Week-end Chat

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 125, 12 June 1937, Page 17

Week-end Chat

COUNTRY ANDb TOWN. "

JUNE 12, 1937. Dear Everyone, Have you noticed.that comjfaratively few novels are read nowadays? Travel .books are written so brightly and are published in such numbers that they give those who cannot afford strength or money to wander across continents, a great' chance of hearing first-haud tales of interest and adventure. The world is alive with interest. Two travel books, both about islands, published in 1933 and 1936 are woll worth having, ospecialiy if you live in the Pacific ocean, qr are a Scot. 1 ' Sqotland 's Rainbow West," by J. J. Bell, tells of the romantie stories that surround the western isles of Scotland, and yon ean imagine yourself passing through the lovely lochs and roaming about the isles and islets, visiting the pld eastlcs, and living in the ancient times when McLaines and Macleans, Campbolla and McLeods, MacArthurs, MacNaoghtous, Argylls and Maekenziies, and many other clans fought and lived and established history. The old traditions are often amusing as well as tragic. On the little islo of iona are the graves of Scottish kings from Fergus H. ta Macbeth still to be seen. This hook will delight all who have been to Scotland and will surprise those who have not, for it takqs one into - the world of long ago, that still oxists in the present. The islands of the Paeifio ara told about in "Adventuring in Coral Seas" by Ellis. When we Toqk at the tiny , dots of islands that are scattered over the map of the Pacifie, and read of the bird life there, the fish, the giant crabs, the coeonut palms, and the rich deposits of " phosphates that some igands have yielded, and ara thrilled with the tales of sharks and other denizens of the tropic seas, oue can realise Why Lord Bledisloe in 1936 wrote an enthusiastic intrqduction to thd hook. If you cannot travel— travel by xeuding such books as tliese. Those who would like to know of reallife books for children should read those by "Grey Owl.'J A boy of eleven'was delighted with the story of "Sajo and Her Beaver People," and grown-ups will love the stories teo— if they take any interest iu animals. # « * Thanks to the Napier reader who sent in a letter telling of a mothod of making good whole-wheat flour. This letter will be sent direct to the Waipawa correspondent who asked wkere she could find really good whole-wheat meal. t A large parcel arrived from Waipukurau — many thanks to the sender — with old stockings for the cripplod person in Napier who shreds them up and makea flbor mats. The parcel will be sent to Napier. If any readers have old silk underclothes or stockings, would they be so good as^to post them to "Stockings," Garratt's store, Napier; and they will be collected from there and given to the cripple. The kindly person who collects them says that oUr readers have been vety good in sendihg parcels. Many thanks to , all who have taken this trouble. • • . • Are the people of Hawke's Bay district really interested in the fact that they have an Art Gallery in Napier? One of' those who works hard for this Gallery murmured to Cousin Rose that many of those who possess lovely pictures ' ' might as well be dead for all the notice they take of the Gallery 1" Perhaps people do not realise that it is a Hawke's Bay art gallery and mu-, .seum, not merely a Napier oue. It , shows a great lack of interest on the part of country people who may have pictures they could lend, that this fairly small gallery should have Medeci prints — however good — when there are many fine originals hidden in old homes that could please the eyes of hundreds and foster the love of art here, if the owners would spare one or two on loan. • # A member of the New Zealand Bird Society writes the following good letter.-' It is surprising what can be doiie to tame birds if their habits and tastes are studied. It was really delightful to see the little birds in a Have-' lock North garden recently. The owner had little wire-netting covered balls of fat tied to the .branches of trees. The pretty native birds of all kiuds swung on the branches and pecked the fat. Those who live in Hastings and who love to hear the tuis in Havelock may not realise that quite a , nuinber of Hastings residents have brought tuis to their gardens by planting flowering. gums. The tui is a honey-eating bird. So please read the letter carefuliy and remember it this winter: — "FEED THE BIRDS THIS WINTER" Dear Cousin Rose,— Winter is a deciding factor in the preservation of birds. Well-fed birds ean care for themselves against enemies. More s food trees planted, more food given, ' more shelter provided — means more birds. More birds means more assistanee against the huge invisible army of insects. What food shall we give them? Most birds tako fat freely and beef suet is especially acceptable. Enough waste .of food daily' takes place to feed hosts of birds. Beef suit, sweotened porridge, cooked potatoes, nay, almost any refuse will be consumed. By feeding the birds we can prevent them from eating that which we do not wish them to, such as our early peas, etc., because they aro usually driven by shoer nocessity to such sources of f(.od which at other times are unpalatable. It is necessary to have a receptacle v • 11 clear of the grouud beyond the reach of "cunning cats. The feeding of birds presents little difficulty. Woon they will recogniso their benefactors and come . to the sound of a bell or a whistle, if so desired, provided the summons and food are regularly given. Feeding wild birds — which are quiekly tamed by kindness — is a heart-warming pleasure. Liko the quality of mercy "it blessot.li him that give and him that takes." — Yours, etc. BRLD. * + 9 All who ean join in this column please seud letters on subjects that int«rtst ihmL addresfied to— ( "COUSIN ROSE."