April 1911

Saturday 1st   It was fine and sunny in the morning and dull and threatening in the afternoon.  In the morning I was helping Willie brick the new well and Willie finished using up the bricks as far as they would go, but he wants a few more to reach the top.  In the pm I was working in the flower garden, I planted the remainder of the bulbs I got from Gibbons, viz one clump of Ranunculus and two of Sparaxis in the long bed.  Carried up sand from the creek.

Sunday 2nd   The wind was blowing very strong from NE and there is a heavy sea running outside.  Agnes & Arthur came over in the morning and had dinner with me.  Willie & Grace walked over to Ti Point to spend the day, returning home after dark.
Revd A. O. Perry (Presbyterian) held service in the Hall this morning, but I knew nothing about it
Revd Paris (Wesleyan) held service in the afternoon, I attended and enjoyed the sermon very much.  When we came out it commenced to rain and rained steadily until 5 pm when it ceased, but blew harder.

Monday 3rd   It rained steadily last night and nearly all to day.  We could do nothing out of doors but  look after the animals.  Willie picked up a lot of Pears that were blown off.  I made up my quarterly returns, cleaned some lettuce & flower seeds and put them away, also mended some clothes.

Tuesday 4th   It rained again last night and most of this morning, but it cleared up in the pm but over [sic:  but came over]  very misty late in the pm.  In the morning I was mending clothes and in the pm I got firewood and tied up some Dahlias that were blown down with the wind.
Willie was picking fruit in the morning and in the pm he took the horse & sleigh down to the village as he expected some goods by the Steamer, but the Steamer was delayed in Auckland on account of the rough weather, so Willie came home without a load.

Wednesday 5th   It was a very fine day.  Willie got up early and took a load of Fruit down to the wharf for the “Orewa” before breakfast and he brought up a Sack of Sharps and he went down again after breakfast and hauled up a Sack of Bran,  he fetched “Dolly” in from the farm and the remainder of the day he was picking Pears.
I cleaned out the boiler, worked in the garden &c.  Flo came in the afternoon.

Thursday 6th   It was fine in the morning, ‘tho rather dull, in the pm it brighter,  [sic: it was brighter]   but later on it came over cloudy and there were several heavy showers.  Willie was picking pears.  I cut the grass on the paths in the flower garden and afterwards made a gravel path  near the front gate.  Willie went down to get the mail in the evening.

Friday 7th   It was a fine day.  In the morning I went down to the village to post some letters, carried up some sand, I was working in the flower garden and got a good stock of firewood.  Willie was picking pears.  We all went down to the village in the evening to hear Mr Mander MP  for our district give a political address in the Hall.  I was Chairman.

Saturday 8th   It was a fine day.  In the morning I was working in the flower garden, after an early lunch I rode over to the Claim to witness a friendly cricket match between Omaha & Matakana, the former won easily.  Mr Mander gave an address in the Hall and afterwards there was a dance.  I staid all night at Jims place.

Sunday 9th   It was a fine day.  After breakfast I left Jims place and rode across the beach, (the tide being out) to Ti Point to see Joe & Minnie.  I had dinner there and in the afternoon I went with Harold & Flo in a boat up to Mr Waldens place to have a look at his garden, he gave me several plants and we had tea there, returned to Ti Point in the cool of the evening, the water also being very calm, got my horse and rode home arriving about 8 pm.

Monday 10th   It was a very fine day.  I was planting the plants I got from Mr Walden in the morning.  In the pm I went down to meet the Steamer and to get the mail.
Willie was picking & packing pears to send away tomorrow.
In the evening there was a meeting in the Library called by myself to arrange for a Flower Show in the spring, Grace & I were elected on the Committee.

Tuesday 11th   It was a very fine day.  We got up early and after breakfast Willie hauled 21 Cases Pears,  1 Do Tomatoes and a box of Eggs down to the wharf for the “Kawau” which was expected in at 9 am.  I carried a lot of sand from Dunnings creek and Willie hauled it up for me.
The remainder of the day I was getting firewood, working in the flower garden, carried up sand from the creek.  Willie was cleaning Danthonia seed.

