Sunday 1st It rained nearly all day and a gale of wind was blowing.
I intended to take a ride up to O’Regans but was prevented on account of the weather. Henry had some sheep penned up in a yard at Pembertons so he had to go in the rain in the afternoon to put them out.
Monday 2nd It was a very fine day. Jack came over in the morning and all the men went out mustering and brought home a big flock of sheep.
In the afternoon they were picking out sheep and lambs to send to the Freezing Company.
Tuesday 3rd It was a very fine day. The men got up early had an early breakfast and started off mustering at daylight. After mustering the sheep Henry & Fred came home leaving Jack to bring the sheep in by himself. The remainder of the day they were picking the sheep. Fred rode down to Te Araroa to meet a young fellow named Pearson who arrived last night by the “Mako”. Fred brought him up here, but he is come to work for Jack.
Bristow carted the remainder of his wool away to day.
Wednesday 4th It was a very fine day. The men were picking the sheep & lambs and putting sheep out in the various paddocks.
I planted out 40 Cabbages.
Thursday 5th It was a fine day, ‘tho dull. It came on a misty rain late in the pm. They made the final picking of the sheep in the morning, Mr Hay and a Maori assistant came to drive them down to Tokomaru Freezing Works, they had lunch here and then started away with them afterwards.
Jack sent sheep 166
Henry sheep & lambs 578
O’Regan 102
Halliwell 101
947
In the afternoon Jack took a pack horse over to Pembertons and brought home two Kerosene boxes of apples.
I was working in the garden, I planted 20 Cabbage plants and 2 Rows Silver Beet.
Friday 6th It was a very fine day. Jack and the young fellow (Pearson) went back to Ahomatariki in the morning, they had a pack horse to carry the two boxes of apples and the young fellow’s swag.
They were shearing wooly sheep in the shed, and they put them out in the afternoon.
I was digging in the garden all day.
Saturday 7th It was a fine day. Henry & Fred were mustering sheep. I finished digging the piece of ground between the carrots and cabbages, also planted another row of Silver Beet next the hedge also 3 Cabbages.
Sunday 8th Easter Sunday. It was misty first thing in the morning but afterwards it cleared up. After breakfast Connolly rode down to Bristows for the mail that Mr O’Regan left there. I was going up to Mr O’Regans to spend the day, but heard that they were going out so I rode over to Ahomatariki with Fred who was going over to get some clothes he had left there, Fred returned to Tangihanga but I staid at Jack’s place the night.
It came on a misty rain in the evening.
Monday 9th There was a misty rain in the morning, but the clouds lifted and it cleared up.
Jack & Ken Pearson went out mustering. I returned to Tangihanga after lunch arriving there about 3.30.
Henry & Fred were out mustering and came home late.
Tuesday 10th It was a dull day with misty rain. Henry, Fred & Connolly went out mustering and brought home sheep late in the afternoon.
I was digging in the garden.
Wednesday 11th It was a fine day. The men were mustering lambs, afterwards they drafted them and took down to Renolds yard in the evening. I commenced digging the piece of ground in the garden between the rhubarb and the macrocarpa hedge, there were several patches of sorrel which I forked out and a great many stones near the hedge.
Thursday 12th There was a misty rain all day. Henry and Fred after breakfast went down to Renoylds yard and commenced to drive the Lambs to the Tikitiki sale which is on Saturday, they took them part of the way and put them into a yard for the night, they arrived back here at 9.30 pm, I staid up to give them their supper.
I picked all the Onions in and commenced to string them up, it was so wet that I passed most of the time in the house reading.
Friday 13th A finer day than yesterday, but slight misty rain in the afternoon.
Henry & Fred started off early to drive the Lambs to Tikitiki which they expected to reach this evening.
Connolly was not well to day, he was confined to his bed all day, I had to milk the cows morning and evening.
I finished digging the piece of ground the top side of the path next the macrocarpa hedge.
Saturday 14th There was a slight misty rain nearly all day.
As Connolly was still unwell I milked the cows morning and evening.
I finished stringing up the Onions and hung them up in the wash house.
Henry & Fred returned from the Tikitiki sale at about 7.30 pm, they report that the Lambs were all sold.
