Sunday 8 pm
Dear Mother
I am just dropping a line while I am waiting for the billiard table to be vacant in case Trot, who has gone back to Awapuni early, omits to write. We came through here on Friday. The whole matter of the transfer is too lengthy for a letter so I’ll leave it till Easter. Awapuni is a lovely place. No stones, no dust, no lack of leave, no hard work, all of which exist at Trentham. The disapline here is a little stricter than at Trentham, but not annoyingly so, except that one is not permitted to wear riding trousers but is forced to wear those that are issued and to put them on as if they were bloomers. Punishment for quite small offences are quite severe. Trot and I are for the present attached to the Home Service section but that will be remedied when our papers come thro from Trentham and we shall then probably be drafted into the 27ths. I am one of two Sergeant Majors mess orderlies this week which means very little work and very good tucker for the next seven days. Quite a number of chaps here I already know and one quickly gets to know the others.
Yours
49123, Pte N H Smith
NZMC
Awapuni
P.S. By all means send cake if you have any!