PETER PAN’S PEOPLE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17230, 22 December 1923, Page 1

PETER PAN’S PEOPLE.

AFTERNOON IN THE GARDENS. After a pleasant walk along the riverside through Hagley Park, or, it fancy pleases, through the gardens, one comes to an arena-tike place whieh seems to be almost a forest clearing. Surrounding it .are long poplars, shining beeches, fir trees and massive oaka. Now and again it is possible to get a glimpse of distance when the wind makes the thick foliage yield for a moment. But the glimpse means little, for all that may be seen on one side is a. strip of park land, and on the other still more trees. There, it would not be difficult for a lomantic little hov to imagine that he was “in Sherwood about the break of flay,” and he might well expect some of Robin Hood’s merry men to jump out upon him and bear him away to a mecil of venison in the heart of the forest. Likewise & romantic little girl could £ll her head with pretty fancies in such a place. But no, that forest and that clearing were made for sterner stuff than dreaming. and there the young citizens of Christchurch exercise their ‘limbs and voices in a recreation ground that baa been built specially for them in tho Botanical Gardens. Christchurch has an advantage over many towns in the matter of its open spaces, and that is well, for there are few things of more vital importance to the health of the community than these. It is. after all, a fine thing for people to be able to break away from the pleasant enough restriction of home and get out into some place where there are long levels of grans, plenty of trees aDd fresh air. It is one wav of satisfying the undeniable primitive in all of us, and one cannot fail to benefit. Important though this may be for grown-ups. it is vastly more important for the children. If they cannot run about in suitable surroundings they lost much that will help them to be the type of citizen that is so much desired. \\ ithout it thev become spiritless ,and a spiritless child is a terrible thing to encounter. ' ' ' . There is fortunately no danger of tbe‘ children getting insufficient exercise or fresh air in Christchurch, for there are playing places in many parts of the city, and in every suburb. The. places certainly serve their purpose, but- there are none of them so well equipped as the recreation ground in the gardens. If one can judge from the ciowds that flock to it. it must be considered almost as a Mecca, hnd perhaps it is not too much to say that it really is. The equipment, while not extravagant, is adequate, and there is no child that could net pass a. very pleasant afternoon there. The situation is good not far from the city, and the river flows past it. Any afternoon, now that the school holidays have begun, a happy crowd of children' is to Tie seen amusing itself from lunch time to sun down. The harried mother of the house is able to send the little family off in.’charge of its oldest member, and know that there is no danger to be encountered in the Gardens. The big paddling pond is not much more than a foot dfeep at its centre, and the swings which give all the delightful sensation don’t go too high, and are practically impossible to fall out of. The chute down which a tireless line of children ever seems to slide does nothing more terrible than increase the wear on trousers. So by fitting young gentlemen out in an old pair double-seated, that minor difficulty is overcome. It was a fine eight yesterday to see the children in that ground, and it was enough to make the oid regretful that they had grown up. For, after all. it would be delightful to be young forever. like Peter Pan. There under the trees hiding in the shade were mothers, and sad to say,. one or two fathers, while out in the kind sun were the children. The swings carrying their full loads were’ singing a little song of anger to themselves at the imposition, and out on the paddling pool brave tin boats led by brown-legged pilots were making the hazardous journey from nowhere to somewhere. Then a puff of wind perhaps would overturn one, and down it would go “ full fathoms five or less. Down the chute the Y land lubbers” went, and one little chap who avowed that he was ‘‘ champeen,” cut all manner of fancy figures in his short descents- He might have been a champion, but his laurels were won at the expense of a trouser seat, but what a small price to pay! Another little fellow, a true innovator, tried the disconcerting experiment of doing his slide down the -.tairway. After sevsral bumps he arrived at the ground, and then the neighbouring air was alive with his moaning. Poor weeping boy, it is through pain that we come to knowledge! The sun still shone, the children still laughed, but towards five oclock most of the happy crowd were making off tea wards.