Thursday 1st It was a very dull day. After breakfast Joe showed me round the orchard & flower garden, he gave me some flower cuttings and then I walked to Mr Helsbys where I received a hearty welcome, had a look round the orchard and then caught the 2.30 Kaipara train back to Mt Eden station, took the car at the top of Symonds St down to Queen St, returned to Mr Wallaces at Devonport by the 4.30 boat.
Friday 2nd This is the Capping Day at the Auckland University and Alan Wallace is going to have the BA degree conferred on him and the students are going to have a procession up Queen St to the Choral Hall, but unfortunately the weather is very unpropitious, soon after breakfast it set in a steady rain. I went over to Auckland in the morning, had lunch at John Buchanans and then went down to the wharf to await the procession, afterwards went up to the Choral Hall to the Capping ceremony, the Hall was packed in every part. Allan made a very good speech. Returned to the Shore in time for tea.
Saturday 3rd It was a very fine day. Mr Wallace and I went over to Auckland in the morning, took the car to Symonds St and walked across the Grafton bridge to the Domain where the Governor Lord Islington reviewed the local troops. It was a grand sight especially the maneuvres of the Kings College cadets. Afterwards we walked down to Newmarket and had dinner there and then took the car to Clonburn Road Remuera and walked to Freds place, staid there a little while and then returned to the Shore. Noel & Blanche had arrived for a short stay.
Sunday 4th It was a beautiful day. I got up early and walked up to the top of Mt Victoria before breakfast. After breakfast Mr Wallace & I walked up the mountain again and we went into the Signalmans quarters and had a look round with the telescopes and had a chat with Mr Taylor the Signalman who is an old seafaring man.
After dinner Mr Wallace and I took a walk to the Narrow Neck beach, Cheltenham beach and round by the North head.
In the evening Alan & I went to the Presbyterian Church. Revd McLeau officiated.
Monday 5th It was a fine day. I bid goodbye to my friends the Wallaces who had been very kind to me and where I had spent a very good time, and took my luggage over to Auckland and put it into the office, then I went shopping and took the parcels down to the Steamer. Went up to Ponsonby and had lunch at Mrs Coplestones. Left Auckland in the “Kawau” at 3.30 and arrived at Omaha at 8.10, the Steamer rolled very much. Willie met me with the sleigh.
Tuesday 6th It was a fine day. I felt very unwell from my shaking on the Steamer yesterday.
I planted the Bouoardia, Duchess of York also some cuttings that I brought from Joe Greenwoods.
Wednesday 7th It was a fine day. I planted 6 Roses that I got from Lippiatt, viz Victor Hugo, W. E. Lippiatt Harry Kirk, Alfred Colomb, Earl of Warwick, Mrs Crawford Sharmond.
Willie took the horse & sleigh down to the wharf as he expected some fowl feed but it did not come, so he got a Sack of Maize from Charlie Wyatts & hauled it up.
Thursday 8th It was a fine day, with the exception of a shower in the morning. I rode to the Claim to see Jane in the morning , found her fairly well, had lunch there, Mrs C. Dunning called in the pm.
I returned home in time for tea. Went to spend the evening at Wm Dunnings, Herbert Banks is boarding there.
Friday 9th It was showery in the morning. In the pm Grace walked over to the Claim to see Jane, Willie rode over in the evening and they both attended a Concert and Dance in the Claim Hall in aid of the Omaha Cricket Club, Willie walked home afterwards leaving the horse for Grace who was stopping all night with Jane.
In the afternoon I went down to the Library to Catalogue the new books &c, I staid down, called for the mail and attended the Library in the evening.
Saturday 10th It was a very showery day especially up to 3.30 pm when it cleared up. Was not able to do anything out of doors but to get some firewood.
Sunday 11th It was a fine day. Grace returned from the Claim in the morning, having been staying with Jane since Friday.
Revd O. Blundell conducted service in the Hall in the morning, I attended. Joe & Minnie came here to spend the day.
Monday 12th It was very dull in the morning . I went down to Mr Thos Knaggs to get some cuttings of a rose by name “Catherine Mermot”. It came on to rain in the afternoon. Willie was working at his fowl yard.
Tuesday 13th There were a few showers. In the morning Willie went down to the village to post some letters , he posted two for me, one I had written to Mr Wallace & one to Jack. In the pm I was cutting tea tree on the hill.
Wednesday 14th It was fine in the morning. Willie was working at the fowl yard , in the pm he took the horse down to the wharf and hauled up a Sack of Maize, Do of Sharps at one load. I got a load of Danthonia hay, put it on the manure heap and then collected up a lot of cow dung and put it on the top.
Thursday 15th It was a fine day. I was cutting rushes round the new fowl yard , clearing up the chips and fixing up the fence round the flower garden to keep the chickens out, who are doing damage to my flowers. Agnes & Arthur came in the afternoon for the toys I brought from Auckland for them.
Friday 16th It was a beautiful day. After an early lunch I rode over to the Claim to be present at a send off to Mr Elliott, the Teacher, all the children, parents and friends assembled on the Domain, and Jack Walden took a photo of the school children & Mr Elliott and afterwards of a large group of people.
