Friday 1st It was a very fine day. Charlie & Ernest came again to day and continued shearing the Sheep, they finished shearing in the morning shearing 32 and with 45 yesterday makes a Total of 77.
In the afternoon Charlie marked Lambs as follows
Whethers 8
Ewes 2
With the 31 we marked before they should stand as follow now.
Wethers 27
Ewes 15
Total 42
shutup a Wether ww for killing and we put 15 Wethers & 2 Ewes out in the front.
Beauty took the Bull. AD to day .
The orchestral Society gave a Concert in the Hall in the evening in aid of the Hall funds, it was a great success and £7 . 12 . 9 was taken at the door. All of us went with the exception of Minnie.
Saturday 2nd It was a fine day. Ernest Wyatt did not come to work to day. I was doing odd jobs.
Willie & Jane went fishing to Ti Point and they brought home a lot of fish.
There was a meeting of the Hall Committee in the Hall in the evening to clear up and to transact business.
Sunday 3rd It was a fine day. Willie rode up to Pratts to take them some fish. I read service in the Hall in the afternoon.
Monday 4th It was a fine day. Ernest came to work here to day. We put in a Straining Post in the fence between Frearsons and my place on the top of the hill and dug up a lot of briars and burned them.
In the afternoon Ernest & I packed the Wool.
Tuesday 5th It was a fine day. Ernest was digging in the garden below the netting wire fence. I was sewing up the Wool, viz 1 Bale, 1 Dump & 1 Sack containing some piece wool, 3 Sheepskins & 1 Pelt.
We hauled it down to the wharf in the afternoon. Ernest went with me. The “Orewa” was alongside the wharf, she came in the place of the Rose, as the latter is going to take the Returning Officers to the Great Barrier this evening.
Wednesday 6th It was a fine day. This is polling day for members of the House of Representatives. Messrs Ford, Monk & Newmann were the candidates. John Wyatt was the D. R. O. for the electoral & I was D. R. O. for taking the Local Option Poll.
The polling was as follows.
Monk 40
Ford 12
Newman 1
The Local Option was viz
Remain as they are 30
Be reduced 18
None issued 20
There was a meeting in the Hall in the evening to elect a committee to manage a Social in return for the one given by the crew of the Rose Casey.
Thursday 7th It was a fine day. The ground is getting very dry. We finished digging the piece of ground below the netting wire fence and we sowed it broadcast with Maize & B & B and chipped it in. There was a choir practice in the Hall in the evening.
Friday 8th It was a fine day. We dug a strip of ground alongside of the path and manured holes for Tomatoes. I planted 11 plants in the evening. We beat & manured some hills under the dining room window and I sowed Vegetable Marrow, Hubbard Squash and Pumpkins.
Saturday 9th It was a fine day. Ernest & I were grubbing out briars in the barley paddock next Frearsons in the morning. Ernest finished working here in the middle of the day, he has been working here 4 weeks and 1 day at 25/- per week. So that I owe him £5 . 4 . 2
There was a meeting of the Road Board in the Hall in the afternoon.
Sunday 10th It was a very hot day. Mr & Mrs Jno Greenwood came to spend the day with us. They came in a sleigh and brought 2 children with them, Frank Pratt was also here, we all to the Hall in the afternoon to hear Revd G. Frost. There was a very large congregation. Robert & Miss Williams returned with us for tea. I showed Robert the orchard and he was very well pleased with what he saw. I have a bad cold and feel unfit to do anything.
Monday 11th It was a very hot day. I was very bad with cold or influenza and did no work, I went down to the store on the afternoon. Dolly took the Bull.
Tuesday 12th There was a misty rain all day, but it has not gone very deep into the ground. I packed a box of Eggs 22 Doz and took them down to the gate, and Charlie hauled them down to the wharf and he brought up a bushel of Maize from the Store for me. Jane & Willie went down to the Steamer, but I did not.
Strawberry took the Bull.
Wednesday 13th It was a fine day. I stuck the two rows of Peas in this garden. Mr Handby came in the afternoon and staid all night.
A. Matheson and others commenced the Hall.
Thursday 14th It was a fine day. I dug up the ground between the rows of Peas. Mr Handby left in the afternoon.