380 Wooly Wether Lambs @ 20/4 386 . 6 . 8
55 Wooly Ewe Lambs @ 17/- 46 . 15 . 0
430 Shorn Wether Lambs @ 17/6 381 . 5 . 0
865 £ 814 . 6 . 8
Sunday 15th It was misty rain first thing in the morning. Mrs O’Regan rang up to invite me to go up to their place for lunch so I got a horse and went up. Their house is on the top of a hill between Henry & Jack’s place 1700 ft high. You cross the river against Bristow’s and there is a bridle track cut out of the hill side about 3 miles long leading up to their house which was very muddy. They have a comfortable little house from which you have a beautiful view. There was a misty rain while I was up there. I arrived home just before tea.
Monday 16th It was a fine day. Henry and Fred rode to the back and mustered some sheep which they left in a yard. I dug a large piece of ground where the Canadian Wonder Beans & Onions were growing.
Tuesday 17th It poured with rain nearly the whole day & there was a flood in the river. Henry & Fred had to go to the back to let the sheep out of the yards, that were put in yesterday.
Wednesday 18th It was a fine day, the river is still high. The men were fencing at the back. I was making an approach to the cow yard.
Thursday 19th It was a fine day. The men were fencing at the back. Henry went to Pembertons to get some sheep in. I went over to the cultivation and plucked some maize cobs and put them in a divided bag and Henry brought them home in the evening.
Friday 20th It was a fine day.
The men were fencing at the back. I was making a road up from the creek going to the back.
Saturday 21st It was a fine day. Henry drove to Te Araroa in the buggy and did not return in the evening. Fred & I went down the river cleaning away the stones. Conolly was fencing the creek.
Sunday 22nd It was a very fine day. Jack & Alf Essex came over in the morning bringing a pack horse, they went over to Pembertons and got a load of apples, they called in here for afternoon tea and then they went home. Henry returned from Te Araroa in the evening.
Monday 23nd There was slight misty rain all day. In the morning Henry & Fred were shearing some wooly sheep, in the pm they altered and branded a young bull.
Conolly was snigging fire wood.
I improved the track up from the creek.
Tuesday 24th Misty showers all day. Conolly & Fred went over to the cultivation to dig Potatoes and they brought some home with them.
Henry drove down to Te Araroa to get some flour and sugar intending to return in the evening, but he rang up to say he was not coming.
Wednesday 25th It rained heavily last night and nearly all morning, the river is rising.
Henry returned late in the afternoon on horseback leaving the buggy at Te Araroa as the river was too high in flood.
Thursday 26th It was a fine day with the exception of some misty rain in the afternoon and rain in the evening. Conolly took a pack horse over to the cultivation and brought home a load of Potatoes, Henry & Fred went to the back to mend a fence, Jack, Lily and Ken Pearson came over from Ahomatariki, Jack & Ken after lunch went to the back to help the others fence. In the morning I was in the river trying to divert the water into one channel. In the afternoon I walked over to the cultivation & improved the road.
Friday 27th It rained last night and was misty to day but there was no rain to speak of. Jack, Fred & Ken went to the back, but Ken came home in the middle of the day with a sprained ankle. Lily was bottling Quinces.
Henry took the buggy horses down to Te Araroa to fetch the buggy home. He arrived here about 9 pm bringing flour, sugar &c and the mail.
Saturday 28th It looked threatening in the morning but it turned out a fine day. John, Henry & Fred went to the back mending fences. Conolly went to the cultivation to dig potatoes, he brought home a load of maize on a pack horse.
Lily was bottling quinces and in the pm she helped me husk maize.
Sunday 29th There was a slight shower in the morning but it turned out a fine day. Henry who has been called up in the ballot started to ride down to Gisborne to present himself to the Medical Board next Tuesday May 1st. Before going he made me a present of a cheque for £20 as most likely I shall be away before he gets back.
Jack went over to Ahomatariki to see how the men are getting on.
I rode down to Mr Halliwells to spent the day and spent a very pleasant time, they have been very kind to me since I have been here.
Monday 30th It rained last night and a little early this morning, but it turned out a very fine day.
Mr & Mrs Conolly & Lily drove to Mr Halliwells to spend the day. Jack & Fred were at the back, mending fences and mustering sheep.
Only Ken Pearson & I were left at home. In the morning I husked all the Maize that had been brought home & in the afternoon I went and improved the road out of the creek going to the back.