THE WENDY HUT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 228, 26 September 1931, Page 16 (Supplement)

THE WENDY HUT

My Dear Children,—

Assembled again in our merry Land of Letters, 1 have an especial appeal to make to you. and I know that in Jioui hearts I shall find a ready response.

I must, in making my appeal, commence with a little scene I witnessed recently. Supposing 1 begin in this Way?.

Passing through one of our city's gardens I saw near the foot of a tree a group of boys whose attention was so rivetled upon what one of their number held in his hands, that they did not perceive of my approach until I was almost upon them. With a start they all looked up quickly, and I, though a little guiltiK?. too. I wondered why.

Then I caught sight of a nest. It was that of a bird I knew well. 11 was the home of that little bird, whose singing is always so blithe and happy, and sounds like the tinkling of silvery bells. You. too, have often seen and heard him, I k n °w, for he is a very companionable little fellow is the Crey Warbler.

I, of course, stopped, for one of the lads made a sign as though he wanted to show me the nest. I held it up so that I could see inside, and there were four tiny eggs. What a wonderful little home it was. How diligently and patiently the Grey Warmbers had Worked to construct it, and I thought of the sorrow there would be in our feathered friends’ hearts when they returned to discover that their home was gone. I conveyed my thoughts to the boys, who now seemed sorry, and I quite understood. They had just been unable to withstand the temptation the sight of the nest made, as it hung above them in the tree.

As we stood regarding the nest, one of the boys said, “Do you think >1 would be alright if we put it back again? To which I answered that I thought it would be. So the tree was reclimbed and the nest replaced almost exactly as it had been before it was disturbed. The climber having descended, we all stood for a minute or two admiring the flowers that grew so profusely in the plots, when presently the arrival of the Warblers was announced by their merry chirruping.

We all stood quite still the while We waited to see if the birds would notice that their home had been touched- After hopping from branch to branch, the mother bird entered her home, as if nothing had happened, while Pother Warmbier came to have a look at us. He sang more blithely than ever. In fact, he came quite close to us. He sat on a twig, ceased his singing, turned his head first this way, then that, and then with a flutter of wings flew back to his home to tell Mother Warbler all was safe. '

Before we parted I thanked the boys for their l(indly act io the Warblers, and told them of the great good these tiny birds performed in ridding our gardens and orchards of much of the blight and disease that Would later ruin the crops. They promised that never again would they lake from the good birds their homes.

On my desk 1 have a paragraph which contains therein some very enlightening information about birds, and the work they perform in our interests. Let me publish it for you. Just read this, children; "A wren was seen to feed its young 36 times in an hour, and the food she brought them consisted of aphides which had been suc/jing the juice out of rose and citrus trees, and caterpillars which had been masticating the young shoots of a highlyprized wattle. Two starlings paid 30 and 32 visits to their respective nests in 59 minutes, with the larvae of click-beetles, rose-chafers and other beetles that do immense damage to plants. A record was established by a sparrow which made 254 trips to its nest in 3 hours 2 minutes with pests ranging from the mites which attack strawberries to the caterpillars of the privet-hedge moth.” Here the writer concludes with, “Without birds the greater part of vegetation would be immediately destroyed and successful agriculture Would be an impossibility.” So, dears, what do you say if we, in order to show our appreciation, give protection to all our Feathered Friends, who work so unceasingly in our service, whether they be of the water, wood or waste? Well, children, news of our Relief Ship’s arrival upon het second voyage of comfort to the little less fortunates has come by way of a letter from our triend, Mrs. Dexter, who wroles to us thus; — Castlecliff, September 20, 193 i. Hear Wendy,— Please pardon my negligence for not writing before. I received the sum of fourteen shillings from our dear Wendy Hut friends. We do think ( hey have been good in sending gifts of provisions and money. It has been a big help, and has enabled us to relieve some very deserving cases.

We all know, too, that the farmers are having a very trying lime, and yet look how good they are in helping where they can. We have had a 10l of help from the W.D.F.U. in Waverley. •Boxes of provisions have arrived each Week, also vegetables, and it has been a very big help. Suppose we give three big cheers for the Wendyites, and another three for the Waverley ladies? We have been very busy after our clothes and food drive. Il e organised a seed distribution.

The “Inter Bible Class" supplied us with a lot of garden seeds; rash as well to buy more, and it has been a very big business. We buy the seed in bulk and make them up into parcels and give them out With potatoes for planting. So, Wendy, we should not have io distribute vegetables next year, because so many have dug their gardens and planted. The parcels of seeds have contained peas, beans, cabbage, parsnips, carrots, onions and lettuce, together With about 141bs. of seed potatoes. About 80 families in all have been supplied.

We are now hoping for better times, and there will not be the need for so much help, but, Wendy, everybody has been so good ■•n providing the ways and means.

So please thank your dear little lies for the cash, parcels of clothing, books, etc., and tell them lots of children have been made happy with their gifts.—Yours sincerely, E. A. DEXTER, Hon. Welfare Officer.

1 here now, cherubs, that is a splendid letter, and a very comforting one, too, for with all the help provided, provision is wisely being made to lessen much of next winters need. And, above all, Mrs. Dexter wants you to know how deeply your assistance is appreciated by those, who, because of the present economic depression, are in such dire straights and urgently need a helping hand.

Oh, look, dears, there comes our good Relief Ship back to harbour. Sir Richard Elf I can see upon the quarter deck, and won’t he be pleased when he sees that already I have the foudation laid for our Ship's third Cargo of Comfort. These are the names the Cnome of Gratitude has inscribed upon the pages of the Ledger of Good Deeds: "A Mother" (clothmg). "Autumn Tints" (bag of rice). "Willshire Moonshiner" (1/6), and “Honeybud" (1/-).

Many thanks, dear helpers, your kindly thought for your less fortunate fellows is worthy of our Clan and the cause in which it seeks to assist. I Was somewhat puzzled when I saw alongside your names the initials “T. 8. but 1 now know the Cnome placed them there to signify our motto, “True Blue.”

Dear me, but there goes the old familiar sound—Mr. Printerman’ buzzer! It is good to hear it, isn’t it? Cheerio, everybody. Love and kisse galore to you from your ever affectionate

Wendy

OUR CHILDREN’S CORNER