April 1888

Easter Sunday.  April 1st     It was fine during the day, but it rained in the evening.  We had service in the afternoon.  There was a good congregation,  Wm Wright Jn, Charlie Wyatt and Wm Pratt came for tea.

 Monday 2nd  In the morning we sowed White Stone Turnips in rows 12 inches apart in the ground that was occupied with Peas & Beans, we sowed bone dust on the surface when we dug the ground.
In the afternoon we commenced to pick Lemons to send to market, we made up 3 Cases, 40 Doz of our own and 12 Doz of Tom Wyatts.  Mr B.M.Gubb of Port Albert came in the afternoon, he is an enthusiastic orchardist and is on a visit in the district to see the orchards, he had a look round my orchard, then I took him over to Birdsalls, neither Mr or Mrs Birdsall  were at home being away at Whangarei, but Bowden showed us round, we next went on to Mr Williams where we stayed all night.  Mr & Mrs Jones were staying there.  After tea we had some music and spent a very pleasant evening.

Tuesday 3rd  In the morning Mr Gubb & I had a look round Mr William’s orchard also Robert’s we then went to Mr Sep Meiklejohn, he was not a home but Mrs Sep showed us round the orchard, we then went to Mr Matthew’s  and had a look round his orchard until dinner,  Mr Gubb was very pleased with the orchards he has seen in this district, he considers they are kept in very good order, much better than those in his own district.  I left Mr Gubb at Mr Matthew’s and returned home arriving about 4 oclock.
The “Rose Casey” arrived in the evening, being low tide the steamer could not come alongside of the wharf.  I had 1 Sack Maize, 1 Sack Oats, 1 Sack Sharpes and 2 bags Flour.

Wednesday 4th  The boys hauled goods from the wharf in the morning, in the afternoon we sowed Oats for green feed in the orchard where we grew Potatoes, we sowed the Oats and bone dust on the surface and dug them in.

Thursday 5th  The boys hauled up a sack of Maize from the Wharf in the morning, they also brought the plough up, it has been to the blacksmith at Mahurangi to be repaired.
In the afternoon we sowed Oats against the manure heap in the orchard and dug them in .

Friday 6th  In the morning we put in 5 posts in the fence going up to the School.  In the afternoon we finished sowing that piece of Oats and dug them in.

Saturday 7th  In the morning we commenced to dig the piece of ground under the dining room window.
The boys went over to Great Omaha to play in a cricket match Omaha against Matakana, Omaha beat.
I was working in the flower garden in the afternoon.
Willie Pratt came in the evening and brought us a nice piece of beef; he staid all night.
It was been a very hot day.

Sunday 8th  I cut my water melon it weighed 16¼ lbs.  Had service in the afternoon.  Went over to John Wyatt’s in the afternoon, and had tea there.  Mr Hadwick was there.

Monday 9th  In the morning we went up on the hill and cut wood ready for hauling.  In the afternoon the boys hauled a lot of wood.
I was digging in the garden.

Tuesday 10th  In the morning we were logging up on the hill.  In the afternoon we dug in the garden under the dining room window.
The “Rose Casey” did not come this week.
I went to Mr Walter’s in the evening.

Wednesday 11th  In the morning we were logging up on the hill.  In the afternoon we took out the pea sticks and put them under the house and commenced to dig the ground.
Mr Walter came in the evening.

Thursday 12th  In the morning we were logging up on the hill.  In the afternoon we dug in the garden.  We got the sheep in in the evening.  Maud and John went to Mr Walter’s.

Friday 13th  We were working on the hill in the morning cutting up wood for the house, splitting posts & pickets.  In the afternoon the boys went up on the hill cutting wood.  I mended the fence in the pigs paddock.
Killed a sheep in the evening.

Saturday 14th  The boys hauled a lot of wood down in the morning, the afternoon I cleaned out the pig stye and gathered up all the manure in the pig’s paddock and put it on the heap.  John went up to Pratt’s and staid all night.

Sunday 15th  It rained last night and we had some heavy showers during the day.  I read the service in the afternoon but there was only twelve there.  John came home from Mr Pratts and Willie came with him.

Monday 16th   It was a fine day with the exception of a few slight showers.  We were working at the fence going up to the School, putting in posts.  Went over to the Pa in the afternoon.

Tuesday 17th   We were working at the fence going up to the School both morning and afternoon.  The steamer came in the evening.

Wednesday 18th  The boys hauled 2 posts and a lot of pickets up to the fence, they also hauled a sack of flour for Tom Wyatt.  We finished putting in the Posts we put guys on to the straining posts and commenced to put on the wire.
The “Ruby” called in on her way to Auckland for some passengers.  Wrote a letter in the evening to Messrs Earle & Montgomery  ordering goods, the letter to be sent up the hill to the Post Office by the School children.

Thursday 19th  We finished putting on the wire on the fence the other side of the School.

Friday 20th  It was a fine day, the weather keeps dry, and rain is very much wanted.
We worked at the fence putting on wires.
We killed a sheep in the evening also went to the Library to change my books.

Saturday 21st  We were working at the fence putting on wire.   Henry went over to Great Omaha to play in a cricket match between Omaha and Matakana boys.  Maud went up to Pratt’s and staid all night.  I was making rollers in the afternoon.  Walter Frearson came in the afternoon and took away 8 of his sheep that have been in our place some time.

Sunday 22nd  The new Wesleyan Minister that succeeds Mr Bailey preached in the Hall in the morning.  I did not hear in time or I would have gone to hear him.
We had our usual service in the afternoon, there were not many there.
Maud came home in the evening from Pratts.

Monday 23rd  It rained all day, it will do a great deal of good in killing the crickets and it will make the grass grow.  We were not able to do any work out of doors, but I made some fencing rollers.
In the afternoon was a meeting of householders to elect a School Committee, there were only six persons present, I was elected this year on the Committee and was also appointed Chairman.

Tuesday 24th  We had some showers in the morning, but it was very hot between the showers.
We finished putting on the wires on the fence going from the bridge up to the School.  The “Rose Casey” came in in the evening, I went down to the wharf, the goods that I ordered from Earle & Montgomery came up in her, the boys hauled some goods for Mr Walter.

Wednesday 25th  We had several showers during the day, but the weather seemed more settled in the evening.
I was working at the wire fence  going up the barley paddock by myself all day.
The boys were hauling goods for Joe Wyatt, and also some of our own things.

Thursday 26th  The boys were hauling some goods for Mr Morehouse in the morning and also some for ourselves.  I was working at the wire fence in the morning and in the afternoon they helped me.

Friday 27th  Maud & Henry went down to the wharf and hauled up the remainder of our goods.
We finished putting on the wires on the fence.
There was a meeting of the Licensing Committee in the Hall in the evening,  Mr James Greenwood was appointed Chairman.
We killed a sheep in the evening.

Saturday 28th  We were mending up the fence between our place and Haskells & Mathesons in the morning.
In the afternoon I went over to Birdsalls and took Minnie and Jane with me.  Alic & Norman Matheson are making a road from the county road up to Mr Birdsalls which will be a splendid road and a great improvement when finished.
We staid for tea at Birdsall’s and came home by moonlight.

Sunday 29th  It was a fine day, tho rather cloudy, & it looks like as if we should have rain before long.
I read service in the afternoon.

Monday 30th  We were mending Matheson’s fence in the morning. In the afternoon the boys picked all the Beurre Diel Pears, and I made a case.