Overview
Fri Nov 7
Wet night. Squadrons left for wharves at 8.30. Our troop took up position in Featherston St opposite Rly [Railway] Depart[ment] Bldgs [Buildings]. No crowd to-day – so rang Mackay’s for book (the Rly Depart also gave us magazines) + put in time reading. For dinner went to one of Harbour Board’s sheds – while waiting the driver of a
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[striker] wagon drove right through our formation scattering horses – the man was arrested. Dinner consisted of tea + bread + cheese. Went on wharves to see loading – work is going on with “Willochra”, “Moana” + “Athenic” – visited “Athenic” + saw our men doing good work loading Manawatu cheese quicker than ordinary lumpers. Went on board “Athenic” + called for old fat Marriot – he appeared in hold delicately rolling a crate of cheese – then came on deck + made a funny but very solemn + pompous speech on the excellence of meals on board steamer. On duty in former position – Hector McDonald greatly amused crowd by leg-roping his horse, milking it, + letting it out of bails (in middle of street) in most approved fashion. Freyberg, Uncle Bert + I visited the telephone exchange – very wonderful – 6700 miles of wire behind main switchboard + ¾ million joints in wires – also saw the automatic telephone exchange – an
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amazing invention. At 5.30 started back to camp cheering crowd + foot “specials” both of whom cheered us – we seem to be getting very popular. Our Maori war cries were much appreciated. In Tory St the fun began – some of our troop (the Levin boys) batoned ruffians using foul + abusive language. No stones were thrown so I confined myself to hitting pretty smartly across the shoulders + got four – a fifth who swung a bag of tools at me got a good crack on the wrist – a grand total of five. Jack Young + others cracked heads + we also cleared roughs off pavement in front of Princess Theatre Hotel – one man fell on doorstep as they rushed into hotel – his mate re-opened door to pull him in + got, as a reward, Jack Young’s baton full in the face. In another part of Tory St a “special” used a stock-whip on crowd with good effect. Received a welcome letter from Maud in evening.