THE "GOOD ENDEAVOUR" LEAGUE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 3, Issue 295, 18 April 1941, Page 7

THE "GOOD ENDEAVOUR" LEAGUE

What ho, what ho, ma hearties. Land ho, land ho. And what a welcome sight it is to be sure, after ail this long while at sea. Here we approaching the Australian Yes around that point of land lies Darwin, the growing capita] of the vast Northern territory. We have spent over a week exploring the hinterland of Papua and .making friends with the funny little : brown men who inhabit the great mysterious island. We have visited the gold fields, and the huge forest of Karri trees (not Kauri like our New Zealand minsters but very like them). Well, now we lie off the first Australian town that we see on our return trip home. Do you know that we have travelling for nearly 18 Some trip eh what. Well we woWt be sorry to get home will we, though I want you always to remember the wonderful lands we have visited, the interesting people and splendid cities. There are very -few children as lucky as you have been. But what am I thinking \ about. Our cruise is not yet over. Here we are at the doors of another fascinating city, perched on the very edge of Australia's greatest stretch of barren desert and mountain country. Yes Darwin( called • after the great naturalist and explorer) has a population of British, Chinese, Japanese, Malays, South Sea Islanders and a sprinkling of Aboringees. No wonder the streets look more like those of an Asiatic city. There are Chinese signs up all over the place and the harbour is filled with pearling luggers with swarthy crews recruited from all the nationalities under the sun. " Yes, I think you would have to be able to look after yourself to live there for long. Let's all bustle ashore and make our presence to the Governor. He will be to greet us, and if I know him aright will shout you all ice creams. Gome along now, look •. sharp.

BREAKFAST IN INDIA Kusam was a dainty, gentle, little Indian girl. She was like the pretty flower, with the sweet scent, ; sifter which she was named. She had no mother, but she had a kind father, and a big brother, named Lai. A nurse, who was always call--ed Ayah, looked after the home. When it was nearly time foi ! breakfast, Kusam went to the cook room to help Ayah. Rice takes the place of bread in India. The rice was already boiled, and was drying on a large brass platter. Ayah was malting some split peas into thick soup, to be eaten with the rice. Kusam put some roots, seeds, pepper and spices all on to the flat ■ spice-stone. Then slip ground them into a paste by roiling them with another stone. Next she fried slices of onion in an earthen cooking jar •over the charcoal fire. Ayah had cleaned some small fish. These had the spice paste were put fn witli CtlWi onions, When everything had keen cooked together for a little "While, the fish curry was ready. In the meantime, Kusam's father "had come home from the market, where he had been buying food for the family. He and Lai brushed their teeth with wooden brushes and some charcoal dust. Then they took their morning bath, and were ready in time for their meal, Kusam and Ayah spread two -grass mats on the floor. lirni?Ontf of each mat they placed a* platter of rice, with a large pinch of salt on the rim. Beside each I platter was a smaller brass dish holding some of the fish currj-, and a brass cup of hot milk. A tiny <lish held some sweet pickle. Lai and his father sat down on the mats, and each made a hole ir the top of his mountain of rice. Kusam then filled the hollow with "hot pea soup. No knives, forks ot spoons were needed. Lai and his ..< father made the rice and soun into "little balls wi.th the finger tips of the right hand. Then they flicked the balls into their mouths with 3 snap of the thumb. They did not ■drop a grain of.rics, or scrap a-: on the floor, or on their

FOR YOUNG READERS ONLY

Aboard for the Goodwill Cruise by PETER THE WHALER of WHALE ISLAND

clothes. The meal was finished with fruit—small bananas and large sweet grape-fruit. While Lai and. ins father were eating. Kusam and Ayah stood at the door of the room and waited patiently for the men to finish. Then they quietly cleared away the dirty dishes and squatting down on the mats, helped themselves in much the same way. "I wonder if ever we will be able to cat our meals with our men folk like the white people," said Kusam. But Ayah was an old Indian and shook her head as she ate the delicious rice, then she said: "My father never ate his meals with his wife, neither did his father or his 'father's father before him. so why '.should it %>e now!" / And the little Indian girl started thinking and thinking and thinking. LAST WEEK S COMPETITION" | PAINTING AND TINTING 1 can once again congratulate you all on the good work you have sent in. I was glad to sec that some of you painted in the blue sky. for sportsmen usually like the fine weather. Well here are the winners: May Hanham (excellent) Audrey Butler lan McKenzie. Your tickets await 3 T ou at the BEACON Office.

RAG DOLLS Grandma was Avondering how to get gifts for her 20 or more grandchildren. For the 31 girls, she could make old-fashioned rag dolls, Avith blue, blaclc, and brown beads for their eyes, a dash of red ink for their lips, and. a clipping of hair cut from Bill and Rover, the children's pet dogs, for the doll's curly hair. But Avhat could she make, for the boys? Of course, she could make balls of yarn for them to play with, but she knew they Avould rather iiaA'e toy airplanes, automobiles and other new and. up-to-date playthings. Then an idea came to her : She Avoulcl make dozens of the oldfashionerl rug dolls and sell them to flic smaller children of the tOAvn. At once she began on the rag doll making and selling. And her purse was soon filled Avitb the money to he?p th e Christmas stockings of her numerous grandchildren. TWO GOOD GAMES TAILS I WIN * Having given each guest a pencil and a sheet of paper on which the numbers 1 to 10 have already been written with £ space of about t\vo inches betAveen the numbers, one of the party sloAvly calls out the names of ten animals. The players then try to draw the tail of each animal namfeel in the list, which must certainly include that of "guinea pig," as somebody is sure not to knoAV that this little fellow is tailless! An agreed-on time—say ten minutes—is allowed for the draAvings, and votes are taken as to whose is the best. A small prize is then given to the winner. It is a good plan when distributing the paper and pencils to hand out- a book or piece of stiff cardboard on which to support the paper while draAving the tails. HAT TRICK Place three chocolates on the table and cover each Avith a hat. Lift each hat in turn and eat the I chocolates. Then tell your friends that by your magic art you will bring all the chocolates under \vhicheA r er hat they please. When a hat has been selected, all you have to do is to put it on your head and the chocolates will be under it. Then run\