THE "GOOD ENDEAVOUR" LEAGUE FOR YOUNG READERS ONLY

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 3, Issue 288, 28 March 1941, Page 3

THE "GOOD ENDEAVOUR" LEAGUE FOR YOUNG READERS ONLY

What ho, what ho, ma hearties. Glad you all liked Sumatra so much. Now we are going to steer through the maze of islands whicli make up the East Indies. Most of them belong to the Dutch who a century ago were great sailors and explored, the seven seas almost as much as the famous English/sailors of that time. Now we will sail past Java, Bali, Lumbok, Sumhawa, Sumba, Timor and Florcs until we find ourselves In the beaptiful Banda sea, north of West Australia. In this vast seabasin thejfc&are thousands of islands, each of whien could be made into a dream island home. Shall we stav? Yes, of course. We will stop at one. of the Cclebies jtist past the straits of Masassar. You've heard of Macassar Oil, well here's where it comes from. are approaching shore now, and far away over the coral reef, the breaking rollers arc milkwhite against the deep blue of the tropic sea. The entrance to tlia calmer water lies to the north and I think we can ujst make it. Yes. just 'squeeze through. Noav I want you all in the long beat, and wp will pull ashore to see what the natives are like. Yes sure enough they are on the stone jetty, to meet us. Tall brown men with a piece of twisted rag about their heads, like a a^ort'turban. They are friendly and smiling and hold out coconuts and sugar cane. We will land and I will find the chief. Now brown children are coming forward shyly and one or two of the island women. They are Malay people with a touch of Melanesian blood. The brown children want you to swim with tliem in the warm lagoon. Off you go while I find the chief and make arrangements about a real is land meal. Yours till next week, Peter the Whaler.

HOW CANDLES ARJ^MADE Although we live in the days of electric light and incandescent gas mantles, millions of candles are still made and used, and their manufacture is quite an important industry. In the old days candles were made from wax or tallow, but nowadays they are manufactured from a mixture of oils, tallows and fats of various kinds. These are purified in a large model-vessel, called an autoclave, which is a kind of closed stew-pan, into which they are put with lime and water. Glycerine is extracted, and then the fats are passed on to other vessels, where the lime and impurities are removed by sulphuric acid. The fatty substances are then distilled and refined, when they drop down long tubes. The result is a substance, stearine, which is squeezed, in hydraulic presses and becomes solid. At the same time impure paraffin wax is placed in ovens on sloping shelves, where the soft oil melts and runs down, leaving the hard paraffin betnpdV This is cooled, and then the stearine and the slabs of paraffin are placed together in a melting pot or vat with steam pipes running through it. Here the fats JU'c melted and thoroughly mixed together. The hot compound is then taken and poured into a trough, from which it runs into moulds, where the candles arc formed. The. appaiatus has at the bottom a number of bobbins with the thread for the wick, and this material passes up through the moulds and is in position before the hot fat flows in. Cold water circulates round and cools the fat .in the moulds. A lever is pulled, which forces: the candles from the moulds and fixes them on a board, where they clry and are then ready for the market.

BURNSvS STOOL

Burns's poems wore being printed by William Smellie, -and to Smellie, and to Smellie's print shop Burns frequently went to read and correct the proofs of his writings. There was one stool in the office which Burns always insisted upon using when at his labours, and it came to be known as Burns's stool. In the same print shop, at this time, there was being printed an essaj' for Sir John Dalrymple. When Burns entered the shop one day, to read proofs, Sir Jolm was occupying his stool. On some pretext Burns was taken to the composing room,, while Sir John was asked to relinquish the stool, the circumstances.being recited but no names mentioned, "I will not give up my seat *o yon staring, impudent fellow," declared Sir John.. . "Do you know that that staring fellow, as you call him, is Burns, the poet?" he was asked. "Good gracious," exclaimed Sir John, instantly leaving the stool. "Give him all the seats in tha house!"

LAST WEEK'S COMPETITION METHODS OF TRAVEL There were quite a number of answers to this competition. The winners were : Sjivia Sims who would like, ot visit the South Pacific Islands and see the grave of R.L.S., Brian Chalmers who only wants to go as far as Whale Island, and Janette McLeod who wants to visit \ pen-friend in Australia. Congratulations to sou all. your free picture tickets await you at the BEACON.

TILL HE PAID When Sir Walter Scott avos visiting in Ireland, he had occasion to give a sixpence to a poor man for opening a gate; and finding, after much search among his loose change that lie had nothing less than a shilling, he handed it to the man. saying : "I intended to give only half this amount. Therefore, remember that you owe me sixpence." Pat's Instant reply was; 'Oh, bless your honour! May you live till I pay, you I"

NEXT WEEK'S COMPETITION TRY COLOUPJNG THIS Here we have a picture which I want you to colour in and send to me. Its ages .since we asked our artists to try their skill. Cut the picture out, colour it and send it to me. The threeb est will receive free picture tcikets with my best compliments.

RIDDLE POT Why is a dog's tail like the ccatre of a tree?—Becausc it is farthest from the bark. When is an change like a bell?— When it is peeled. What coat never has any buttons? —A «oat of paint. When is an umbrella good to eat on toast? —AVhen it is dripping. 'When is the letter B like fire?— Because it makes oil boil (b-oil). Which is the* longest letter in the world?— The letter D, because it has no end. What is the difference between ; horse and a pencil?—-One is driven and the other ts leadWhat bird is present at e\;ery meal? —The swollow. What other fruit do four peaches make?— Two pears (pairs). When did cc-rn grow in the ocean? —Tn the days of Cecrops (sea crops) Which monkeys make the best wine? —Gray-apes (grapes) . Why can no one ever want food in the desert a Suez?—Becausc el' the sandwiches (which is) there. Why is a five-pound note better than five sovereigns?— Because Avhen you put it in your pocket you double it and find it increases (in creases) . What is the difference between a cow and a rickety chair?— One gives milk and the other gives whey (way) . What is that which asks no questions yet always needs answering?— A door knocker. Why is there no such thing as a whole day?—Becausc every day beWhy is it possible to jump as high as a house? —Because a house cannot jump at all. When can a man be said to be parsonally involved?—when he is wrapped up in himself. What did the feather, when it first sprouted, say to the duck?—= "I'm down on you this time."