Just think, Trainlanders! What a wonderful time you stand a chance of having during the Christmas holidays if you enter our Paragraph Competition. Could anything be easier?

There is no reason on earth why you should not be one of the lucky prize winners. You may or you may not be good at essay writing. In this competition it does not matter. We just want to know Why you want to go to a certain place. Perhaps you want to see your Granny in Timaru; or your best friend in New Plymouth; or go to lovely Lake Brunner to see the marvellous beauty there; or maybe you want to go and join in Auckland's gaiety and have a rollicking good time, chugging to and fro in ferries, listening to the plaintive melodies of the old musicians on board, as you look down upon the fleets of white-winged yachts dipping into the sparkling blue waters.

If you visit Auckland, you will, of course, want to visit Ye Olde Pirate Shippe, anchored at Milford Beach, which is the Aucklanders’ favourite holiday place. People come in thousands to picnic on the lawns, bordered with marigolds under the pine trees. Have you ever been there? It is great! Pohutakawa trees hang over the cliffs in crimson masses. Over the waves ride dinky little canoes with skull and crossbones painted on each prow. Ye Olde Pirate Shippe has many attractions, including a dance hall and refreshment room. Downstairs it has portholes for windows, and upstairs there is flapping canvas, and on the spotless deck there are deck chairs. In the fresh sea breezes flutter many coloured flags on Ye Shippe's tall masts. And that is not all! On this Olde Shippe is a real, live Pirate Captain. All his Pirates wear bright red Pirate pants, open shirts, gay red handkies tied round their heads, and on their faces welcome smiles. Their laughter is a tonic. There are lady Pirates, too! They are dressed something like gypsies, and look very sweet and pretty as they bring along afternoon tea for you.

Have the Pirates any pistols or daggers in their belts? Well, I have not seen any, but I would not be at all surprised at anything they have in their treasure trove, because Ye Olde Shippe is a truly remarkable place.

The Pirate Captain has a soft spot in his heart for all girls and boys. He brings donkeys on to the beach and gives the children rides. He has provided them with see-saws, special paddling pools, a model yacht club, and he takes movie pictures of the happy holiday-makers surfing through the creamy breakers. These movies he shows to them afterwards on the screen. Would you like to see yourself in a movie picture?

Next month we will visit “New Zealand's Thriller.” It is a long, long way from Auckland. Can you guess where?

On your calendar, count up how many days you have from now till November 8th. Then count up 125 words of this letter to see what a little you need to write for the Paragraph Competition.

Wishing you the best of luck!