Friday 1st It was a beautiful day. I commenced this morning to feed the fowls on Sharps and Bran scalded.
I was sowing grass seed in the front. I went to the Library in the evening. We heard to day that Johannesberg and Pretoria were evacuated by the Boers, and that Lord Roberts had taken possession of both places.
Saturday 2nd It was a fine day. I finished sowing grass seed in the morning and in the afternoon I was burning heaps on the fresh dug ground in the orchard. Jane went with Miss Niccol to Matakana, they were going to stay at Mr A. Cruickshanks. Willie went fishing to Ti Point and brought home 4 Kawhai and 3 schnapper.
Sunday 3rd The wind was blowing strong from the SE, and it was showery and a miserable day. I held no service in the Hall. Jane returned from Matakana in the evening.
Monday 4th The wind was blowing strong from SE and there is a very rough sea outside. It was showery all day, but no heavy rain. Willie and I cleaned out the fowl house, and took down the partition between it and the hay place to enlarge it, we put up extra perches & clean nests. Jane went up to Mr Handby‘s in the afternoon.
Tuesday 5th The wind was still blowing very strong from SE and a heavy sea rolling outside.
The “Rose Casey” did not come, but the “Kapanui” did and brought the mail, she experienced very rough weather going back, it took her an hour to get to Takatu Point. I packed some Eggs, but I did not take them down as the Rose did not come.
Wednesday 6th The wind was still blowing very strong from the same quarter. Willie and I were pulling up tea tree and planting buffalo grass below the Cottage.
Miss Niccol and Miss Mitchell came for tea and staid all night, as it was raining during the evening.
Thursday 7th It was a fine day. The wind is in the same quarter, but it is not blowing nearly so hard.
Mr Sim came in the morning for me to witness his signature.
Willie and I were pulling up tea tree in the front near the gate.
Dan Kempt hauled the cupboard for the Road Board from the wharf to the Hall and I went down and unpacked it and put it inside the Hall. There was a meeting of the School Committee in the Library in the evening, it was a beautiful moon light night. We were packing Henry‘s gun Le to send down by George Wyatt, who is going in the morning.
Friday 8th It was a fine day. I went down to the Post Office in the morning to post some letters and also to see George Wyatt off, he went with J. Salt to Warkworth to catch a Steamer to Auckland, he is going down to work for Jack and Henry at Te Araroa, East Coast.
Willie and I were pulling up tea tree in the front. Killed a Sheep in the afternoon, and I went to the Library in the evening to attend a meeting of the Committee, we accepted an offer of Mr Handby‘s to remove the books and cupboard and erect them at the Hall for the sum of 34/-
Commenced to use the Bag of Flour
Saturday 9th It was a fine day. Willie went to Ti Point fishing and brought home a few. I was pulling up tea tree in the morning and doing odd jobs in the afternoon.
Mr Sadler came in the afternoon and paid for the Grazing of his horses in the E.R.
Sunday 10th It rained in the morning and it had all the appearance of a wet day, but it cleared up in the afternoon. Mr H. R. French was to have held service in the Hall in the afternoon, but he could not come himself, but sent Mr H. Snell in his place. I went down to the service, but there were very few there, Mr Snell came up here for tea.
Monday 11th It was a fine day. We got all the Sheep in from the farm, we cleaned all that needed it, and then we sprinkled all of them with Sheep Dip.
There was a meeting of the Hall Committee in the Hall in the evening.
Tuesday 12th It was a beautiful morning, but we had several showers during the day. I packed a box of Eggs and carried them down to the Steamer. Willie Pratt came up also Joe and Emily – Charlie and Maggie, and eight ladies went away by the “Rose Casey“. Dan Kempt and I went and passed Ernest Wyatt‘s contract on Goat Island road, after the Steamer went out.
Wednesday 13th The wind is blowing in again very strong from the SE. Mr Handby was hauling the Library books from the School to the Hall, I was helping him.
I went down to Charlie Wyatts in the evening to get some things he had procured for me in Auckland.
Thursday 14th It was still blowing very strong from SE and there is a tremendous sea running outside, the wind was accompanied by driving showers. We were unable to do much out of doors. I sowed some Pansy seed in a box in the garden.
Friday 15th It was a very stormy day – rain and wind, was not able to do much outside except to get some firewood.
