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Noel & Doris

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I had a job working underground assembling petrol pumps at Kaiwai and I worked there for a while. Then one day my sister found an ad in the paper for schools that needed uncertificated teachers. So I applied and got a job and set off to Queen Charlotte Sounds, towards the lower sounds, where my new school was.

I don't know whether anyone can just imagine the contrast between working underground assembling petrol pumps, and going into this beautiful spot. The scenery, the water, everything was just glorious. And there were really wonderful sterling people there. The wonderful freedom and the beauty of the place. It was really outstanding.

I always found that walking around to various stations on the weekends, wherever I went I always received a warm welcome. The Blathe's boarding home was about a 9 mile walk. And that's one of the first places I walked to regularly. The younger daughter, Doris, was a beautiful girl, wonderful. She was lovely and kind and I really enjoyed her company.

I'll never forget one experience. Three of us uncertificated teachers from the Sound, and one certificated teacher from Waitawa Bay were invited over to an island for a weekend retreat. I had to walk over the mountain range the evening before to join up with the others and that night we had the most almighty storm. Lightning and pelting rain and thunder and I got knocked around quite a bit.

It was pretty craggy country, with rock precipices in several directions and creeks and very uneven. I found the best plan was to wait for a good flash of lightning and then I could see about 60 yards or so ahead and I'd cover that distance and just pause for the next flash of lightning. It was quite a bad storm. A house a few miles away was washed down into the sea.

However, I just took it steady. Eventually, I arrived at the Blathe's home and they had left a light in every room, because they knew I was on my way. And there at the door to meet me was Doris. It was so, so nice to see her.

We spent the night there and in the morning the four of us set off on the launch that was to take us over to the island. We arrived there and it was such a beautiful place, and everyone was really friendly and hospitable.

Now, we'd had that cloudburst the night before, when I had crossed the range, and there was a tremendous amount of mud around. One of my most vivid memories from the island was coming around a corner to see Doris, the young lady that I was later going to marry, playing with all the children at least knee-deep in mud. And having such a glorious time. And I thought she must be a wonderful person to do just that. They really were just in mud—mud, mud everywhere.

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