Peter Pan's Post Box

Waikato Times, Volume 110, Issue 18378, 11 July 1931, Page 16 (Supplement)

Peter Pan's Post Box

Dorothy Snell, Hamilton. —Thanks Tor th« papers, Dorothy. The serial -Is very ex« citing, isn’t ilt? How Is the garden progressing? Write again soon.—Peter Pan. “ Cherry,” Hamilton. —l know your story about the birds’ nest soup Is true, “ Cherry,” but the thought of the dish makes me shudder. If you leave the comic papers book at the Times Office, that will do very nicely.—Peter Pan. " Moko-papa,” Elstow —How did the exams, go, “ Moko-papa ”? Well, I hope. The school team had a good win on Saturday. Who were they playing?—Peter Pan. "Morning Dew,” Tauplrl. —Thanks for the riddles, “ Morning Dew.” We had begun to think that you had forgotten all about us. You have eight points towards a Card now.—Peter Pan. Norman Jones, Hamilton. —Wolcome to the Circle, Norman. We are very pleased to have you join us. Yes, you may have “ Rowellan ” for a pen-name.—Peter Pan. Albert Ushaw, Frankton. —Yes, Albert, there is a lot to see in Rotorua. Peter loves roaming round Whaka and Ohlnemutu. Isn’t the Fairy Spring pretty? Te I Aroha Is a pretty place, too. —Peter Pan, i “ Silver Tulip,” Tauplrl. —lt seems such a long time since we heard from you last, “ Silver Tulip.” You certainly had a lovely birthday; we’re glad.—Peter Pan. Phyllis Ushaw, Frankton. —What a jolly visit you had to Auckland, Phyllis! Peter has often watched the small people up at , the playground of the Farmers’ Trading, so can imagine the run you had.—Peter Pan. Dorothea de Montalk, Frankton. —Your Idea for a competition sounds good, Dorothea and when we begin them again, which will bo soon, we’ll use It.—Peter Pan. Olive Edwards, Ohaupo. —Welcome to the Circle, Olive; we are so pleased to havo you join us, and hope to hear from you often now. Write again soon.—Peter Pan. Avis Jones, Hamilton. —What a shame that you have had to part with Nip and Snowflake, Avis; You will /miss them.— Peter Pan. I ‘‘Erin,” Frankton —Thanks for the verse, ‘Erin,” we will use It. What happy days you have at school!—Peter Pan

Edward Robson, Taotaoroa. —Thanks for the verse, Edward; we will use It when August arrives.—Peter Pan.

Peggy Cluno, Frankton —Another neat tllis week too, Peggy! What a shame that tho cat, Billy, died. Do you know what was wrong with him?—Peter Pan.

Billy Davis, Frankton. —Thanks for the verse, Blliy, but we have already had It In the Page.—Peter Pan.

LoisylVJcKelvle, Frankton. —We were so sorry to hear that you’d been 111, Lois, and hope that you are quite better again now. Your uncle JelT will have a lovely trip round thr Islands, and Is sure to bring you home some quaint shells.—Peter Pan.

Harris, Frankton —What name have you given to your birthday doll, Alice? Now that the bulbs are beginning to flower, the gardens look much prettier. Write again soon.—Peter Pan.

Violet Wllcock, Rotokaurl. —You must have some busy meetings of the Crusaders, Violet. Lire among tho natives or the Sudan must he most Interesting.—Peter EXAMS. ' Dear Petor Pap,—We are going to have our half-term exams, next week. You have quite a lot or members now, haven’t you? The mornings have boon very cold lately, 'haven’t they? We have had quite a lot or Improvements made at our school, such as a new room, concrete paths, steps, and many other things. All the winter plants are beginning to show their heads now, aren’t they? The cricket was very lteresting, wasn’t It? Our teacher wanted us to write out notes about It for oral composition, but wo have not done so yet. I was so pleased when we were told that the New, Zealanders were thought good enough to play with a really good English team.—‘Acreleen” (12), Hamilton. The New Zealanders made a very fine showing in tho Test, didn’t they, ‘‘Acreleen”? Your school must look very nice, and fresh since the improvements were ipade. —Peter Pan. A NEWSY LETTER. Dear Peter Pan, —Thank you very much for putting my letter In tho paper. I know a girl (her name Is Evelyn Hall) who writes to the Circle. The inspector lias Just come to our school. I am learning music rrom mother. she is teaching me a baby duet. The way I get to school Is sometimes on a hike behind a big girl, and In the gig other times. My dolly’s name Is Rose Mary. I got it while I was at Hamilton at the Show. I have a teddy hear; I got It when my arm was broken.— Colleen McCracken (C), Lichfield. You must try to win an Honours Board Card now, Colleen. What do you call your teddy hear?—Peter Pan.

