Papawai
11/6/1916
Dear Folk,
Well I may as well say for a beginning that this is not much of a place to write home about. We left Featherston last Wed morning at nine & arrived here at twenty minutes to twelve taking just five minutes under two hours to do the nine miles at least that is what it is supposed to be but they it is not more than seven & a half. When we arrived we were told that this was our place for the night and a fine place it is an iron shed about thirty by forty & when you put a hundred of us in with all our bits & (paraphanalia), in there is not much room to turn. However after the second night a number that were here before us left & we shifted into tents eight to each and we are much more comfortable & warmer, & there are still some empty tents. We finished shooting yesterday afternoon but as we are supposed to be here in isolation there is no saying when we will get away.
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The Auckland boys have reported two cases of measles & the canterbury one, that was before we left & I suppose you will have seen by the papers what else has happened at Featherston. It will just be a query if the fourteenths get away at the end of this month. The shooting was nothing to blow about but we all qualified & that is sufficient. My word things have been humming on the other side haven’t they. The Nation will feel the loss of Kitchener, the man who takes his place is going to have his work cut out. You should have heard the rumours that circulated round here last week. It was said he was drowned & contradicted about four times. I was out to Greytown to a Ball on Thursday night had quite a few dances I just butted in, before supper then had a real good supper and got home at midnight.
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Greytown itself is not much of a place it is to much scattered. Since coming out here the weather has been of the best nice frosty days and bright shiny nights. You can just turn than round and it will be about right. On the way out we had a fine time we marched for half an hour then had ten minutes spell & at all places we had fruit. Some we brought with us & the rest we bought off a cart that came to meet us. Your cakes etc. arrived safely the day or so before we left and I can tell you they were alright. They were cut out before we left as they would not keep & they were more easily carried inside. It was a funny thing that yours & a box from Jean should arrive the same day. What suppers we had the last two nights at Featherston. I got a letter from Lottie the other
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day she does not need to be long cut of work does she but thinks that she would like to be back in Hospital again. She said it is reported that the Marama is on her way home I wonder if it is true. This place is as cold as Granny Goodlets frosts & if it keeps on all night I think it will be a frost in the morning. There is only a poar frost here there is not enough moisture in the ground to make a frosty & it is nothing but great boulders. Kirkpatric & I went out for a walk this afternoon had quite a long one we were away about three hours & a half. We visited a Maori Pah about a half a mile away from here & then circled right round the camp on our way we passed through some fine country. There is nothing more to write about just now & if I don’t get a move on I will be stiff. Lin is looking fine & looking forward to getting away. I have got rid of my cold and am well hoping all are the same.
Your Brother Charlie
