OLD ENGLAND

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 81, 29 December 1934, Page 17

OLD ENGLAND

League Members All, — Whew! it is hot. As I write the sun, who seems determined this summer to make us take back everything zve have ever said about him, is blazing down as he has blazed day after day for — well, I have forgotten how long, but long enough, anyhozv, for all of you to be baked as brown as gnomes. It is weather for the .seaside and for cool shady places by lake, river and bushland. All of you will have been spending the past week outdoors enjoying the glorious holiday climate. But there can be too much of a good thing and, however much zve arc enjoying the sun- < shine, zve must hope that soon there will be rain enough to soak parched pastures, to refresh flowers, and to bring a fresh tinge of green to lawns and open spaces that arc dry, ycllozv, and all but withered. Two Things to Remember. There are two things to remember at this time of the year, you holiday-makers. First, be careful not to sec too much of the sunshine. “Brozvning” is the greatest fun, but burning and blistering can be uncomfortable, and sometimes tragic. I remember a summer holiday that zvas spoiled for me because, at the beginning of it, I jumped feet foremost into hot sand at a beautiful little bay in the far south of Nezv Zealand called Sydney Cove. For me the bay zvas no longer beautiful. With a yell of pain I dashed into the surf—-the very zvorst thing I could, do, and that evening while my friends were out playing in the dusk I lay on my bed, my feet smeared with butter and a large bucket of cold zvatcr beside the bed. All night long and for several : days and nights I zvas tortured with the itching of really bad sand-bitrn. When it grezv unbearable I would swing my legs off ■ the bed and plunge them into the water, then smear on more butter, and hope for the best. I dare say that nowadays there are much better ways of relieving and curing such bums, so although that is hozv the zvisc fisherzvoman of the little village at zvhich I zvas staying treated me, I zvould not suggest that you do the same zvithout proper advice should you be as unfortunate as I zvas. But thc.moral of the tale lies not in the cure but in the warning. ■ Don’t jump in. hot sand—and, zvhilc the, heat lasts, cover your heads! . A Party for Hundreds. Nozv about the party . Kiwi, zvho has taken Inkling to the seaside, where they both propose to become thoroughly (but carefully) sun-tanned, made me promise 1 zvould tell you of the party’s success. After all, it zvas in a way your party, for it zvas given partly in the name of “The Junior Dominion” for 500 children zvho otherwise might not have had a Christmas party. It zvas a great success. Your guests arrived, eager and excited, and three hours later they left for their homes tired, happy, and carrying the most exciting presents. How they enjoyed themselves, those guests of yours! They had all manner of games, they marched to music played by real Grenadier Guardsmen in tunics of scarlet and gold, they were given balloons and paper hats, and ice cream, and a Christmas tea, and a present each, and a handful of fruit, and a bag of szveets each, and—last but not’ least—a squeaker each. They were amused by a conjurer and by tzvo funny clowns, zvho ran and bounced and shouted, and their presents were given them by Santa Claus. At the end they gathered round a giant Christmas Cake on top of zvhich zvas a motherly-looking kiwi carrying a zvcc kizvi in a shazvl on its back, just as Maori zvomcn carry their laughing brozvn babies. Then the cake zvas cut, a photograph (zvhich most of you zvill have seen in “The Dominion” of December 24) zvas taken, and zvith a fanfare of squeakers the party came to an end. I zvish all of you could have been there to sec the happy faces of the boys and girls zvho streamed out of the great Winter Show building. Had you been there all afternoon you ■zvould have agreed, I think, that there is nothing very virtuous about making other people happy, because it is such a delightful occupation. As you read this the Old Year is zvaving farczvell and the Nezv Year is almost in sight.. Have you made your good resolutions? Make them carefully and stick to them fast. . . . And so, until 1935, 1 shall say goodbye and happy days: the best of New Year zvishes from your annual , i' COUSIN LINDY.