Wednesday 1st Maud & Willie went up the hill to spend the day at Pratts, but they returned in the evening. John took the steers down to the wharf to haul up some corned beef we had up in the steamer.
We were ploughing to day. Afterwards we were putting wire on to the fence. Willie has now been here 10½ weeks at 10/- per week, he will be owing £5 . 5 . 0
Thursday 2nd Willie commenced to work for us to day at £1 per week and while he is working for us he will be charged nothing for board. He & Henry were cross cutting Puriri in the School Reserve for Sleepers & Posts. John & I finished the wire fence going up to the stockyard.
Friday 3rd I was making rollers in the shed. It was a very showery day and it poured with rain in the evening.
Harpers took over the Post Office.
Saturday 4th It was a showery day. I made 4 Cases in the Shed. I filled out my Sheep Return as follows
Males 39
Females 100
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Total 139
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Sunday 5th There were several showers during the day. I read service in the Hall in the afternoon, there were not many present. George Pratt was here for tea.
Monday 6th It was a fine day. Willie and the boys were working in the E. R. slitting posts & sleepers. I packed 3 Cases of Apples in the morning, also put in a strut and putting on wire on the fence between this paddock and the barley paddock. I went to Mr Walters in the evening for tea, Mr & Mrs Handby were also there.
Tuesday 7th Willie and the boys were working in the E. R. I was helping them in the afternoon. In the morning I was putting wire on the fence. In the evening the boys hauled the 3 Cases of Apples down to the wharf, they also hauled up 28 Cwt of goods for Harper also 3 bags of Flour & 1 gunney of goods for us.
Ernest McCarthy son in law of Mr Edward Brown of Wellsford , died suddenly at the Little Barrier and was brought here in a boat.
Wednesday 8th The boys continued working in the E. R. I finished stapling the wire on the fence, was sowing some grass seed on the heaps that were burned off in the paddock. It came on to rain in the pm. I was making rollers in the shed, the boys came home early from their work. Charlie Pratt came in the pm and brought us a piece of beef.
Thursday 9th It was a wet day. The boys were working in the bush. I was making rollers in the shed. Ernest Roderick McCarthy was buried in the Cemetery in the afternoon, I read the burial service, his young wife had come from Welsford.
Friday 10th It rained last night and very heavy this morning, but it cleared up about 10 am and turned out a fine day. The boys went to work in the bush after it cleared up. I drove in the pickets between the posts of the wire fence.
There was a meeting at the Library in the evening to choose some new books.
Saturday 11th With the exception of a few showers it was a fine day, and the wind is drying up the ground nicely. Willie & John were working in the bush sawing off logs. Henry went out shooting and shot five pheasants. I cleaned out the workshop and planed up some timber for making gates.
Sunday 12th It was fine in the morning, but there were some showers in the afternoon. I went down to the Hall in the afternoon, but there were only two or three there so there was no service.
James Dunning came up here with me and staid for tea.
Monday 13th It rained heavily last night and there were several showers today. The boys were working in the E. R. I was making staples and stapling the pickets .
Tuesday 14th Henry & I were sowing grass the top side of the Barley paddock. Willie & John were working in the Education Reserve. I wrote a letter to my sister Fanny and posted it this evening, also sent her some photos of ourselves taken by Ernest Latham.
The Ketch Lizette came in the afternoon and loaded with Mr Miller’s goods and she is going to sail tomorrow morning for Helena Bay where McMiller and family are going to.
Wednesday 15th It was a fine day. The boys were hauling for Harpers in the morning, and in the pm they were working with Willie in the E. R. I was sowing grass seed all day.
Clara & Emily Fordham came and staid for tea.
Thursday 16th The boys were working all day in the E. R. I took their dinner and was helping them in the afternoon.
Friday 17th Maud went to Matakana on Willie’s horse. We were ploughing in the morning with 2 pairs of bullocks. In the afternoon we were all working in the E. R.
Saturday 18th It rained a good deal last night and it was squally this afternoon The boys were working in the E. R. I was chipping up and sowing grass seed.
Mr Walter came in the morning to wish me good bye.
Sunday 19th It was a pretty fine day, but dull, wind from the NE.
Read service in the Hall in the afternoon, there were not many present. A. Haskell came here for tea & spent the evening.
Monday 20th It was a very showery day. The boys were working in the E. R. I was working in the shed.
Tuesday 21st Henry went shooting and shot 3 pheasants. Willie & John worked in the E. R. It was a calm fine day. I finished sowing the grass seed. The girls went down to the village to say good bye to Mr & Mrs Walter who are leaving tomorrow by the Steamer.
Wednesday 22nd I went down to the wharf early in the morning to bid good bye to Mr & Mrs Walter & family who are leaving, Mr Walter has been the teacher here for a little over 4½ years and he has now been appointed second master of the Kaueranga boys School at the Thames at a salary of £225 per annum.
We were all working at the E. R. I was making roads. It was a fine day.
Thursday 23rd A fine day. The boys were working in the E. R. The girls and I were pulling up ti tree on the farm. Mrs Selwood called and staid for dinner.
Friday 24th A fine day but threatens for rain. Wind blowing strong from N. E. The boys were working in E. R. I was pulling up ti tree in the morning & helping John haul some posts & sleepers out of the bush with the steers. I went to the Library in evening. Willie & Henry went eeling and caught three.
Saturday 25th It was showery all day. We did not go out of doors to work. The boys went shooting.
Sunday 26th There was a heavy shower of rain accompanied by hail just after dinner. There was no service in the afternoon.
Monday 27th It was a fine day with the exception of a few slight showers. John went shooting but only got a pigeon & a teal. Willie & Henry were working in the E. R. The girls and I were pulling up ti tree. Willie, Henry & I went over to the Goat Island to help Alex Matheson get the punt off and bring it round to Mathesons, Mr Neeley came down afterwards, so I came home and the others brought the punt round.
Tuesday 28th The scow “Bee” came into Mathesons early this morning. The boys went down to help load our Posts 400 in Number. In the morning I was pulling up ti tree, in the afternoon I went down to Matheson’s and helped them with the Posts, they beached the scow as the punt was no good as there was too much of a swell, they got all the posts on board by 2.30 pm. Willie & John then went to work at the E. R. Henry & I helped A. Matheson pitch his firewood down the slip.
Wednesday 29th Wille & Henry worked in the E. R. John & I went down to Mathesons to help them load the firewood, but there was too much of a swell on so she could not load, so John went to the
E. R. & I was pulling up ti tree. Miss Wann’s furniture came by the Steamer last night and Charlie Wyatt was hauling it up today.
Thursday 30th The boys were working in the E. R. I was pulling up ti tree all day. There was too much swell on Matheson/s beach the “Bee” could not load Matheson’s firewood.