Week-end Chat

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 55, 20 March 1937, Page 13

Week-end Chat

"BANDAGES"

4 4 Uncle

Podger.,>

"Verba."

COUNTRY AND _ TOWN. *

Dear Every one, fl^e, cWef concern in the miuds of Lrxh?3- 13 r 0, of infantile fforr i'8' . .oes not do to get too over this, for that wouTd soon feact on the children, just when it is they sllouId b« kept in health. A tramed nurse said to f. Was m the Napier Hospital for me tnne, and it was not unusual to hr-+a, cfse infantile paralysis in an/+if nP. one worried unduly, and the pubho did not get jn a panic." , r- „ 'lc Williams says it is important to feed children on healthful foods so t they will not contract infantile paralysis or other disease. If the blood is pure— and plenty of fruit and vegetables helps to purify it— the person will be less hkely to become ill. This is a Diild way of putting it, for some people believe. that a really healthy person is immune from ordinary illness. It will help to safeguard children if they are carefully fed, given no rubbish to eat, and supplied with suitable fruit, fresh milk, and vegetables properly cooked, not stewed vegetables- with all the fresh eiements killed. A parent writes asking what children can do with the enforced leisure of this scliooiless tjme. She suggests painting fences, sheds and rooms for the energetic; renovating their bedrooms for girls. and instruetion in gardening for bothi boys and girls. She rfpoke of the way in which pictures, entertainments and carefully organised sport has killed initiative in our children. When a time like this arises they oan only cry, "What can w© do?" Have any parents solved this problem satisfactorily? How beautiful the flowers on the Napier Parade are at present. It is amazing to see how high those rosydawn petunias grow in a bed exposed to the saity winds and sea air, and the portulaccas are particularly fine, whilst the growth of the reddish begonias near the baths, only planted a short time ago, surprise all amateur gardeners

Napier is much prettier than it was years ago. The houses on the rough hillsides are now set in more attractive gardens. Where there were once hanks of wild periwinkle, rockeries, roses and gay geraniums have taken their place, and vivid gumpses of the sea can be seen through the branqhes of wellrooted pohutukawas — or oaks. There is only one drawback from the visitors' and tourists' point of viewj there are comparatively few cars running to the highest and prettiest points of Napier, and those who wish to roam about must be as strong in the legs as qn alpine goat. If you have ideas you would like to send to this column send your letter to cousin Rose, not later than Thursday, each) week. Thanks to those readers who have writfcen interesting letters this week. I hope all who can will try to respond to this next letter : Dear Cousin Rose, — I am writing again on behalf of the mission hospitals of Melanesia and the lepers of Makogai Island, as w© still neied many more old sheets for bandages, and also coloured wools and linen thread, etc. for the women patients, and tobacco and pipes. for the men. In connection with this work and the articles sent each year from New Zealand to the leper station, Dr Austin, the kindly medical superintendent, says: "The gifts sent each year from New Zealand give the patients a chance to keep their minds off the disease, re-awaken their lost interest in life, and in uo small measure aid in the cure of many. Last year 47 patients were discharged as cured." May I specially appeal to parents to bring forward the interest of their children who might gain mucli pleasure by collecting wools, and asking friends for old sheets, knowing that they were really helping to cheer people with a terrible affliction. Hall's Book Shop, Hastings, have kindly consented to have all articles sent there that are requested through this column. Hoping readers will not forget. Please address to

Dear Cousin Rose, — Can any reader tell me where we get the word "fortnight". ^Lmencans do not use it. How and when did it arisep— Yours, etc., "NELSON STREET." Dear Cousin Eose. — 1 thank God I have not lost my sense of humour and so it still makes me sinile to hear women talk. I bave fieard a lot of them lately, too, hdlding forth on the hospital boards and sueh like controversial subjecte. Perhaps you have heard them too, and what short, shrift we poor men get from these loud voiced Junos. I shall be forced to suggest some day that if any of them had any "Stug" (spell it backwards please) they would get busy and help, instead of leaving all the jobs to the men. Some women wi* •>ur eo-operation might do quite a lot clearing up the mess that has been bequeathed to us. It seems a pitjr i hat with the country side bristling with institutes and the towns sproutguilds and clubs, for womenfolk to play round it, that some of them c-ali 't tackle a serious and worthwhile joh of publie work. Surely a hospital should be able to command the

best men and women of the country for its board of management. It makes me tired wnen I think of it. I shall not bo able to smile much longer. — Yours etc.,

'Dear Cousin Eo-se. — In response to the request of your correspondent "Cornish" I wili write on the subject of the English language. Many learned works have been written on the origin, growth and present state of the English. language, but none point out the many losses which it ha3 suifered from time, corruption and change of literary fashion. Of all the languages of the world, the English has* the greatest powers o.f assimilating to and incorporating with itself the usef ul- wprds — whether of trade, sentiment, poetry or science — -with which it comes into contact. The English is essentially a living and growing speech. All the languages of antiquity have had their tender infancy, their careful maturity, their gradual decay and finally tileir death. All languages pass through these stages in their career— • Sanxcrit, Gaelic, Greek and Latin are ' familiar examples of the death of great and mighty tongues that wero once living powers to sway the pasaions and guide the reason of men. The Coltic languages all sjprung from an ancient Oriental root, and- whieh include Scottish and Irish Gaelic, Manx and Breton are in the last stage of vitality, destined to ,disappear into the books, which will alone preserve their memory.. Eveii French has ceased to expand, Spanisli, Portuguese and Italian hold their own, and that is all that can be said of them. German and the languages sprung from the same root and stem, contain within themselves sueh im-men-se resources, and are so continually evolving new compound as to f ree them from that reproach of stagnation. — Yours etc..

Dear Cousin Eose. — I should like to heartily support "Practical" in .the letter ro church giving. The irregulars expect to find a church clean, lighted and warmed if possible in winter. Also books ready for them in case they hav^e none. The clergyman and choir must do their best also. And, although they may not support their church at all, they expect to be christened, married, or buried, with church services. Many who give nothing still would not like to see the church closed. .As a life-long church goer I often feel this very keenly. — Yours etc. — "Practical No. 2." A brief letter from a reader asks that appreciation be given to the writer of the "Fantasy on Oysters," and also to "Afterglow" for the poetry written about The Giant. Original verse is welcome if the poems ara brief.