January 1895

Tuesday 1st   It was a very fine day,  the sun was very bright, but there was a good breeze which tempered the heat.   We all went to a picnic to the Maori Hall at Dacres’s Claim, there was a cricket match between the married & single, the married won by only 3 runs.
There was a Horse race and a Pony Race, and Races for the children.  There were a great number of people there.  We all stayed for the Dance in the evening and got home about 12 oclock.

Wednesday 2nd   I finished sticking the Beans the top side of the house.  Sowed a short row of Stratagem  Peas.  The Steamer did not come in until 11.30 at night.

Thursday 3rd   Willie was working for us today.  We dipped the Sheep.  It rained pretty smart while we were at it.  We put 12 Sheep into the Barley Paddock to fatten.  Willie, Maude, Minnie and Henry went to Pakiri to a Dance, a School treat having been given to the children today.

Friday 4th   It rained early in the morning, but the ground soon dried up again.   I was digging the top side of the house for beans.
We killed a Sheep in the evening.

Saturday 5th   It was a fine day.  There was a Cricket Match up on the hill between the Omaha and Matakana Clubs, the latter won by over 80 runs.
I sowed 2 rows of Negro Beans the top side of the house between the Peas & the White Dutch Beans.  Also dug between the tall beans. Jim Dunning was here for tea.  There was a Dance in the Hall in the evening.  Tom Derecourt returned with the young people and staid all night.

Sunday 6th   It was a fine day.  I rode over the Dacre’s Claim in the morning to service.  I went to Mr Ashtons for dinner and had a look round their place, returned home for tea, read service in the Hall in the evening.

Monday 7th   It was a fine day.  Willie P. went to Pakiri in the morning he is going to work for W & R. Wyatt.  Henry commenced cutting grass seed in the E.R.
I was digging between the tall beans

Tuesday 8th   It rained all day.  Henry & I were making Cases in the shed.

Wednesday 9th   We had several showers.  Henry picked 3½ Cases Plums out of his orchard and I picked ½ Case Early Orleans and 2 Cases Apricots which we sent away by the Steamer in the evening, she did not come in until about 7.30 pm.

Thursday 10th   Henry was cutting grass seed in the E.R.  I was cutting cocksfoot in the orchard.
Captain Brown, Government Entomologist called here, having come up by the Steamer last night,  he had lunch here and had a look round my orchard, I then took him to T & J Wyatts  & Mr Harveys, he then returned to Harpers to stay all night.   It was very showery in the afternoon and Captain B was unable to look round their orchards.

Friday 11th   It rained last night and early this morning, but it cleared up.  Walter Wyatt took Empress to Warkworth, but she would not take the horse again.  I went down to the Post Office in the morning and Captain Brown, Mr Robinson & I walked to Frearsons and had a look round their orchard.  Captain Brown liberated some beetles Coccinella Punctata on their Lemon Trees which were infected with the black apriss.  They returned here and had lunch.
Killed a Sheep in the evening and went to the Library.

Saturday 12th   The weather was much finer but very misty on the hill.   Captain Brown & I walked over to Big Omaha to look at
Mr Boyds orchard.  There was a meeting of the Fruitgrowers Association in the evening.  Captain Brown delivered a lecture on insect pests.  The Steamer came in at 8.30 pm being her first trip on Saturday.  Henry sent ½ Case Plums & 1½ Case Apricots.

Sunday 13th   It was raining all night and nearly all to day, but it cleared up in the evening.  I went down to the Hall in the evening, but there was no service.

Monday 14th   It poured with rain last night and thundered & lightened heavily, but it cleared up this morning, the wind has gone round to the west and it was a hot day.  Henry was cutting grass seed in the E.R. and I was cutting in this orchard.

Tuesday 15th   It was a very fine day.   Henry was cutting grass seed in the E.R.  and I was cutting at Mr Wyatts place.
Maggie & children & Mr Beasley & son were up here in the afternoon and staid for tea.
There was the monthly dance in the Hall in the evening.

