Extracts from a letter from Desmond FitzGerald to Mabel FitzGerald (Dublin)

[matter omitted]

Tomorrow lunch - Times - Buckingham Palace afternoon - reception in evening. Then I have dinners Thursday and Friday to my knowledge. The weariness of them is something unimaginable.

I can't say how things will go here. We spoke to Hertzog about the need for him to postpone his departure but he is blandly oblivious and thinks all is well and that it is straight running. Of course we may finish quickly not agreeing. So if you are coming over - the sooner the safer. On the other hand we may argue on. But so far impossible to say. Today opening of Parliament. I refused invitation - Tody accepted assuming it was a simple matter but called it off when he found it was a matter of breeches. Annie had accepted Queen's invitation. Queen asked if we were there and she said no. Previous engagement! We have been going over drafts all morning. As a matter of fact we should have begun at nine - but I slept late, I was dog tired last night. Skating and then standing at reception. Usual bores and freaks at reception. P Hogan's wife is here. I looked after and spoke to politicians. Others are at lunch, that is how I get time to write.

[matter omitted]

Things are very trying here. I quite admit that Tody and the staff - or certain of them - have the heavy end. But it is an awful bother to get agreement here to things without yielding anything that will be harmful at home. And it is so dissipated between committees that when each has attended his own, one has to go over each of them here. At the same time there is a rush on to get reports agreed and an impatience at objections that makes difficulties and delay. And even the delegations that really have our point of view have gone into things so carelessly that they are prepared to accept things without realising what they mean.