Dear Mother
We are leaving here tomorrow morning. The worst part of this place is the loose stones & dust. The stones make walking very heavey. We have three uniforms, one for Sunday, one for work & one pair shorts with sweater. The boots are far too heavey and I have been wearing my own. The canteen sells everything we are likely to want at town prices, so there is no need to go to Wellington for anything. The reading rooms are very good with easy chairs and plenty of tables for writing. The food is better than I expected and plenty of it. What surprised me most is the amount that is wasted. The butter is cut in half pounds and any that is not used is thrown away. The same with jam, half tins being thrown away every meal. Good pieces of the best meat are thrown away and the same with all other food. We are out of bed at 6 breakfast 7 dinner 12 tea 5 & supper at the canteen at our own expence, back at hut at 9-30 & lights out 10-15. Cleanliness is carried too a fine art. All the beds & clothing is taken out of the huts & placed in rows along the street & left there all day if it is fine. All woodwork is cleaned after each meal & no food left in the huts. Letters will reach here quicker if “No 1 Platoon” is added to the address I gave before.
Mon 7/1/17
Arrived at Featherston this afternoon. It is about double the size of Trentham, having many more shops in the camp & newer huts. Our training will start tomorrow. We will be here about 3 weeks, then go back to Trentham, then come here again. We will have final leave about the end of Feb. I dont think I will have any chance of going with the 24ths. It will take too long to get properly fit.
Vic