Up the Country: A Saga of Pioneering Days

Most of the elite put up at the Royal Arms Hotel during the trial which lasted over a week. The evenings were spent with Mr and Mrs Oswald of Goulburn Plains, the Three Rivers of its district. Mrs Oswald had been waiting for an opportunity to return the hospitality extended to her husband and son by the McEacherns at the time of the New Year races on Maneroo.

It was an enjoyable meeting for the leading pioneer ladies. Mrs McEachern and Mrs Mazere were able to thrash out the good points of Cochin Chinas and Brahma Putras, and Mrs Oswald presented each lady with a clutch of guinea-fowl eggs. Mrs Mazere contributed her recipe for preserving eggs, and Mrs McEachern was an authority on knitting socks. Mrs Poole took the opportunity of laying a few bricks in the path of Raymond's career. The judge was impressed with her education when they met at dinner at the Oswalds. Afterwards, while she played the piano in the drawing room, he enjoyed himself singing several of Moore's melodies. She told him that she had dedicated Raymond to the law and the judge laughingly said he would look out for the young gentleman when he began.