about an hour bathing was the chief sport of the young people and then dinner was partaken of. During tho afternoon there were races and a few games and afternoon tea, after which we all packed into’ tho lorries en route for home, which wc reached in about an hour. Violet. Wheeler. (Halcombe.)

AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A HORSE. I am a rather old chestnut horsp named “Phyllis” and I will tell you my story. Just faintly can I remember when I was a foal at my mother’s (old Ena’s) side. My mother, of whom, my master, Mr Charlton, was very proud, was a well-bred black horse, used for. riding. When I was three years old I was in the paddock by the drive, peacefully feeding ono day, when I heard the gate click, and on looking up I saw a rather old man with a grey beard, leading a big bay horse, walking up the drive. About half-an-hour elapsod before I saw Mr Charlton and his friend coming towards me. I was caught and inspected by tho bearded gentleman and in a short time he led me away.

I suddenly realised that ho was taking me away from my old home, and I was very dubious at the thouguo of leaving it. Wo trotted along mo hard, stony road for about nine miles, when wo halted at a gate leading into a grassy field. Here I was let go and the man went inside. In a few minutes’ time the wholo family came to the fence to look at me and I walked away for a short distance and stood eyeing them suspiciously. Soon however, they moved off ,and I went in search of some shelter.

A few days passed by peacefully, and then one morning quite early tho old bearded gentleman came out with a bridle to catch me. He soon saddled me and two little boys, whose names I learned later were Arthur and Julius, came punning out. Their father helped them to mount me, but I was not used to having two on me, so I bucked both boys off. A young man came out and mounted mo and I found that ho was not so easy to get rid of as his younger brothers.

I was soon quietened down and am quite safe for the smallest children to ride. My young master Arthur, whom I always took to school, is quite grown up now, and I am feeling the effect of many years’ hard work. I see my master coming with my chaff and cover, so GOOD-BYE. Annie Kearney (Aster). (Apiti.)

Mabel: Mummy, what are people who live in Turkey'? Mummy: Why, Turks, of course. Mabel: Then are ostriches people who come from Austria? [ Schoolmaster: And who was the smallest man in history, Bertie? Bertie: Please, sir, the Homan soldier who went to sleep on his watch.