Wednesday 12th   It was a fine day.  I was digging in the flower garden.  Willie took the horse down to the wharf to meet the Steamer in the pm, and he hauled up the piping for the water supply and other goods.
in the evening Willie & Grace went down to the Hall to see a Picture Show, but it did not arrive so they had their walk for nothing

Thursday 13th   It was a fine day.  After breakfast I went down with Willie to the wharf to help him carry the bricks off the wharf, he hauled the 150 Bricks up in three loads, I carried up a bag of sand.  The remainder of the day I got firewood & worked in the flower garden.  Willie put a few layers of bricks in the well.
In the evening was the Annual Meeting of the Omaha & Pakiri Show to pay the prizes and elect a new Committee for next year.  Several at the meeting waited down for the arrival of the Steamer from Auckland bringing the Waitemata Cricketers and friends.

Friday 14th   Good Friday.   It was a fine day, but threatening.  After an early lunch I walked over to the Claim to witness a Cricket Match between Omaha & Waitemata Clubs.  Waitemata made 101 Runs and Omaha 141 Runs.
After the match was over I walked home as the weather seemed very threatening.

Saturday 15th   It was a fine day although threatening.  Jim Young and Kiri Brown came in the morning for me to witness Kiri’s signature.
Willie & Grace went to the Claim in the morning (Grace riding) to witness a Cricket Match between Omaha and Eden Wanderers.
I staid at home and did odd jobs.  In the afternoon I went to Mrs Dunning Senr  to take her some Cactus Dahlias.  Mrs Whitaker & Winnie were staying there.  I staid tea and then returned home in time to feed the fowls and milk the cows.  It came on to rain in the evening and rained steadily for about 2 hours when it cleared up when Willie & Grace came home arriving about 11 pm.

Sunday 16th   Easter Sunday.  It was a dull day, and the wind which had changed to the S changed today back to SE and there was a shower in the evening.  In the morning Revd O. Blundell held service in the Hall.  Willie & I went and the Revd gentleman preached an excellent sermon, and there was a good congregation, some of the Eden Wanderers cricketers attended.  Mr & Mrs Banks & children came here for dinner.  In the afternoon Willie Dunning brought Mr Somerville, Eden cricketer,  & Mr Ward their Coach up to see my flower garden and they came inside and had some fruit.

Monday 17th   The first thing in the morning it was very dull, but as the day advanced the weather improved and in the afternoon it was bright and sunny – there were no cricket matches at the Claim, but Waitemata played at Matakana and Eden Wanderers at Pakiri, but none of us went from home.
Willie was packing Pears.
I was burning clay.
Mrs Whittaker & May Dunning called in the afternoon and had a look round the flower garden.  In the evening there was a Dance in the Hall, Willie & Grace went.

Tuesday 18th  The Steamer that came to take the Cricketers did not arrive until 4 oclock this morning.  It was a fine day ‘tho dull.
Mr Torkington came to help Willie fix the water piping and by evening they had it finished , there are taps on the back verandah & in the bath room which will be a great convenience.
In the morning I was picking & packing fruit for Mrs Wallace,  in the pm Mr T. W. Knaggs came for me to witness his signature , afterwards I went with him down to the Village, I changed his Library bools, posted some letters, went down to the wharf to wait for the Steamer, but as she did not put in an appearance I came home.

Wednesday 19th   The wind was blowing strong from the E.  After breakfast Willie hauled the fruit down to the wharf, but no steamer came on account of the rough weather, there is a lot of fruit in the wharf shed waiting shipment.
In the morning I went to Mr G. Knaggs to witness his & his wifes signature to their pension papers, I had lunch there and Mrs K very kindly gave a pair of her own knitted socks.  In the afternoon Mrs Ashworth, Mrs & Miss Atkinson came to spend the pm and evening.
It rained in the evening.

Thursday 20th   It was blowing strong from the E and raining all day, and we were unable to do anything outside.  No Steamer came in.

