Yaringa South
((illegible text))
24 Dec 1935
Dearest
Thank you for your letter and the parcel.
I am at the homestead tonight, for Christmas. The first time for ten days. Have been camped out 17 M on a (illegible text), with one offsider, setting the sheep down in (illegible text) paddocks.
It looks as if I may be here for a further two or three weeks, as there are more sheep to take to the new back paddocks & settle them down.
Alas a lot of them are weaners, the maddest things that ever grew wool. You could not have nicer people to work for than these, the rations are good & generous in quantity & mains water trucked to every bore for the hands. Tomorrow they expect to have 17 to dinner, 2 Thomsons, (illegible text) Taylor & 3 Lammonds, Norman & Beryl.
The news about Gag is very disquieting, please wire me news of her, if you do not write tonight per Harry Harper.
The letter is very bitter against (illegible text). He says his grandfather took him off a newspaper in Geraldton, gave him a job in the W.A. & W.M. then a partnership, trusted him implicitly & after his death, Harry says (illegible text) swindled his people heavily & that the general idea that he paid the Harper estate a hundred thousand for their interest is a myth.
It is rumoured that 18 squatters are putting in £500 each to buy Mick Williams out & putting Pat Young in as manager — a heavy blow for Bob Hammond if true. Allen has invested in a non electric refrigerator £45 plus almost £5 packing & freight, apparently a great improvement on the iceeball type, just a while enamel cabinet on legs, run by a burner the size of a Bismark, cost of kero almost 2/- per week.
II
Ernest has gone south & Arthur takes Gwynn to the train at Geraldton about New Year.
I think Mrs Allen goes down in Jany. Three Yaringa (illegible text) hands went off South on the shearer's truck a few days ago.
What did Joan think of her exam paper? Does she think she did ill or well with them? Suppose we should know in a week or two how she fared.
Alf (illegible text) was very decent, he came 17 m out to my camp to see me & we had a long & interesting yarn.
He says brother Ernest looks well, but that he has a nasty looking sore on his head. I fear I cannot go overland to see him until after rain. Alf says the country, Murchison to Nullagine is in a very bad (illegible text).
Constance will have a good cheque if she stays on until (illegible text) for has his lease. I hope she does as I may see then see her before she leaves.
Where does she intend to go & what does she plan to do, stay with Gag, take a job or stay with the Carters. Is any date fixed approximately for the wedding?
I wired Margaret today, also Bups.
(illegible text) is working fairly well & Allen is finding me two well fed pups.
I would wire to (illegible text) for (illegible text) only that I am afraid something might happen to him in transit.
Glad Basil Alexander has promotion. The Ted Dempster's departure will be a loss to the local revellers.
The (illegible text) hack far through the paddocks I have been in recently. There seem to be cars on it almost daily.
The clip here is light only about 500 bales I thought for the two places, but it is beautiful wool & if the market holds will bring a good price. Did you see Sam Gillam topped the last sales, 21¼ I think.
Your namesake is to arrive about one this morning, hit a kangaroo (illegible text) & finished a headlight, also had a puncture. Taylor, his nephew Johnson & (illegible text) Teesdale-Smith just arrived. Alfred & (illegible text) also here, Beryl & Norman coming later, have to look at some bores on the way.
(illegible text) many thanks. The Rvd Basil I hear enjoyed himself hugely at one of the cocktail parties! Connie was not there to restrain him. I would have a 5/- yarn to you over the phone, but it means bothering all these folk. Yarringa & Wooramel all at the same time.
How long will Margaret be away?
Is she staying at Donegans' or Gag's or part at each. Is she going to see the Henry Gillams?
Is the Parsons girl anything to do with the Coolawanyah people?
Where does she board?
Where was Peter Donegan transferred to Carnarvon or Perth?
If you are (illegible text) for money let me know & I will make a show on a/c/ & send you but would much prefer to wait until I finish up.
I see Lennie Fenner is to be married, is the girl the Cornish cousin & is it a hurry up affair?
Lammond knows McEwen an in-law of some of the (illegible text) & has been to ?? in the S.W.
Hughie Thomson is hoping for something (illegible text) in water as a result of a bore they are putting down now, (illegible text) of shale country as in all their other bores the first hundred feed were sand, then rock. I do hope their luck changes. They had a very bad clip & the sheep are very week. Goodbuy dear, much love to you all,
Aubrey