A CLEVER HORSE. Dear Peter Pan, —I was so pleased to get my Honours Board Card. Jean, my uncle’s horse, used to open the gate and go out on to the road. One day my uncle put a new fastener on and left the old one on the gate. Jean now goes over to the gate and pulls at the old fastener and pushes 'the gato with her foot, then stamps her foot because she can’t open the gate. To-night when the moon got up It looked like a big orange. Did you see it? This morning before school I was sliding on the frosted ground. We do wish that the swimming pond would get ice thick enough to skate on. We have an auntie living In Otago. Wo havo Just had a letter from her and she says that ■ they had been skating on a pond down there.—Alexa. Williamson, Puketaha. Jean was properly fooled over the gate, wasn’t she, Alexa? Yes, Peter noticed how big and yellow 'the moon was, too. It would be fun to have a pond frozen for skating, wouldn’t It? —Peter Pan. VIBITING FRIENDS. Dear Peter Pan, —I am writing to tell you of the run I had yesterday, when we went to see some rrlends Just out or Cambridge. Wo started off at 10 o’clock. Nine of us were packed In the truck, so you can see that we were well packed In. The road was pleasant until we came to “Happy Glide.” This was a deep gully down which the road winded. I do not liko going down windy roads. When wo arrived we wero welcomed by the two rosy-cheelced children, Esther and Freda. At dinner time we tasted venison for''the ilrst time. It was very nice. Atter dinner we went to see the bush. There was a stream, with numerous little waterfalls running through it. There were beautiful punga ferns everywhere. We even saw some clematis and some rumaruina. We pulled various plants; among others were a red and a white pine, a supple-jack, and some pretty Terns. Wo also took a bunch of wild heather and a punga frond each.—“ Fantail” (11), Puketaha.

Wliat a Jolly trip, “Fantail.” Thank you for the snapshot. Tho hath looks great. —Peter Pan.

“ The way to be happy oneself is to make others happy.”

ABOUT MANY THINGS. Dear Peter Pan, —At homo we have a Jten on some eggs and we -hope we shall have some chickens soon. We have' two incubators at home. One holds 110 while the other one holds only 50, as It Is smaller. We sometimes set them down in the beginning or August. At home now we have nearly 75 hens, 12 of which are black. Wo have been having very wet weather lately, haven’t we, Peter? On Saturday wo had a very heavy fog, didn’t me? The rantalls have been coming in our room at school and catching flies. You are getting a number or comics, aren’t you? I have not got any to send you, Peter. How many points have I towards my Card?" I went up to tho hospital on Saturday to see my rather. He has been in the hospital for throe weeks now. I hope he will he better soon.—“ Nibbles” (11), Frankton. Yes, we have 'had lots of papers sent us, “Nibbles; ir you haven’t any, don’t worry, that’s quite alright. We hope that your father will he better soon and that you will be, too. You have six points now.—Peter Pan.

THE MAORI PA. Dear Peter Pan, —The Maori pa is situated on top of a Hill. It was surrounded by a double fence and a deep trench. First to see Inside the Tence was a small house on a post. It was where the Maoris kept their food. Next was the place where one of. the brave chiefs was burled. To mark the place, the Maoris placed a canoe. There was the Maori meeting: house. Inside It was lined with rapau, while outside It was beautifully carved. The guide showed us where the carving- was done by a knife and bone Implements. There was Quite a difference, Peter Pan. Did you see It? We had our photos taken on the pa next to the meeting house. In one or these houses a tap had been running and the room was all damp with water, so I turned ft off. Well, Peter Pan, that ends my talk about Whaka. I will tell you about the lakes and bushes next week.—“ Lover of Animals,” Rotokaurl. We’ll be glad to hear about the lakes, “Lover of Animals.” You have 12 points towards your next Stars, now.—Peter Pan,

