Wednesday 1st John went to Matakana to get a young Pig from Mr Derecourts, which he brought home on his horse. We continued planting negro Beans, we have planted altogether 7½ rows Negro Beans and ½ row Dun Beans and next to them 2 rows of Cabbage Plants (Manchester Defiance) about 77 plants. I sowed some Tomato seed in a box.
Thursday 2nd There were several showers during the day, but it was very hot between the showers. We were digging in the orchard in the sorrel ground, also pulling up ti tree. It came on to rain very heavy about 3.30 and kept on until after 6 oclock. Emptied a bag of Flour into the bin.
Friday 3rd It was a showery day especially in the pm. We were cutting ti tree up above Mr Wyatt Snrs fence. Killed a Sheep in the evening.
Saturday 4th It was very wet in the morning, but it cleared up in the afternoon and the wind went round to the SW. I was not at all well and did not do any work out of doors, the boys were cutting ti tree in the pm. Willie returned from Tomarata in the afternoon.
Sunday 5th It was a very fine day. Revd J. Haselden held service in the Hall in the afternoon, there were over 60 present. Mr Joseph Greenwood’s baby was baptised and named Joseph Elliot. Collection 13/5. Charlie and Mary Anne Pratt were at church and came here for tea.
Maud & Willie, Henry & Minnie went over to the service at Dacres Claim in the evening, Mr Haselden officiating .
I went over to Joe Wyatt’s in the evening.
Monday 6th It was a fine day. We were digging in the orchard.
Mr Crowe inspected the School today. Jane passed the 6th standard, all that were put up passed with the exception of Albert Wyatt.
Tuesday 7th It was a fine day. We were digging again the piece of ground next the Kumeras that we intend to plant with Pumpkins. We dug manure and bone dust in and the seed was sown in the evening, some Crown, some Mr Sainsbury’s sort and some Kumakuma. I commenced to stick the Peas. Mr Pratt came here in the afternoon and we all went down to the Steamer in the evening. The parcel of drapery came from Rushbrookes.
Wednesday 8th It was a fine day. The boys were digging in the orchard. I finished sticking the Peas and then commenced weeding the Parsnips. The Election of Members for the County Council took place today. W. Greenwood & G Knaggs were the candidates,
Greenwood 37
Knaggs 36
The election will most likely be disputed.
Thursday 9th It was dull and misty and threatening for rain. I continued weeding the parsnips, also sowed 4 hills of Vegetable Marrow near the closet. The boys and I went to Dacre’s Claim in the evening to Mr Palmer’s meeting , the hall was packed full and the speaker carried the meeting with him, some obstructionists came to make a disturbance but they were soon put down and a vote of thanks and confidence was carried.
Friday 10th After the meeting last night there was a dance in the Hall. Mr Palmer and H. Rayner returned with us, we did not reach home until 1.30 . Soon after we returned it commenced to rain and it rained all day. Mr Palmer went on to Pakiri to hold a meeting there, but I am afraid the weather would prevent many from attending. We were unable to do anything out of doors.
Willie returned from Tomarata.
Saturday 11th It was very showery all day. Between the showers the boys cross cutted some Puriri logs on the hill for posts. I made an axe handle in the shed, Walter Wyatt came in the afternoon, staid for tea and all night. I went down to the Hall as there was to have been a meeting of the Farmers Association but only 5 turned up so there was no meeting.
Sunday 12th The wind has changed to the SW, there were a few showers, but yet it was a fine day. I read service in the Hall in the afternoon, made a Collection for the Wesleyan Home Mission, result 2/3. The young people went to Dacre’s Claim to the evening service with Bob Wyatt, Clara & Fred Savage who were here for tea.
Monday 13th The weather was pretty fine, there was only a shower or two. Willie staid at home to day and helped us split posts on the top of the hill, and the boys are going to return the labour in helping him shear his sheep.
John and I were ramming the posts upright and putting in others where they had been taken out or burned down on the hill.
Tuesday 14th Henry and Willie went up the hill to shear the Sheep we have in shares with Willie on his place. But it was so showery that they could not shear, so they hunted out Dolly and brought her home, she has not calved yet. John went to Tomarata on his horse to bring his blankets home. I was putting in posts on the top of the hill.
We all went down to the Steamer in the evening, she did not come in until late.
There was a dance in the Hall. Mrs Gravatt came here and staid all night.
