4-159 (Original)

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There was a strike with the tram men and John of course was one of the ones that struck, but as the majority were not true to each other and went crawling back to work before they were three days out, the Company (or employers) has the best of it. [168] The best of the men resigned and said they would not go back to work under the old rules, so John was one of these men that stuck true to his colours and true to his fellowman. He, John, did not intend staying longer on the trams than about a couple of months as the late hours seemed to knock him out of tune and the dust made him cough more than he would do otherwise. He has gone up to Yackandandah to Mr. George Reid's and will go on from that to Robert Reid's at Kiewa River. He purposes riding from that to Barnawartha to see William and his household being a distance of 15 or 20 miles I believe. He may drop into some sort of work up there for a few months that will suit him better than the trams. If he gets the selection he will have to go to it in about 6 months. 
I had a letter from him a week ago in which he says he is in pretty good health. The few days the strike lasted he lost 4£bs. weight. He was one of the committee that was appointed to go through the wavering men and strengthen them. This was worse on him than his work [...] 
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