OUR COMPETITIONS

Taranaki Daily News, 16 December 1921, Page 5 (Supplement)

OUR COMPETITIONS

HOW I WOULD MANAGE A HOME. (Nora Wilson, Technical College, New Plymouth.) With secret course which no loud storms annoy, Grades the smooth current of domestic joy. —Goldsmith. The atmosphere of the homo depends chiefly on the homemaker, and therefore in justice to herself and all the other members of the household she should endeavor to create happiness and contentment. Perfect happiness is impossible without perfect health, so the first consideration is health. The whole management of the home should be planned so as to give nature a real chance to play her part without the interference of bad management. It is generally accepted that we were created to live happy lives, and our homes should be the greatest evidence of this fact. That things are otherwise is purely the result of bad management. It would be with these thoughts to guide me that I would manage my home. First of all, to create happiness, the homemaker herself must be happy, and to be happy she must have health. The actual housework must be made as light and pleasant as possible, because the work inevitably has an effect on the housekeeper. Although men make the houses, women make the homes and I would have every convenience possible to lighten my housework. Electric lighting and iron, gas stove and ring, and hot water service would be essentials. I would try to so arrange the work that all the afternoons would be free to allow me to enjoy various forms of recreation, and so that I would be able to attend to the more important duties of my home. So often the household duties fill up the greater part o-f a life, but the home should be something more than the scene of continual washing of dishes and scrubbing of floors, and I would try, by good management, to give the housework only th? time and attention it necessitates. To make the work pleasant one must be interested, and this interest can be aroused by the study of domestic science. With a knowledge of the interesting scientific processes, an apparently simple operation loses its dull aspect. Hence its drudgery, because the trained mind can see beyond the obvious, and can trace the good or ill effects of these duties. Thus the intelligence is kept alive and what was once domestic drudgery, with its soul-deadening aspect, takes an entirely new form. In the twenty-four hours of a day only a certain amount can be done, and it would not be my policy to try to do impossibilities, the accomplishment o-f which result only in tired, unsociable women. Personal neatness is -greatly to be desired in the housekeeper, and I should hope that all through the day I would be more or less tidy. A methodical way of working saves a great deal of time and energy, and in all things I would employ good methods. I would plan my work a week in advance so as to always have in mind the task which demanded my immediate attention. PLAN OF A WEEK’S WORK. Monday.—-Tidy house after Sunday; do bedrooms and bathroom; prepare for washing day (sort and soak clothes, set copper fire and prepare Tuesday's dinner); afternoon free. Tuesday.—wash, dry and mangle clothes; wash out wash-house; afternoon free.

Wednesday.—lron, mend, a.nd air clothes and put away for the week; do out kitchen (flush sink, clean cupboards; stove etc.); afternoon free if possible. Thursday.—Do drawing-room and hall; bake; prepare monthly to receive visitors; free afternoon to receive visitors or to pay calls. Friday.—Do breakfast room and bathroom; order stores market day; free | afternoon to do shopping and pay accounts. Saturday.—Cook Sunday's dinner, and j make any preparations necessary tomake Sunday a complete day of rest from the usual cares of the week; free afternoon if possible. Besides the daily work, come those tasks which must be done periodically, such as washing of curtains, blankets, etc., cleaning of windows, making jam and bottling fruit; but I would weekly ’ plan my work so as to have time to devote to my garden, music, sewing, , and reading. With the help of a housekeeper’s account book, I would record the weekly expenditure and receipts of my home, so as to keep my expenditure within my income. To the conscientious housewife there is nothing more worrying than the inability to pay tradesmen’s bills, etc. True economy is the result of carefully considered menus and careful buying. Very often the best is the cheapest, because the whole is utilised, and therefore waste is entirely done away with. I would never forget the value of fresh air and sunshine, but I would, whenever practical, allow these purifying agents to take full possession of the house. As it would be my first wish to see those round me well and happy, I would pay special attention to the meals, because their health, and consequently their happiness will, to a very large extent, depend upon the food eaten. The three meals of the day must be carefully chosen and properly cooked. The food chosen must contain the necessary nutriment in the right proportions, so as not to over-ta?c any one part of the digestion, and so that an unnecessary amount of food need not be taken* to supply the required nourishment. Malnutrition comes from wrong feeding as much as from underfeeding, with all its attendant ill health, unhappiness and expense in doctor’s treatment. Simple food properly cooked is what you would find in my home, for badly cooked and badly chosen food does much to ruin digestion, health, and happiness. I would have fixed hours for meals. Breakfast, 8 a.m.; dinner, 1 p.m.; tea, 6 p.m. As a nation the standard of our home life will make or mar our

“HOW TO MANAGE A HOME.” FIRST PRIZE.—Nora Wilson, Technical College, New Plymouth.

