by Stuart Kells
Well, what a lovely time I had last Friday night! One inch of rain was registered in Renmark on that night. The greatest fall we have had for well over twelve months. Yes, indeed, it was most enjoyable. But we might have a new car before long. We could not raise enough money to buy a Fiat, so the boss cancelled the order last week. Now the Moon agent is trying to sell us a car. The Moon is a six-cylinder American car. I still say that I like English and Continental cars in preference to American, but, still, if we cannot get a Fiat a Moon is certainly better than either Lizzie or nothing. If we do get a Moon I will write a good deal about it later. If we don’t, why bore you about it?
The top of an underground tank near the house consisted of a Red gum post of gigantic proportions as the ‘backbone’, mallee supporters running from the post to the side of the tank, the whole being covered with wire netting and, on top of that, a thick layer of rubble and mortar. I noticed, a few days ago, that the centre of the covering appeared to be sagging. The heavy rain we had a couple of nights ago caused it to sink about a foot. So today we decided to take it off before it fell in. A rotten job it was, too. This evening, when I passed by, I was rather surprised to see dozens of fish swimming about and occasionally coming to the surface to snap at a fly or some other insect. There were some Murray Cod there quite six inches long. All these fish must have been drawn out of the river by the pumps and come into the tank via several miles of channels.
During the end of the first irrigation, one of the pumps broke down and on investigation it was found that a seventy pound cod had been drawn up the pipe. It had to be cut up before the pump could be restarted. A seventy pound cod is some fish, and is well worth taking home.
All the vines are shooting now. The almonds on some of our trees measure over an inch across. They do all their growing in a few weeks, but take several months to mature. The sultanas look very pretty just now. Their shoots are of the freshest green imaginable. And looking at a sultana block from a distance reminds one of rows and rows of Chinese lanterns.
Just now a thunderstorm is venting its fury upon us. Now it is at its height, vivid flashes of lightening all around us light up the whole district and make the sky appear a bright blue. We have not had such heavy rain for eighteen months at least. How it pours down. The noise of the rain on the roof makes a veritable thunder of its own. Flash, flash, why should the sky appear blue? Flash, flash, will it never stop? Crack, bang, what a terrible row thunder is, and the rain. The gods must indeed by angry! I am glad I am not out in a Ford. This is the time when I can look back on last Friday night’s incident and enjoy it!
This thunder has been in the district for several days. One day last week when I was ploughing, without any warning whatever, there was a startling crash overhead. Never before have I ploughed so fast. I held on to the handles like grim death. Pulled the reins back for all I was worth. But the horses had properly bolted. They went up that row like ‘greased lightning’. My hat flew off. Still I held on; still I tugged. But it was not until they were nearly at the top of the row that they stopped. But, after all, it was enough to give anybody a bit of a start.
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Box 185.
Renmark
4th October 1924
Dear Mr Ryan,
Referring to my interview with you when I was in Adelaide I am now desirous of leaving the Boy Immigration Scheme as I have come to the conclusion that there is nothing in fruit growing at present, if this industry improves I can take it up again later.
I shall not be leaving Mr Withers’s employment and so will still continue with my horticultural instruction, a fact I am sure you will be pleased to learn.
Mr Withers has passed his old car in as part payment on a new one, and is also paying a cash deposit as I am to have such an interest in the car, he thinks, and I agree with him, that I should have a cash interest in it as well, so I earnestly hope that there will be no difficulty in my obtaining the amount now due to me by the Government.
I have made arrangements with a friend to run weekly trips through to Adelaide.
I am convinced that there is a good thing in this and I have the promise of several good jobs to start with. I can see a living in the undertaking now and I have little doubt I shall soon work up a good connection in this neighbourhood and make a good thing out of it.
It is absolutely necessary for me to have all the money that is due to me not later than the 18th inst as I have undertaken to place this amount in the car and unless I can get it, it will place me and others concerned in a very awkward position so I trust you will see your way to advise the Minister to do this for me so as not to handicap me at the start.
