Wednesday Jan 1st 1930: NEW YEAR’S DAY.
A terrible start for the new year. Cleaned up my room for a start and then took the car down to the river to wash it. Had just finished the job, when the Avon car, a big Buick, driven by a foolish girl, crashed into the crossing, swamped everything with water and stayed in the middle. Had to back my bus in then and tow them out and up to town. Last night or early this morning had a similar experience. The Dr had taken the matron for a spin after the dance, out a couple of miles and in turning around, not watching what he was doing, backed into a bog. They had to walk in the two miles and then he came and roused me out to go out and tow him in. Had a sleep after lunch and then went across to the races. Frightfully tame, not even a ‘bookie’ present. Sat in the car and read a book while I was there. Only bit of excitement was when a jockey was bucked off. A big dance at night. Showed myself at the start and then went home for a sleep and went back in time for supper. Cannot realize though that Xmas and New Year has come and gone. Last New Year’s Day I was at Shelley Beach with the Caledonians. How different to this.
Thursday Jan 2nd 1930:
Had another go at the car this morning to find out the trouble with the lights but again unsuccessful. A crowd of us went out for a swim in the afternoon, all very nice. Went to a fool of an entertainment in the hall at night.
Friday Jan 3rd 1930:
Intended leaving early to reach Mt Isa by lunch but could not get away until after lunch. The road cut up a lot and traveling was slow. Took us 6 ½ hours to come in. Doyle the stock inspector traveling with me. Went around to Mrs Hanlon’s and had tea of fried eggs on toast and came home and turned in.
Saturday Jan 4th 1930:
Feeling fairly tired so did not rise until 8.30 am and so missed breakfast. Was not hungry however. After a clean up went across to the mines, intending to call on several but got to Templetons and got no further. Called on a few this side during the afternoon. After tea went to a strike meeting but it was very orderly and nothing happened. Met several and had a yarn, then 2 squashes and home to bed.
Sunday Jan 5th 1930:
A lazy day. Rather hot and terribly windy with the result that the whole town was lost in the dust. It tried to rain in the evening and we had a couple of showers but nothing more. Read and slept most of the day myself. Had service at night but only 11 came out. Did some writing before turning in.
Monday Jan 6th 1930:
Had a general clean up this morning and a burn of a lot of rubbish. Did a house to house visitation this afternoon and found everyone very nice. Visited 20 camps and homes and found 6 Methodists in all, 7 R.C’s, 4 C of E’s, and 3 Presby’s. A fair number of mixed marriages but am claiming all where there is a Methodist in the family. Not too sure that many are Church goers. Weather much cooler but still terribly windy.
Tuesday Jan 7th 1930:
Continued the good work of wandering among the folk, introducing myself and making the folk introduce themselves. Cannot altogether say I like doing the rounds in this manner but it has to be done I suppose. Heard various tales from the different ones of the general corruptness of the whole place and the evil living of different ones. All very interesting in its way. Mt Isa is not yet heaven on earth. Several additions to the police force have arrived in the place and the newspaper reports on the reign of fear and terror in this place are more alarming than truthful. The effects of the beer strike both for good and evil are nevertheless being felt.
Wednesday Jan 8th 1930:
Was up at 4 am. Far too early. Caught the train at 5 am for Cloncurry. A big number traveling. Had to sit up, no chance of going to sleep. An uneventful trip in. Arrived ‘curry at 12 noon. The all important pastor of the ‘curry, the very Rev C.Gribble B.A, with the broken down Oldsmobile car was there to meet me. The Parsonage in a state of total disorder, the carpenters being on the job repairing. Phillipson and Griffiths gave me a warm welcome and a cold lunch. Beckett’s budget was the tablecoth. Sh! May this not be heard at Conference. In fairness to brother Gribble he was not the offending party, not having had a bath for a couple of days, soon remedied the omission. Lazed around and before tea went and did some business down the street. Griffiths took me to pictures at night. Cecil had a mothers’ meeting.
Thursday Jan 9th 1930:
A full day’s washing and ironing. BothCecil and myself put through three weeks washing and hadf out over 3 big lines full. A great effort and worthy of much commendation, which we gave to ourselves. Our efforts brought forth various comments from neighbors, some kind, some unkind. At evening it was ‘every picture tells a story. Finished up in time to see one or two on important business, before going to the hotel for dinner. Called and saw a sick lady after dinner and another couple of folk. Finished up a bit of ironing before turning in.
Friday Jan 10th 1930:
The return trip to Mt isa. Only difference from the trip in being that my clothes were and myself were spotlessly clean, when I started. Went to Shermann’s for tea and stayed there for a while and then home? To bed?
Saturday Jan 11th 1930:
Did some writing and preparation for Sunday. Went to a strike meeting at night. A barber with a wife and five children, because on one occasion a picket was suspicious of his movements at the hotel, was declared black. Since that he has done no business. At the meeting he sent in a declaration protesting his innocence and a vote was taken as to whether the embargo would be removed. I with others voted in his favor but the committee who counted the upraised hands counted the majority against him. When a division was asked for it was not granted. Biddler and Wilson, cordial manufacturers were also put out of business through being declared black. Smith, one of the publicans, whose picture show has been blackened, opened again tonight and about 500 men went in and I believe about 70 attended. A hospital carnival across the river was not popular this night and very few were there. For a while I was there in case there was anything to do but soon came home.
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