Series 01 Part 02: Hughes family correspondence, 3 April 1917-22 September 1918 - Page 367
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[Page 367]
3.
in Australia. I am enclosing the printed list. Certainly the list has caused more heartburnings than joy, and some of the most worthy are not on the list at all, and others are at the top who should be at the bottom, and some are at the bottom who should be higher up. There has been some ridicule at the whole business of distributing five grades of decorations in one order.
The other day I was at a private dinner at the Union Club to bring about a reconciliation between Billy Hughes & Holman, & after dinner we were chaffing Hughes about the money we could make for the party funds for the next election if he gave us a baronetcy or two, & some knighthoods to be disposed of amongst those of the party who would pay up properly for them. Then we fell to discussing the market price of the different honours, & then Hughes said "Well, gentlemen I can do a line in something very new & cheap. I can dispose of the fifth grade of the British Empire Order as a perfect bargain at say 27/6d for prompt cash!"
Parliament put up its shutters about a fortnight ago, so I have more spare time to be with Mother in the evenings. On the 18th March we got your cable of the 13th, "Well & cheery". Then on Thursday the 21st March we got your cable of the 20th, saying you were in England on 14 days' leave, & that you