I expect to drive the car three or four days every week and for this I am receiving a specified amount, for my services on the block I shall receive the same as I am now receiving irrespective of the actual time I am engaged in horticultural pursuits.
Mr Withers will be in Adelaide early next week and he will call and see you and explain any details that you do not understand and any arrangements made since my visit to Adelaide and interview with you last week.
Trusting that there will be no hitch about the financial arrangements I hereby formally desire to withdraw from the Boy Immigration Scheme.
Thanking you personally for all the trouble you have taken over this affair.
Yours sincerely,
R.G.W. Lane
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Monday, 6 October 1924
For the ‘umpteenth’ time since I started these occasional writings, or jottings, I am ‘baching’. But several events have led up to it, so I had better start at the beginning. The week before last we were very busy negotiating and trying to arrange the purchase of a Moon car. The Moon is quite a new car to Australia and there is not one up here. The agents – Murray Turner Ltd – are very anxious to have one in this district and owing to this fact they are willing to give us certain advantages and considerations if we purchase one. The boss and I decided that we would have a good shot to try and get a Moon.
So last Sunday, or rather last Sunday week, I went down to Adelaide in Bob’s Fiat. We left here at 8.30am and halfway down we ran into rain and wind, which was very unpleasant and delayed us considerably as the roads very soon became slippery. We arrived in Adelaide soon after 5pm. I stayed at Mrs Low’s, where Mrs Withers is staying. (Who, by the way, I thought was looking remarkably well considering all she has been through.) I took them down quite a lot of provisions: butter, cream, asparagus, oranges and dried pears.
On Monday morning, Bob called for me in his car and we went into the city together. I was staying at Keswick which is a couple of miles from the city. The Renmark Agent for Moon cars came down with us on Sunday and we met him at Murray Turner’s. I spent the whole morning looking at the different cars there and talking with Turner and one of the directors, Mr MacDonald.
Although we had not arranged to buy a Moon, Mr Turner decided to send up one in charge of Mr Adams and, if anything could be arranged, to hand it over to us. On Tuesday Mr Adams and myself took turns at driving the car up. As she was a brand new car we had to bring her up very slowly, as the pistons and bearings were very stiff. During the week Adams came around and managed to fix some things up and on Saturday he delivered the car to us. It is a very attractive car to look at and is a most comfortable car to ride in. But it’s American, that’s the only drawback as far as I am concerned. It won’t last as long as an English or Continental car.
I am very sorry we could not arrange to have a Fiat. I think a woman stopped us from getting it. Not purposely, perhaps, but still she did it. I will not mention any names, but a certain female knew that the boss had ordered a Fiat very soon after the order was placed. She knew, in fact, before I did. The boss had to raise £100 for a deposit; under ordinary circumstances I do not think it would have been a hard job. But this certain female, as soon as she heard the news, told everybody about it with the result that when the boss went to try and raise the money the bank manager said ‘I am
awfully sorry, but owing to the bad times now prevalent in the district I have had orders from headquarters not to lend money on cars, they depreciate so quickly.’ So the money could not be raised.
Murray Turner was more generous and did not want £100 cash on delivery; that is the only reason why we bought a Moon. It is a six-cylinder engine of about twenty-eight horse power, fitted with six wheels and balloon tyres which make the car ride over bumps without any jolts. It has a luggage carrier at the rear, spare wheel on the side, tow plates and bumpers front and rear.
Yesterday morning the boss left for Adelaide in our new car. He intends to bring back Mrs Withers. Most likely he will return tomorrow. Now that we have a car we shall have to see Bob and try and arrange something about a weekly car service to Adelaide. The car will just about have to pay for herself.
I have had a busy day – cleaning up the house, washing and ploughing – and I am feeling terribly tired so – good night.
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Immigration Department.
