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Arthur Patrick Story - Letters 1922

August 1922

20.8.22

My dear Pat

Hearty congratulations on your engagement - I only hope you will be wise enough to be sure that you have means to keep a wife before you actually marry. I know so little about the conditions of life as they are now are in New Zealand that I can say no more than that.

It is obviously a common sense, no matter where one may be.

I saw in some paper that N.Z is the most heavily taxed place in the British empire, & that rather surprised me; but from the little I know of the country, it seems to be a very go ahead place, & the majority of the people have very sound sense. For one thing they don't let politics or religion interfere with business, & even be vagaries of " organised labour" are kept within reasonable bounds. I find, for instance, that some strikes are illegal; while here strikes are often started for the most ridiculous reasons - such as this - a man on some job is dismissed for misconduct, & some of his fellows think he has been hardly treated, so they call out all the men in all the works for miles around " in sympathy" - making a public matter of a simple dispute between two men - i.e the manager of one factory & one employee.

It is ridiculous, but very serious. I'm glad the New Zealanders have more sense.

There is another thing in your favour. People in New Zealand find marriage on small means, easier than in the Old Country, but remember it does come hard on the woman at times.

Well, I won't moralise any more, but send my best wishes to you & your Daisy. I wonder if I shall ever see her.

Of course you don't hear one tenth part of what is going on in this country; but luckily this part is fairly quiet. Still, the Hamiltons were raided about two months ago & their guns taken; but on representation to the government how much they needed them, they got them back. I am trying to get some of my raided things back, & hope to succeed.

Your uncle Evie is getting over an operation to his nose, which was rendered necessary by microbes getting into the "XXX" or caves under the eyes after influenza; but he is very well. He has sold his place and & clears out very soon. Vida is going to Clifton; & Vera, having passed her London University matriculation will probably soon go to Kings College London to take a degree.

I will leave mummie to give you more news.

Ever your loving dad,

R. Story

You may kiss your best girl for me.

Someone (APS?) has written "I would if I could!" here

September 1922

Bingfield

Crosdoney

Co. Cavan

1.9.22

My dearest Patsy

Your letter of 14th July gave me great pleasure, I am delighted to hear that you are engaged. I now feel that you have some sort of a home, and someone who will take an interest in all that interests you. I only hope that you will return the compliment and be interested in her interests. You seem to do so. Those paintings are very well done - Laila is XXX pleased with the chicks. You are lucky to get such an all round nice and accomplished girl, and English to, who will not murder the language by colonial pronunciation! The snapshots are very good. I can quite imagine what your Daisy is like, pretty, capable and a good figure.

XXX you told me about the Hewetts, did you not say that they intend to return to live in England? Poor Mrs. Medley was a bit excited about them, thought they must be a despairing family! Poor old lady, she is gone, so we'll never know.

I suppose you will tell more of your plans and schemes next letter.

I hope to send the £500 soon to Messrs Harper, Pascoe & Budianau so you can apply for it when you need it, but it would be well when you do to give some little notice. I do not know what formalities will have to be gone through for you to get it, but all must be properly arranged to prevent trouble in the future. If anything happened to me my executors should know all about it.

Of course there are many things to be considered, but I think that it might turn out a good scheme to get land north of Auckland. I believe that that coast will become a sort of Riviera in the future, and people from Auckland as communications improve, will like to have houses in desirable positions, for holidays and weekends, also to live in for necessity. The land will go up & those to have it in desirable parts will score. But the problem is to make a living meantime, and it is only by being on the spot and observing that you can see how that may be done. One thing seems certain, agitation should be kept going to get better travelling facilities to those parts, a railway especially. That would open up country where produce could be grown for the Auckland market. Motor lorries could be used.

I had never seen a cattle dip, it is a new idea to me.

In this life one has to develop a certain amount of surface hardness but I do not think that you would overdo it. Only keep it for business, and not for home use. Some people do just the opposite, and then complain they just get back what they give.