Wednesday 15th Horace’s birthday, one year old. We all got up early to go down to the Steamer. Mrs Gravatt went with her, also John who is going in search of work. The Steamer made an excursion trip, return tickets 5/- to enable country settlers to visit the Auckland Show, 17 went up from here. The people of the Steamer caught a lot of Fish last night more than 80 Schnappers there was a great pile of them on the Wharf this morning for any one to take what they liked, as Henry had the bullocks down to haul up some goods we had up by the Steamer he brought a lot of them up to our place on the sleigh.
Willie and Henry went up the hill to shear the Sheep on Willies place. I was putting in Posts on the top of the hill.
Thursday 16th It poured with rain in the morning which made a great fresh in the creek. We put some posts in the fence on the top of the hill.
Friday 17th It was fine in the morning. We put the cows in the E.R. as there is plenty of feed there. We continued putting in posts on the top of the hill. Willie went digging gum at Point Rodney.
We got the Sheep into the Sheep Pen near the E.R. in the pm we sheared 2 Wethers and put the shorn Wethers and the Ram into the E.R. It came on to rain and rained all evening . Killed a Wether.
Saturday 18th It was very showery all day. Did no work out of doors. Henry took the mutton out on his horse.
Sunday 19th It was a fine day. Revd J. Law held service in the Hall in the pm. Walter Wyatt was here for tea.
Monday 20th It poured with rain early this morning. There was a great fresh in the creek. Henry finished putting in posts on the top of the hill. I was making rollers in the shed in the afternoon.
Tuesday 21st It was a fine day. I bored the straining post, we put the straining post in, also the struts, I also made some rollers. There was an entertainment in the Hall in the evening got up by Miss Wann and Miss Fordhams, there were Tableaux, Songs & Recitations, Supper and a Dance. Jane acted in one of the Tableaux. It was a splendid entertainment, they collected over £10.
Wednesday 22nd We did not get home until 4 am this morning, we went to bed for a few hours and then got up and milk the cows. Henry went down to the Wharf with the Bullocks to haul up 2 Coils Plain Wire and 1 ditto Barb for the fence on the hill, afterward we hauled 2 loads of firewood from the hill.
I went down to the Hall in the afternoon to help clear up. Alex Haskell came here for tea.
Thursday 23rd It was a very hot day. I stuck the White Dutch Beans and resowed what had missed. Also made 3 fencing rollers.
Henry and Willie went up the hill to look for a Ewe and Lamb of ours that we lost when Willie took his Sheep away, but they could not find it. Henry was weeding the Parsnips in the afternoon.
Friday 24th It was a fine day. I started early in the morning for Warkworth to get the things I want for the election as Returning Officer. Mr Dibble of Warkworth drove the Chairman and a Member of the Board of Education over here last night, they visited this School early this morning also Dacre’s Claim and Big Omaha to report on the site for building the Schools.
Saturday 25th It was a fine day with the exception of a heavy shower in the afternoon . Henry was mending the boat he bought of Mr Harper. I was making rollers in the shed. There was a meeting of the Farmers Association in the evening. I read a paper on Land Drainage. Willie returned from Pakiri in the afternoon.
Sunday 26th It was a fine day. Revd R. McKinney preached in the Hall in the morning. I went up to Pratts on John’s horse, had dinner there and after went down with them to the Hall to service. Mr Witten acted as Lay Reader.
I went up to Mr Witten‘s for tea and did not get home until nearly 9 pm. Dolly calved a Bull calf .
Monday 27th It was a fine day. Willie staid at home and helped Henry cut ti tree on the farm.
I sowed 9 hills of Water Melon (Mountain Sprout), also cleared out the workshop ready for shearing.
Tuesday 28th The General Election. There were several showers during the day.
I acted as Deputy Returning Officer and Mr John Meiklejohn as Scrutineer for Mr Monk.
The votes recorded were as follows.
Monk
Omaha 31
Pakiri 22
Dacres Claim 13
Total 66
Palmer
Omaha 16
Pakiri 13
Dacres Claim 37
Total 66
There was a Tea and Dance in the Hall in the evening to finish up the provisions that were left over from the Soiree last Tuesday.
Wednesday 29th We got all the Sheep up in the morning and commenced to shear. I rode over to Warkworth in the afternoon, returning late in the evening.
There were a few showers here in the afternoon, but it poured with rain at Warkworth.
Thursday 30th It was a fine day. Continued shearing. It rained in the evening.