Tea was served in the Hall and after the first table Mr C. Dunning Chairman of the School Committee presented Mr Elliott on behalf of the parents & friends a beautiful silver Ink Stand. The evening was spent in games, dancing & songs – and there was a great crowd in the evening. I staid at Jims all night.
Saturday 17th It was a beautiful day. I returned home in the morning. Willie was planting Strawberry plants near the front gate.
Sunday 18th It was a beautiful morning and afternoon.
Revd Teale held service in the Hall in the afternoon, Collection 11/5,
Willie & I attended, Grace was unable to come on account of a bad cold. As we came out of church it commenced to rain, and it rained more or less all evening.
Monday 19th It rained last night and early this morning, but it cleared up afterwards and was a very fine day. I got a sack of Danthonia straw and put it on the rubbish heap in the flower garden and then I picked up a lot of horse manure and mixed with it.
In the evening Willie took the horse and sleigh down to the wharf to meet the Steamer and hauled up two coils of wire netting.
Tuesday 20th It was a fine day. In the morning I put a Bull inside that was out on the farm, I was helping him [sic: Willie] fix the wire netting on the fowl yard, he finished it by the evening, put the fowls in and cut all their wings. Mr Dick Knaggs called just after dinner.
In the afternoon I went down to the village to post some letters, went down to the wharf where the stone breaker was working, there were a lot of fishing boats at the wharf with a quantity of fish waiting for the “Kawau” which called in just before 4 pm. Ernest Wyatt was the only passenger going up to Auckland. I carried up a load of sand.
Wednesday 21st Several showers during the day, especially one heavy one in the pm. In the morning I was working in the flower garden, weeding &c. I loosened round the Daffodils which are coming up, put sand and sifted pine needles round. In the pm I went down to the village to get the mail. The “Kawau” made the round trip, very little going away from here and no passengers.
Thursday 22nd The wind was blowing very strong from NW, it did not rain during the day, but after dark there were some showers.
In the morning I was cutting down the geraniums, pelagoniums & fuchsias and put them on the rubbish heap. I stuck the row of Sweet Peas, dug up each side and put some charcoal ashes round them.
The functions in honour of King George V Coronation in London were celebrated in this Dominion today.
Friday 23rd It was a showery day. After breakfast I went down to the village to post the Schedule of the Flower Show to Warkworth to be printed. On my way home I cut a track on the side of the road going to the Hall for foot passengers. Willie was fixing wire netting on the orchard fence in the front.
In the evening I down for the mail and to attend the Library.
Saturday 24th It was a showery day. Willie was not very well so he staid in bed all day. I milked the cows morning and evening, I also got a supply of firewood.
Sunday 25th It rained heavily last night and there were several showers this morning, but the afternoon was very fine & bright.
Revd P. R. Paris (Methodist) held service in the Hall in the afternoon, the attendance was not large on account of the weather, I went and enjoyed it, the preacher touched upon the Kings Coronation , the address to the children was about the national flag and the address for the adults was upon Christs Kingship.
Monday 26th It was a very fine day. In the morning I was getting a lot of firewood. Willie got a gate post up in the bush and he hauled it to the top of the hill and then rolled it down, it is for an entrance gate in the pigs paddock.
In the afternoon Willie took the horse & sleigh down to the wharf and hauled up some goods that came by the “Kawau” this pm. I also went down and carried up some sand. Flo Torkington was over here this afternoon.
Tuesday 27th It did not rain, but it was a very dull day and the wind was blowing from SE.
Willie was putting in a gate post in the pigs paddock to make a new entrance.
I gathered up manure & carried it into the orchard, also got firewood.
Wednesday 28th It was a fine day, tho dull. In the morning I gathered up manure & carried it into the orchard, and put it round the Beurre Capiaumont tree. Mr Roose who is travelling for Bridgman & Bridgeman called here and I gave him a small order, he staid for dinner.
In the afternoon Willie & I went down to the wharf, a bundle of trees came by the Steamer for Willie, he hauled them up, also a bag of sand for me and a Bag of Manure from Harpers Store. The wind was blowing strong from the SE and the Steamer had a very rough trip.
Thursday 29th It was a dull cold day, wind blowing cold from SSE.
After breakfast I went down to the village to post a letter & carried up a bag of black soil. Seymour Smith came to get his Marriage Certificate. Willie planted 26 Fruit trees in the orchard that he got from Morrison yesterday. It was very cold outside so I mended some of my clothes.
Friday 30th The wind has gone down and has got more to the S, a much finer day than we have had for some time.
In the morning I sowed the following seeds in a shallow box.
Tagetes, Anchusa, Lupin, Nigella, Burning Bush, Pink Scabious, Cherry Red Do. Also some in a another smaller box.
Gazania, Ageratum, Nemesia, Scabious.C.Strawberry
In the evening I went down for the mail and attended the Library, Grace went to Joe Wyatts in the afternoon, came to the Library with Mabel in the evening and returned home with me. Messrs Handby & A. Matheson were planning for a new cupboard for the Library Books.