It is still cold and damp here, a little sun at times. It is quite autumn. Daddy has gone to Dublin in a hurry. Yesterday we got a telegram from the O.C. of the Shropshires quartered in Dublin, to say that your cousin Dick, had been killed the night before, it is thought by accident. Uncle Evie is in hospital in Bristol, and your cousin George is abroad, so Daddy thought he had better go to Dublin in case he could be of any use. We do not know yet what arrangement will be made, but if poor Aunt Hilda comes over, he should be a help, in any case it is well for him to be there. We are very concerned about it all, he was a only 20, a nice simple boy. He was shot in the head. I will be able to tell you more next time I write. Your poor uncle and aunt seem to have had a lot of trouble over their childrens's health, and Dick was very delicate when he was small, it seems hard for them to lose him now by an accident, when his health was good.

Teddie has probably started before now, he seems very cheerful about it, glad anyway to get away from that climate. He got 90 per cent of marks for his higher standard exam. He has brains, it is a great pity he has to leave the army. I heard that little Dopping's motor car was stolen, it will be a great loss, with all the XXX he made for it. I believe that some time ago, his sister Diana, was dragged out of her house, where she lived alone, stuck up against a door, & shots fired all round her. Then she was told to leave, she was not wanted in the country. I do not know her offence, probably it was being an unprotected Protestant woman.

Basil must be a big fellow now, and very strong. He should get plenty of shooting now, has he got the Snider(? yet?

I will write to your Daisy. Do not forget to write to me sometimes when you have a little time after writing to her!

It will take a long time for this country to get settled. Meanwhile there is much distress in the south and west.

Good luck to you, dearest old Pat. Perhaps you will drop fifteen of your forty years now.

Much love, from your loving mother

May Story

Bingfield

Crosdoney

Co. Cavan

10.9.22

My dearest Patsy

I have written to your Daisy, and welcomed her as well as I know how. I hope she will be satisfied, it is sometimes difficult to express oneself in a letter. However she will gather that I mean well. I hope that someday I shall get a real photograph of her, though I should say that the snapshots give a very good idea.

We have fine weather at last, and are making the most of it. It is a blessing to get some sun. Today we have been floating the idea of going to N.Z and basking in the sun there. Even Daddy did not discourage the idea. In some ways I should be sorry to leave, but once we got away, I should be sorry no more.

Teddie was to leave Bombay a couple of days ago, he hoped to get Ralph over to see him off. They would stay with friends, and have a week together. I heard from Aunt Bessie at Batavia enjoying it all very much. She did not complain of the heat. Teddie already fancies himself setting the fashion at the Melbourne races! Funny mixture he is.

Daddy had about five days in Dublin, which he enjoyed very much. He stayed with the Shropshires at the Richmond Barracks, and they were awfully good to him. They showed him all about guns, Lewis, Vickers & Stokes. There are six or eight thousand British troops in Dublin, but they keep very quiet, out at Phoenix Park. I expect the Prov. Govt. Likes to feel that they are are there.

Daddy says in a letter to Teddie " poor Dick's murder was a very mysterious affair. He had been dining quietly with another regiment and was coming home in her little car. Near Phoenix Park gate he was run into by a taxi cab. Dicks car was smashed to match wood, but he was hardly hurt at all. 'only a little on the nose' was all he said when asked.

Just then a powerful Wolsely car driven by a woman came along! It had its hood closed and the taxi man says he stopped it & asked for help. This was refused, a shot rang out, apparently from this car, which went off to Dublin at a furious rate. Dick was found shot through the heart lying on his back with his automatic on his chest. The taxi driver said " he has shot himself" but a woman who has run up said " he never shot himself". The pistol was evidently put on his chest to give colour to the idea. So far the Wolsely car has not been traced. Strong comment were made on the taxi man's evidence at the inquest!

Daddy went with the funeral as far as the station. An officer took the coffin to Wrighton where Dick was buried, there was a great gathering of relations for it"

When daddy was in Dublin, sniping was going on all night in various directions, but no one seemed to take any notice of it, once saw the National troop going about in lorries with rifles at the " ready" just as the Black and Tans used to do. Here there is neither a soldier nor a policeman except a few in Cavan. All are withdrawn to fight in the south. Consequently hold ups and looting are fairly common. Two nights ago the empty barracks in Ballinagh were burned down, a bomb was exploded in the street, & the Crosdoney signalman was shot in the legs.

It is said that the men of the disbanded Irish regiments have joined the Irregulars. Even children carry pistols, I saw a small boy with one on the road. Please read this letter to Basil.

Much love from your loving mother.