ABOUT BUTTERFLIES. u Dear Peter Pan,—l have lately been reading: a Nature Book, willed In one article deals with butterflies as pets. This Interested me greatly and I would like to tell you something about It. The first thing that'struct me was the various kinds of butterflies. The beautiful tawny coloured Frltillarles, are divided Into three species—the High Brown Frltiliary, the Dark Green Frltiliary, and the Silverwashed Fnltlllary. These are fairly common In England and are round In woods and on warm rough hillsides. The chrysalides, especially those of the Sllverbackod Frltiliary, are truly works of art, being encrusted here and there with points or gold and silver which sparkle like veritable gems when caught by the sun’s rays. Another wonderful little butterfly Is tne Chalk Hill Blue. This beautirul Insect, with Its wings of light shimmering blue, is quite common In chalky districts, and large numbers may bo seen flying up and down hillsides, often in company with the Large Brown Brown Frltiliary, whom I have mentioned. As Is often the case In tho Insect world, It 13 the male who Is the brightest or most daintily coloured. The female has her wings suffused with a brownish tinge. Another lover or stony ' or chalky hillsides Is the Grayling, with rather sombre browns and pale buff 3 to make up the colour scheme of the butterfly’s wings. Leaving the chalk hills and visiting the low-lying land, one flnds several butterflies or various sizes and colours. The Small Copper butterfly, very bright and vivacious, Jauntily nits about. Sharing the flower-bedecked fields with the Small Copper may be seen four butterflies: the Meadow Brown, the Smal> Heath, the Large Skipper, and the Small Skipper. Of these, the Meadow Brown and the Small Heath are the most common. The Meadow Brown, big dullish-brown butterflies when disturbed, flap lazily away only to settle down a short distance ahead. The female. Meadow Brown is brighter than the malo, the otherwise sombre wings having bright tawny patches. The Small Heath is an active little creature with pale tawny wings. The Caterpillar is green, with markings not unlike the Meadow Brown. The Skippers are sure to attract attention with their rich brown colouring and peculiar rapid flight. They have a habit dr resting on the flower-heads of grasses with their wings half expanded. To undergo the change to chrysalis form they spin together two or three blades of grass.— “Daphne” (13), Hamilton. Such an Interesting letter, “Daphne.” What a long time it is since you wrote to us! We were so glad to hear rrom you again.—Peter Pan. A PLEASANT SURPRISE. Dear Peter Pan,—Thank you Tor the Third Card, which arrived on Wednesday,

It was a surprise, as I had.an idea I still needed Tour more points.'"' We have had rain off and on for tire last month. It was line yesterday and to-day, but is drizzling to-night, so I suppose it will be raining hard again by the morning. I mended two torn covers this morning and made a new one, so all our cows are cov l ered now. Last Sunday morning and this morning I put my heifer, Bloss, Into the bail. Bloss is not milking yet, but is duo in at the end of this month, and if I put her in the ball two or three times she will be quiet and easy to handle when she does calve. Although she hadn’t been bailed before, Bloss went up ! to the bail alright and I Just gave her a push to get her head in the bail, and leg-roped her loosely where she put it. I left her in while I milked Dolly and let her go; Then I patted Bloss for a while and let her go. She didn’t back out In a hurry, but went slowly. I think she will be quiet when she comes in. Ivan Is in bed for a fortnight and may not bo going back to school for two months. Only my mother and father are allowed to see him, and they are not to say anything to excite him, and we are not to make more noise than Is necessary. The doctor said he is to have plenty of eggs, cream, fruit, butter and milk. Ivan likes the butter part, for he has always been rond of butter, the same as my other brother, Vernon. I have a little two-weeks-old Jersey bull calf that was given to me, and I am sending him away as a “bobby” calf to-morrow, as they start then. My rather receives "bobby” calves for an Auckland firm, and I orten wish that I could keep some of the calves that are sent away to be made into boneless veal. ' Do you like veal, Peter Pan? None of us have ever eaten any and yet we say we' don’t like it. - It must be the I thought or eating the veal. I have to i write to my grandma yet and it’s fairly late, so I will finish now.—“ Silvery Waves” (10), Otorohanga. We’re very sorry to hear that Ivan is ill, “Silvery Waves,” and hope that he’ll soon be better. You seem to bo having a very busy time on the farm now. Your Card must have been a surprise! But you > had two points alright.—Peter Pan. J AFTER A LONG SILENCE.

Dear Peter Pan, —I have not been writing: lately, but wo have bad sucli a lot or homework I have not had time. At school we have a picture or you Hying: In at the window, so that I have not forgotten you. there are two little girls and one little boy in bod and the window wide open. Their mother is reading a book and she too has fallen asleep, so they did not know you were there.—“ White Wings,” Hamilton. We’re glad that you had not forgotten us, “White Wings.” Thanks for the verse, and write again soon.—Peter Pan.