Friday 21st   The wind has moderated this morning and got round to the N.  After Willie had milked his cows in the morning, he saw a Steamer coming across from Takatu Point.  It turned out to be the “Kawau” which left Auckland yesterday afternoon and sheltered at Kawau last night. She is on her way to Mangawai,  soon afterwards the “Orewa” came in, she left Auckland last Tuesday and has been sheltering at Kawau ever since, she is doing the Omaha trip this week, she landed her cargo & mail and then took on board a quantity of fruit that has been waiting in the shed since Tuesday.  Willie saw his fruit on board also the three cases of fruit I am sending to Mrs Wallace.
I was able to cut some firewood and the remainder of the day was wet.

Saturday 22nd   It was a fine day, although everything is very wet with the rain we have had lately.
After breakfast I went down to the village to get the mail that came overland last evening.
I got a lot of firewood .  Sid Rhodes came in the afternoon for me to witness his signature.  Willie was rooting out the Autumn Compôte Plum trees in the orchard.
In the evening there was a Public Meeting of Ratepayers in the Library convened by Mr Banks to consider matters relating to the new wharf, 15 ratepayers were present.  I was chosen Chairman.  Resolutions were passed requesting the County Council to engage an Engineer to report on the practability & cost of a Concrete wharf and Messrs Banks,  A. Matheson & J. C. Wyatt were appointed a Committee to wait on the County Council and confer with the Engineer & Riding Member as to the site of the wharf.

Sunday 23rd   There was a heavy shower in the afternoon, otherwise it was a fine day.
Revd Teale held service in the afternoon, only a small congregation on account of the weather.  Collection 6/3.  Willie & Grace went to Mrs Dunning Senr for tea, but returned home early.

Monday 24th   It was a fine day, with the exception of a few slight showers and the wind has gone round to the SW.  Willie was picking and packing Pears.  I got forewood, went down to C. Wyatts and was pulling up and cutting ti tree & fern in the front.

Tuesday 25th   It was a fine day.  After breakfast I went down to the P.O to get the mail.  Received a letter from my son Henry asking me to go down there,  I answered by wire that I would when required.
Elsie Birdsall came in the morning and staid dinner, Hettie & Mary Young called in the afternoon.  Willie hauled a load of fruit down to the wharf in the morning, in the pm he was grubbing out an Autumn Compote tree, in the evening he went down to meet the Steamer coming from Mangawai to get his fruit signed for.  Eddie Wyatt came to spend the evening.

Wednesday 26   It was a very fine day.  In the morning I was cutting up the blackberries on the road near our bottom gate. In the pm I was digging round some young trees in the orchard.  Willie was digging in the orchard and late in the pm he took the horse down to the wharf with a box of eggs & he hauled up a Sack of Maize, Bag of Flour& Bag of Sugar.

Thursday 27th   It was a fine day, but the wind is blowing very strong from NW.  I walked over to the Claim to spend the day. Called at Jas Darrochs and went to see Jane, Mrs Bond was also there, had lunch and returned home just as it was getting dark.  Willie had been hauling firewood for Mr G. Wyatt.  In the evening it rained, thundered & lightened.

Friday 28th   The wind has calmed down and it was a beautiful day.
In the morning I was getting firewood and digging round some young trees in the orchard, also digging in the pm.  In the evening I went down for the mail, attended the Library.  The Annual Meeting of the Hall Committee was held , there was a choir practice, rehearsing the Services of Song, there was also a Dance.

Saturday 29th   It was a very warm fine day.  We were up early as Willie & Grace are going to Auckland.  I took their luggage down to the wharf .  The “Kawau” left here soon after 10 am and a lot of passengers went up by her.  I hauled up some sand & grit for the fowls, I went to  C. Wyatts in the afternoon, he had been out fishing and had caught some fish, he gave me one which I cooked for my tea.

Sunday 30th   It was very fine in the morning, but in the afternoon the wind came in from the E.
Revd  P. R. Paris held service in the Hall in the pm , there was a good congregation, I attended,  while we were in church it rained heavily, but cleared up to allow us to go home.  Edgar Wyatt came in the evening to stay with me.