Au[c]kland, Sunday morning, 31st July, ‘98.
Yesterday I went into town during the morning, but it was wet & disagreeable, & beyond making enquiries about Mr. Cobb‘s arrival, I did not do much. The “Takapuna” was due to arrive at Onehanga (this is the port on the west coast & just 4 miles from Au[c]kland, train service to & fro) at 10 a.m. & I went to the station here to meet the connecting train, 11:45. He did not come by it & I enquired of a passenger, who said she was not expected till afternoon as the weather was bad on the West coast. I then telegraphed the shipping agent to inform Mr. Cobb on arrival of the Takapuna that I was staying with Mr. Furness, Hesleden, Remuera Road. It is one o’clock day with merchants & large shop keepers here – like Australia – & as we were going home at one & not coming into town again, it gave Mr. Cobb the opportunity to find me, should he arrive later, & late at night, 10 o’clock, he came out & found me, having arrived after 5 in Auc[k]land. Stormy weather had been experienced on the West coast, hence the delay. Mr. F. & I got home about 2 o’clock. It was a great football day here & busses [sic] &c. were so much in demand we could not get one direct, but which landed us about ¼ mile from Hesleden, & during the walk we got wet. When it rains here, it is “wet”!! However, we took no harm, & after changing, stayed indoors till 4:30, the time appointed to go across to the Buddles’, where we were booked for the night, & a very happy [5:93] night we had. Mr. & Mrs. Sanderson had been invited to come in about 8 o’clock, & Dr. Maitland, who is to be the husband of Miss Buddle, was there, & a niece of Mr. Buddle’s, Miss Buddle also. There are 4 daughters & 3 sons, a fine family & very entertaining. The daughters sing & play, so also the niece, & we had some good music. I was pleased to meet the Sandersons again. I was expecting Mr. Cobb turning up all the while, & Mrs. Furness left instructions with her maid that if he came she was to let us know & accordingly a few minutes after 10 he had made his appearance, & on receiving word, we left & found him awaiting us. You may be sure we were pleased to meet each other, & Mr. & Mrs. F. received him very kindly. He stayed till train time & I got him to the station about ¼ mile off & saw him into train, 11:25, for Auckland. Mean while we had a pleasant chat & he is to come out this morning if he can make it convenient, & this will be at 9:30. We will go to church close by & then dine with Mr. & Mrs. F., & we will go into Au[c]kland after & spend the rest of the day together. He knows & is intimate with Mr. Withy, & also knows the son-in-law & daughter, Mr. & Mrs. King. He is a great politician & a single taxer,[1] & on this point Mr. Withy is a kind of leader. It is a very stormy morning here. Quite a hurricane blowing & shakes the house till it fairly rocks. All houses here are wood & detatched [sic]. There are exceptions. Some brick and very, very few, even Mr. Buddle’s is wood & a very mansion it is, with many acres of land, & beautiful gardens & glass houses in immediate connection. It would appear I have visited Au[c]kland during an exceptional period & indeed it has not been very genial weather so far. Nevertheless, I have got about fairly freely & enjoyed what I’ve experienced. I hope the day will improve as it gets on & that we may be able to get out.
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[1] An advocate of the major reform proposed by Henry George, a 19th century economist and philosopher, to abolish all taxation except for that on land values, which should be the source of all public revenue. The Village of Arden, Delaware was founded as a practical demonstration of this principle.