He applied unsuccessfully for the job of (Australian) Commonwealth Meteorologist at the Bureau of Meteorology in 1908 before returning to New Zealand. He lived for a time in Dunedin before settling at 8 Awanui Street (previously named Arawa St and prior to that Bath St), Birkenhead, Auckland with his de facto wife Louisa Emmeline (known as Edris) Horne, an Anglo-Indian theosophist. There he founded the Wragge Institute and Museum which was later partly destroyed by fire, including very sadly most of his written works and diaries, and also the well known visitor attraction – Waiata tropical gardens.