There was a meeting of the Library Trustees in the Library in the evening, there were only three present, Mr Knaggs resigned his position as Librarian and Mr R. O. Boyd and I were appointed to that position jointly.
Saturday 16th It was a beautiful day and so calm, the wind has gone round to the SW. Willie went fishing to Ti Point and brought home 3 Kawhai’s. I was pulling tea tree and cutting fern in the front. There was an adjourned meeting of householders in the School in the evening for the purpose of electing a School Committee, the following were elected Messr A. Matheson, A. Kempt, Jos Greenwood, J. C. Wyatt and myself. Mr A. Matheson was appointed temporary Chairman.
Sunday 17th It was a beautiful day. I read service in the Hall in the afternoon to a small congregation.
Monday 18th It was a fine day, but the wind has gone round to SE.
Willie and I went down to the Store in the morning to get Willie a pair of boots and other goods, called in at the Hall. Mr Handby is putting up the book cases for the Library. Charlie Wyatt came in the afternoon and helped to kill our Pig.
Tuesday 19th I was cutting up & salting the Pig, it weighed 216 lbs. I went down to the Steamer in the afternoon.
Wednesday 20th There were a few showers in the morning. I went down to the Hall in the evening to arrange the books in the new cupboards Mr Handby is making.
Thursday 21st It was a beautiful day, so calm and sunny. I was burning off old fruit tree stumps on the dug up ground in the orchard, and marked off the places where the trees are to be planted.
Jane rode to Warkworth to see Minnie and staid all night. I went down again to the Hall in the evening to arrange the books. Before Jane went to Warkworth I paid her 13/3, her half share of the butter sold to W. Frearson to March 3rd and to Miss Niccol to April 30th.
Friday 22nd It was a beautiful day. I was burning off some more rubbish in the orchard, afterwards was clearing up and digging in the flower garden.
Jane returned from Warkworth in the evening with John Salt.
The Library was opened in the Library room at the Hall. Mr R. O. Boyd acted as Librarian. I went down to change my books.
I agreed to sell my land up on the hill to Wilson Knaggs for 10/- per acre.
Saturday 23rd It was a fine day. I was digging in the flower garden all day. Willie went fishing to Ti Point and brought home a few fish. Jane rode to pakiri in the afternoon, to Mrs Ellis Dyers and staid all night. There was a meeting of the newly elected School Committee in the School in the evening, I attended. Mr A. Matheson was elected Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer.
Sunday 24th It came over thick and there was a shower in the morning, but it cleared up and was a fine day tho’ rather dull. I read service in the Hall in the afternoon there was only a small congregation. Walter Wyatt called up here after church. Jane returned from Pakiri just before dark
Monday 25th It was a fine day, but it looks as if we are going to have a change of weather. Willie burned off some heaps in the front in the morning. I was digging in the flower garden all day.
Tuesday 26th It rained heavily last night and up to about 9 am this morning, after which it cleared up and we only had showers.
I packed a box of Eggs 8 doz and took it down to the Steamer in the pm, also a parcel of drapery to send back to the D.S.C. I received a bundle of Fruit Trees from Mr E. Morrison. Dan Kempt hauled them up to the gate for me. They were as follows –
8 Burbank 8 . 0
1 October Purple 1 . 6
1 Satsuma 1 . 0
1 Monarch 1 . 0
1 Goldmine Nectarine 1 . 0
4 Tibbits Plums 10d 3 . 4
4 Early Orleans 10d 3 . 4
2 Sea Eagle Peach 10d 1 . 8
2 Dr Hogg Do 10d 1 . 8
1 Hairyakume 2 . 0
£1 . 4 . 6
Wednesday 27th It was a fine day. I unpacked the fruit trees and hauled them in the garden.
Willie and I were pulling tea tree and heather and making heaps in the front>
Mrs Walter Wyatt was confined of a Son this afternoon.
Thursday 28th It rained heavily last night, but it was very fine today. Willie and I were working in the front pulling tea tree &c and making heaps.
Jane went to Mrs Gravatts in the pm.
Friday 29th It was a fine day. Mrs Haskell came in the morning and staid for dinner. Willie and I were making heaps in the front.
The Miss Niccols & Miss Mitchell came for tea and staid all night. we went down to the Library in the evening. It rained very heavily after we got home.
Saturday 30th It was a fine day, the wind blowing strong from NW. Willie went fishing to Ti Point and brought home a few fish. There was a meeting of the Road Board in the afternoon.