Sydney, Tuesday morning, June 21/98.
This is your longest day & the shortest here,[1] being midwinter, & it is some what cold. Yesterday it was raining. The mail leaves here today for home, so I will post my letter. I posted yesterday a box of films, all I have. I’ve not taken any shots here yet. I visited the Goldsworthys yesterday evening, Mr. Lawson’s eldest daughter. They live a considerable distance from Dulwich Hills. I had tea with them & before I left, Mr. Lawson came, but as I had a long journey home, he & I came away about 8 & we trammed it together. He lives not more than about 15 minutes’ walk from Mr. Whitfield’s. The Goldsworthys have a fine family, 4 girls & 2 sons. The eldest son is 23. Mr. G. keeps a private (grammar) school. Ere you receive this, I shall, all well, be in New Zealand. The steamer I leave with on the 16th July is the “Aorangi”.
Please to give my kind regards to Thomas & Alice, & also to Bella & Miss Waugh. They will be home on holiday at present. Mrs. Whitfield desires me to remember her kindly to you all. She has asked many questions about home. I’m the first from home she has seen since I left.
By the way, I fear I did wrong sending the 2 diaries home by book post. Had you to pay letter rate? I think I posted them at Hong Kong. I enquired yesterday while at post office the proper postage, & they said not by book post but by parcel post. I’ll hold them.
[5:4]
[1] Inserted on facing page: “Shortest day, June 1st”.