Intelligence and Tourist Bureau
Adelaide, 8th Oct. 1924
The Minister Immigration
Adelaide
Dear Sir,
In conjunction with Mr R.G.W. Lane’s application for release, I have arranged for him to have the car which is already purchased and registered in his name and I am convinced he will make a very good thing out of it. He is not leaving us and I shall look after him and he can, should you wish, report how he is going on to you from time to time as he will be in Adelaide every Monday. As things in the fruit industry are at present in such a bad state I feel this is a splendid opening for him and I strongly recommend your falling in with his wishes.
Yours faithfully
A.B. Withers
PICTURE SECTION 1
Richard Lane’s batch of Barwell Boys, shortly after their arrival on the Bendigo in Adelaide, 1922. Richard stands at the right end of the third row.
Box 185
Renmark
15th October 1924
Dear Mr Ryan,
Referring to my interview with you yesterday, I saw Mr Cudmore and he, very kindly, offered to again see you, and I hope now that there is no further difficulty about my receiving all the monies that are due to me.
I shall be in Adelaide on Monday and shall be much obliged if you will have a cheque ready for me as this is the latest date on which the instalment on the car, which I have undertaken to meet, is to be paid.
Thanking you in anticipation
Yours sincerely
R.G.W. Lane
Renmark
October 19th ’24
Dear Mr Ryan
As promised I have seen Messers Withers Lane and Beer and ascertained the exact position. I have embodied it in a rough Agreement which Withers Lane have signed and I enclose it herewith. Beer is not interested in the Moon car at all, but has a right to on occasions take alternate trips.
As all profits are to go to payment for the car I think the arrangement a satisfactory one for Lane as he will still be getting four days’ work per week on the block. I understand that Lane has to make his payment almost at once if the arrangement is to go through, so if you approve they will be obliged if you can expedite the matter. If you will kindly hold the Agreement until I pick it up.
Yours faithfully
C.R. Cudmore
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Monday, 20 October 1924
I have had such a terrible lot to do lately that I have hardly had time to sleep, leave alone any writing.
On Wednesday 8th the boss brought back Mrs Withers. While he was in Adelaide he took the car to Murray Turner’s and had several small adjustments made. One of them was to have the back brake bands tightened. Soon after he left Adelaide he smelt something burning and, on stopping, found that smoke was issuing from some portion of the back wheels. The bands had been adjusted too tight, which besides making it heavier pulling also produced smoke and heat. He did not unscrew them but jogged along at about ten m.p.h. for the next twenty miles; after that, fifteen m.p.h. for 100 miles; and when he reached here at 9pm he had just attained the speed of twenty-five m.p.h.
Last Monday I took my first load of passengers down to Adelaide. The load consisted of two single ladies, Mrs Witlock and Miss Cave. I left Renmark at 8.30am and arrived in Adelaide soon after 6pm. Rather a slow trip, but considering that I had only been on the road once before I was very pleased with myself. It is very easy to go the wrong way, and owing to the dozens of cross tracks without any signposts I think I was almost justified in being pleased over the performances. As I had to deliver my passengers at their destinations, I did not reach Keswick until 7.30pm.
As I was unused to passenger carrying I did a very silly thing, which I don’t think will occur again. When I reached Morgan I asked them if they would care to have a cup of tea. They replied that they would, so I stopped and one of them asked me to buy her a ‘shandy’ which I have no doubt you know to be a drink composed of beer and lemonade. It is a very good drink on the track and is not very intoxicating, most people can drink three of four without being at all affected. The other passenger had a cup of tea, and they brought out a box of sandwiches and had a real good ‘set to’. I declined to have any as I explained to them that I hoped to be at Eudunda in time for dinner. They said that that would suit them very well. It was a hot day, with the wind in the north, and when we arrived at Eudunda they said that they could not eat a hot meal so they again pulled out the sandwiches. At Eudunda I tried to mend the Klaxon horn, part of which had fallen off early in the journey. This took me some time and when I had finished I decided that I had not time to get anything to eat. I had a drink and started off again. So that’s where I made a fool of myself. I did not have anything to eat from 7am (breakfast) to 8pm (tea), too long a time to go without food for a growing boy, especially when driving on that track. My total mileage was 203 miles.