Wednesday 16th   It was a fine day.  Henry was cutting grass seed in the E.R.  I was cutting Cocksfoot at Mr Wyatts.  I was down at the Steamer in the pm, I saw Mr Walter & Charlie down there, they had come on Monday night to John Greenwoods.

Thursday 17th   It was a fine day.  I was cutting Cocksfoot at Mr Wyatts.   Mr Walter came in the evening and staid all night.

Friday 18th   It was a fine day.  I was planting Negro Beans in rows
2 ft 6 in apart next to the Pale Dun.

Saturday 19th   It was a fine day.  I was weeding the Parsnips & Kumeras.  There was a very rowdy meeting at Dacre’s Claim this afternoon to elect a trustee on the Domain Board, but the meeting broke up without doing any business.
There was a meeting of the Show Committee in the Hall in the evening to appoint judges etc.  The Rose Casey came in the evening to take the Fruit.

Sunday 20th   It was a fine day.  Revd R. McKinney preached in the Hall in the morning, there was a good congregation.  Charlie Walter came up here to stay.  Mr Handby came in the evening.

Monday 21st   It was a fine day.  Henry was cutting grass seed in the E.R.   I was cutting Clover Hay there.  Mr Walter & Charlie returned home to day

Tuesday 22nd   There was very heavy rain early this morning, but it turned out a very fine day.  Henry was cutting grass seed in the E.R.
I was cutting Clover Hay there.

Wednesday 23rd   It was a fine day.  Henry thrashed with a flail all the Cocksfoot I cut in this orchard and at Mr Wyatts, we got a sack full.   Miss Pratt, Charlie & two Miss Hardings came here in the afternoon, staid for tea and went down to the Steamer with us in the evening.

Thursday 24th   It was a fine day.  Henry was thrashing Cocksfoot in the E.R.   I was carrying.  One of the girls & Willie were cutting Clover for Hay.

Friday 25th   It was a fine day.   Henry was thrashing Cocksfoot in the E.R.   I was carrying.  One of the Girls & Willie were cutting Clover for Hay.  Killed a Sheep in the evening.

Saturday 26th   It was a fine day.   Henry finished thrashing Cocksfoot in the E.R.  In the afternoon he got the Catamaran and
2 Pr  Bullocks and hauled home 4½ Sacks of Cocksfoot Grass Seed and a load of Clover Hay.

Sunday 27th   There was a misty rain in the morning, but it cleared up afterwards.  Willie P  went to Mahurangi  Heads in the afternoon to go to Auckland tomorrow morning in the “Rose Casey” to play several Cricket Matches.
It came on misty in the evening , I went down to the Hall, but there was no service.

Monday 28th   It was raining last night and early this morning, but it cleared up and was a fine day.  Henry took one pair of Bullocks down to the Store and hauled up a bag of Flour and a bag of Sugar.  We were all picking Orleans Plums in this and the farm Orchard.

Tuesday 29th   It was a fine day.   We finished picking Fruit.
Mr G. Sankey came in the evening to take the Agricultural Statistics.

Wednesday 30th   It was a fine day.  Miss Edith & Charlie Harding & Fred Pratt were here for dinner.  The Steamer came in at 1 oclock, and before they got all the cargo on board, she grounded and did not get off until 6 oclock.  All the Hardings, Miss Pratt & H. Rayner came up here for tea, we all went down with them to the Steamer to see them off.  Maud & Horace went up to Auckland.
We sent away by Steamer as follows.

To Esam & Arthur
1 Crate 28  Fowls
2½ Cases Peaches
1 Case Grenn Gages
7 Cases Orleans Plums
2 Cases Prolific Damsons of Henrys

To Wm  Earle
10 Cases Orleans Plums

Thursday 31st   It was a fine day.  Henry was cutting firewood in Frearsons .  I was cutting Red Top seed in the E.R.
Minnie and I went to call on the Harveys in the evening .  We met the new settlers from Ti Point there, Miss Copeland & Mr Masefield.