THE EXHIBITION’S PRESENT

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVII, Issue 21529, 16 December 1939, Page 25 (Supplement)

THE EXHIBITION’S PRESENT

Bobby Preston had lived in New Zealand for exactly six years, for he had spent the first years of his young life with his parents in Australia. His mother and father were both Australians, but Mr Preston had brought his wife and son to Wellington as he believed he could make much more money there and so provide them with a better living. But although they lived in a lovely house and had a great many luxuries, Bobby knew that his mother was far from happy; but he did not know the cause of the trouble. He also knew that his father was not aware of her unhappiness. Therefore Bobby deter- j mined to make everything right j again. It was getting near Christmas in j the year 1939, and the Centennial ■ Exhibition had just been opened, so | one day Bobby and his mother set I out to visit it. They visited the houses holding different exhibits; [ they went all through playland and needless to say enjoyed themselves ; immensely; they visited the mobile ' broadcasting station SZB, and then i they came to the overseas exhibits. I Finally they came to the Australian j exhibit. It was marvellous inside and although Bobby didn’t remember much of his homeland, he rushed about investigating every- j thing he could find. There were j kangaroo skins and stuffed animals j and lots of other things. Bobby [ was about to remark about something when he looked up at his mother. He saw she was gazing at a model of the Sydney Harbour

r ■ Bridge with a far-away look in her ■ eyes. And suddenly the cause of ’ j her unhappiness dawned upon i j Bobby—Why, she was homesick! ■ | Why hadn’t he thought of that ■ before! He knew immediately what | he must do. He must, at all costs, | get his father to take them back to i Australia. I The next day was a holiday, so the three of them, Mr and Mrs Preston and Bobby all went to the | Exhibition. Again they came to the ; ; Australian exhibit, but Mrs Preston , | said she would wait outside while , ! Bobby and his father went in. Of ; I course. Mr Preston wanted to know i why, but before his wife could answer Bobby had wisely pulled him through the door. “I'll tell you j why,’’ said Bobby. “It’s because | she's so homesick that she can’t ! bear the sight of anything conj nected with Australia. Father, you have simply got to take us back to | Sydney. Please Father, for Mother's j sake,’’ Bobby pleaded. I His father was silent for a long ; time and at last he said he would | consider the matter. That night he | thought about it. Of course it would mean starting again in a new ! business, and they would have to i live in a much smaller house and I do without a maid, but perhaps it would be worth it. Still pondering j on the problem he fell asleep. I Next day Mr Preston called i Bobby to him and said, “Son, we're [ going back to Australia.” Bobby simply hugged his father and jumped for joy. Then he grabbed | his father’s hand and dragged him j in to tell the good news to his [

mother. Afterwards Mr Preston declared that it was worth it just to see his wife’s face when he told her. So the three of them all set sail for Australia and though they were sorry to leave New Zealand they knew that the greatest happiness lay ahead. Bobby always remembered that if it had not been for the Centennial Exhibition his mother might still be unhappy and Mr Preston learnt that money is nothing compared to his wife's happiness. (3 marks to Margaret Ayrey, age 15.)