Friday 15th It was a fine day. I was down to the Post Office in the morning and had a look at them working at the Hall. I cleaned the Store out .
Saturday 16th It was a fine day. Willie went fishing to Ti Point and brought home a few fish. I cleared up all the rubbish and burnt it in the Pigs Paddock.
Sunday 17th It was a fine day. I read service in the Hall in the afternoon.
Monday 18th It was a fine day. I went down to the Store in the morning. We hauled 3 loads of firewood in the pm. Willie took some flowers down to the Hall in the evening to deckorate for the Social tomorrow night.
Tuesday 19th It was a fine day. Willie & I were cutting tea tree and digging briers in the cow paddock.
Took the bullocks down to the wharf in the evening. The Rose Casey did not arrive until 8.30 she brought a lot of cargo and several passengers, John and Henry, Willie & George Pratt came in her. There was a Social in the Hall given by the Omaha Settlers as a return for the one given by the crew of the Rose Casey, there were a great quantity of people there and we all enjoyed ourselves very much, Willie Pratt staid here all night.
Wednesday 20th Miss Niccol & Miss Mitchell went away this morning for the Christmas holidays. I took the bullocks down to the wharf in the morning and hauled up a Sack of Maize that came last night by the “Rose Casey”, also the sashes for the Hall. I was burning heaps in the front.
Thursday 21st It was a fine day. I was burning heaps in the front. Jack & Henry were making a maul and sharpening a X cut saw. Jack & Jane went to a dance in the Big Omaha School in the evening. There was quire practice in the evening.
Friday 22nd It was a fine day. The boys were cross cutting shingle blocks off a log near the Koeroa creek, and I was splitting shingles in the afternoon. I went to the Library in the evening to meet Mr Handby & Dan Kempt to sign some cheques in connection with the Hall. I paid Dan Kempt my subscription of £3 towards the Hall funds.
Saturday 23rd It was dull in the morning, but it did not rain. The boys were cross cutting blocks and I was splitting shingles all day.
Minnie rode to Warkworth and Joe returned with her in the evening. Willie went to Ti Point and brought home some fish.
Sunday 24th It was a hot day. Jack & Henry rode to Pakiri in the morning and spent the day there visiting J. Salt and Ellis Dyer.
J. Torkington spent the day here. I read service in the Hall in the evening, we sang the Xmas hymns and chanted the Psalms for the first time.
Monday 25th Christmas Day. It was a very hot day. We spent a very quiet day at home.
Tuesday 26th It was a fine day. There was a picnic on the beach. We all went down in the afternoon, there was a large gathering. Willie and went home to milk and then went down to the Hall in the evening where there was a dance.
Wednesday 27th It was a fine day.
Minnie was married to Joe Torkington. Revd H. A. Hawkins came up by the “Kapanui” to perform the ceremony. Miss Harding came up by the “Rob Roy” to stay with us and was just in time for the wedding. Ernest, Mabel, Albert, Honor & Alfred Wyatt, Harold, Wilfred , Florrie, Annie & Arthur Torkington & Mr Smith were here and Jim Dunning and C. Gravatt were here for tea. The newly married couple and Revd Hawkins went away in the S.S. “Kapanui”, we all went down to the wharf to see them off. Most of them returned here for tea and we had a musical evening.
Joe and Minnie Torkington
Thursday 28th It was a fine day. Willie Pratt who was at the wedding and staid here last night went home this morning. The boys were X cutting blocks & I was splitting shingles.
Friday 29th It was a fine day. I went down to the Post Office in the morning. Jack & Henry were X cutting blocks & I was splitting shingles. There was a Social in the Hall in the evening, it was a great success. We all went, £2 . 7 . 0 was taken at the door, we enjoyed ourselves very much.
Saturday 30th It was a fine day. Jack & Henry finished X cutting blocks in the morning. I was splitting shingles all day. The boys rode up to Pratts in the afternoon, returning home late in the evening.
Sunday 31st It was a fine day. Miss Harding, Jane, Willie & I went down to the Hall at 8 am to Holy Communion, Revd E. M. Cowie was the celebrant. He also held service in the Hall in the evening, we all went. There were about 60 and the collection was 17/4. Mr Cowie returned to Warkworth after the service intending to go to Auckland by the “Kapanui” at 4 am tomorrow morning.