I was up next morning soon after 6am, had breakfast, took the car from the garage (a private one, where I had left her overnight) and drove straight to the British Imperial Oil Co. Ltd (B.I.O.C. Ltd) and purchased two tins and a case of Shell. The tins – four gallon ones, of course – I emptied into the tank and the case (a case contains two tins) I placed in the back. In Renmark, a tin of Shell costs 12/6 cash and 13/- if booked, even if only for one day. In Adelaide, as I am driving passengers, I can obtain petrol and oil at a special price – trade price – which is, for petrol, 9/5 a tin. That is why I bought a case to take back to Renmark. After filling up I proceeded to Murray Turner’s, where I left the car for the mechanics to make several minor adjustments, and I walked to Heard’s outfitters of Hindley St. to transact some business. Mr Heard used to live in Renmark and all Renmark people visiting Adelaide call and see him, so we thought that he would be a very suitable agent. That is the business I went to see him about. I got on very well with him and he consented to be our agent. I then journeyed to the Intelligence and Tourist Bureau where I had to see Mr Ryan. I had written to Mr Ryan and told him that I wished to draw out of the scheme (I cannot say resign from the scheme) and had asked him to have my cheque ready for me.
When I saw Mr Ryan, he point-blank refused to let me have any money. After a long argument he offered me £6, and after another set-to he offered £25. I would not accept either as I had undertaken to meet the first instalment on the car of £50 which fell due today. Having got no satisfaction out of Ryan, who, by the way, told Mr Withers that there would be no difficulty in my obtaining the money, I went around and saw Mr Cudmore. He very kindly offered to go and see Mr Ryan on my behalf the same morning. So I left the matter at that and journeyed back to M. Turner’s where I got in the car and drove to the Isolation Hospital, North Terrace, where I picked up Sister Rogers. She is spending her holidays with Mr and Mrs Withers.
It was just on midday when I left Adelaide and the weather was something vile – a strong north wind blowing sand and dust straight at us. It was as stuffy as number two room in the Turkish baths. Owing to t
he terrific wind we could not take advantage of the only good piece of road the whole way, the Gawler Road, which for about ten miles is real good. As good as the average English road. The further we went the worse the weather became. I suggested turning back, but Sister would not hear of it. I wanted to go on and, as she did not object, on we went. But very slowly. Dust and sand and sand and dust, always blowing straight at us. You might think that as it was blowing straight at us we would not be troubled with the dust and sand. But after twenty or thirty miles my eyes began to water. I had borrowed a pair of coloured glass spectacles which I tried to wear, but they would not fit me so I was forced to go without.
(Bed time; to be continued at earliest possible moment.)
Tuesday, 21 October 1924
Our progress was painfully slow. It seemed ages before the first 100 miles were reeled off. I had to switch on the lights soon after this occurred, which was just out of Mount Mary. Then we only crawled. I was not too sure of the road, which up to then had been very bumpy but dry. But just before I switched the lights on we ran into some water. It must have rained two or three hours previously. The roads became worse the further we went. It must have been quite a heavy rain. In some places water was right across the track. Then the car began to slip and slide. We arrived at Morgan about 7.45pm but did not stop. Seventy-five miles to go, and the track not too good. Also I was beginning to feel a little tired. At Eudunda I had sent Mr Withers a telegram – ‘Arriving sometime, everything bad except car and company’ – and after we left Morgan I began to think that ‘arriving sometime’ was just about true.
Mud, water, sand, potholes, bumps, stumps to dodge for how many hours? Being an optimist, I said I hoped to strike Renmark between 11pm and midnight. Presently I saw signs as if a cyclone had visited the district. Several trees blown across the track, and once I saw a large iron tank (about 5,000 gallons, I thought) on the side of the track. It looked as if it had landed there with a bit of a bump. And I think I surmised correctly. At last we reached Monash, which is about sixteen miles from Renmark. The time must have been just about midnight. About four miles out of Monash I thought I smelt something burning, so I asked Sister Rogers if she could smell anything. She replied in the affirmative, so I stopped and examined the engine.