TRUE MAORI LOVE STORY. OF ANCIENT TARANAKI. TAKARANGI AND RAU-MAHORA. There was, several generations since, a chief of the Taranaki tribe, named Rangirarunga. His pa wae called Whai karewa; it was a large pa, renowned for 1 the strength of its fortifications. This ! chief had a very beautiful daughter, whose name was Rau-mahora. She was so celebrated for her beauty that the . fame of it had reached ail parts of these inlands, and had. therefore, come to the ears of Te Rangi-apitirua, a chief of the Ngati-Awa tribes, to whom belonged the na of Pnke-ariki, on the hill where the • ioverjior’s house stood in New Plymouth. This chief had a son named Takarangi; he was the hero of his tribe. Hp. too, naturally heard of the beauty of Rau-mahora; and it may be that his i heart sometimes dwelt long on the thoughts of such great loveliness. Now, in those days long past there ; arose a war between the tribes of Te { Rangiapitirua and of the father of Rau'mahora; and the army of the Ngati- ■ Awa tribes marched to Taranaki, to at- • tack the pa of Rangirarunga, an<| the i army, invested that fortress, and sat bei fore it night and day, yet they could I not take it. They continued, neverthe--1 less, constantly to make assaults upon | ft, and to attack the garrison, of the fortress, so that its inhabitants became I worn out from want of provisions and ; water, and many of them were near ingAt last the old chief of the pa, Rangirarunga, overcome by thurst, stood on the top of the defences df the pa. and and cried out to the enemy's army, “I pray you to give me one drop of water.” Some of his enemies, pitying the aged man. said “Yes”; and one ran with a calabash to bring him water. But the majority of them were more hard-hearted, and were angry at this and broke the calabash in his hands, so that not a drop of water reached the poor old man; and this was done several times, whilst his enemies continued disputing amongst themselves. The old chief still stood on the top of the earthen wall of the fortress, and he saw the leader of the hostile force, with the symbols of his rank fastened on his head; he wore a long white comb, made from the bone of a whale, and a plume of the long downy feathers of the white heron, the emblems of his chieftainship. Then was heard by .all the voice of the aged man as he shouted to him from the top of the wall. “Who art thou?” And the other cried out, “Lo, he who stands here before you is Takarangi.” And the aged chief of the pa called down to him. “Young warrior, art thou able to still the wrathful surge which foams on the hidden rocks of the shoal of O-rongo-mai-te-kupe?” meaning, “Hast thou, although a chief, power to calm the wrath of these fierce men?” Then proudly replied to him the young chief: “The wrathful surge shall be stilled; this arm of mine is one which no dog dares to bite,” meaning that no plebeian hand dared touch his arm. made sacred by his deeds and rank, or to dispute his will. Butjwhat Takarangi was really thinking in his heart was, “That dying old man is the father of Raumahora. of that so lovely maid. Ah. how I should grieve if one so young and innocent should die tormented with the want of water.”

Then he arose, and slowly went to bring water for that aged man, and for his youthful daughter; and he filled a calabash, dipping it up from the cool spring which gushes up from the earth, and is named Fount Oringi. No word was spoken, or movement made, by (the crowd of fierce and angry men, but all, resting upon their arms, looked on in wonder and in silence. Calm lay the I sea that before was so troubled, all timI id and respectful in the young hero’s I presence; and the water was taken by I Takarangi, and by him was held up to the aged chief. Then was heard by all the voice of Takarangi. as he cried aloud to him, “There, said T not to you. ‘No dog would dare to bite this hand of mine?’ Behold the water for you —for you and for that young girl.” Then they drank, both of them, and Takarangi gazed eagerly at £he young girl, and she, too, Rooked eagerly at Takarangi; long time gazed they, each one at the other; and ; s the warriors of the army of Takarangi looked on, 10, he had climbed up and was sitting at the young maiden’s side; and they said amongst themselves, “O, comrades, our lord Takarangi loves war, but one would think he likes Raumahora almost as well.” At last a sudden thought struck the heart of the aged chief, of the father of Rau-mahora, so he said to his daughter. •O, my child, would it be pleasing to you to have this young chief for « husband ” and the young girl said, “I like him.” Then the old man consented that his daughter should be given as a bride to Takcvangi, and he took her as his wife. Thence the war was brought to an end. and the army of Takarangi dispersed, and they returned, each man to his own village, and they came back jig more to make war against the tribes of Taranaki —for ever were ended thcr wars against them. And the descendants of Rau-mahora dwell in Wellington. They are Te Puni, and all his children, and his rc-at’ves. For Takarangi and Rau-mahora had a daughter named Rongongaroa, who was married to Te Whiti; and they had a son named Aniwan'iwa, who married Tawhirikura; and they had a son named Rerewha-i-te-rangi, and he married Puku, who was the mother of Te Puni.

for the influence of the home plays the strongest part in the building of the characters of our citizens. If only homes were all that they should be, and the sure foundation laid in all young lives, there would be little else to fear. Realising the necessity for real home life, I would endeavor, by good management, to make my home all that .true home can _b©»