Saturday 1st It was a fine day. Cut up the Sheep and Willie took the mutton out. I went down to the Store to get some paint & oil. Charlie came again, he finished the steps for our verandah and then he commenced to make steps for the Cottage. Willie & I were burning up by the big gate in the afternoon.
Sunday 2nd It was a fine day, the wind has got round to the SW all apperance of rain has passed away. Jane & I went to Bible class afterwards Jane went with Charlie in the trap as far as Ti Point school and then walked to Minnies. Willie also went over to Ti Point to spend the day.
I got my own dinner, & in the afternoon I went to call at Mr Gravatts where I had tea, Mrs Harding is staying there.
Monday 3rd It was a fine day. Charlie was not working here today. Willie & I were burning on the hill and also on the farm.
Tuesday 4th It was a fine day. Charlie came to work here to day. He fixed up the two steps at the cottage also hung the new door and fixed the spouting.
Willie was burning the felled tea tree at the back of the cottage.
Mr G. H. Buckeridge of the Farmers Union held a meeting in the Hall in the evening.
Wednesday 5th It was a fine day. Jane & I rode to Matakana to witness a Tennis match between Matakana & our local club. Charlie was not working here, but drove Miss Gallie over to Matakana as Miss G is going to play in the ladies doubles & combined and Charlie to act as scorer.
Jane & I had dinner at Mr Cruickshanks, the Tennis club gave afternoon tea, I returned home in the evening, but Jane staid all night at Mr Cruickshanks. Omaha won the ladies singles & doubles, also gents singles. Matakana won the gents doubles, the combined was not finished as it got too dark.
Thursday 6th It was a fine day. Charlie came to work today, he broke a door way into the back bedroom from the verandah to make a bathroom and an office, in course of his work he found that the ground plate & blocks were decayed, so these had to be made good. Jane returned from Matakana in the evening.
Friday 7th It was a fine day. Willie went fishing to Matakana and brought home a few fish in the evening. Charlie was planing boards for the partitions. I went down to the P.O. & Library in the evening.
Saturday 8th It was a fine day. Charlie came to work half a day. There was a Tennis match on this court between Pakiri & Omaha clubs, it was a very tame game, as our players were far superior to their advasaries. Omaha won all the events. It came on to rain and interfered with the play. The local club gave tea in the Hall and a dance in the evening. Joe and Minnie came in the evening for the dance and returned with us to stay all night. I returned home to milk & feed the fowls and then went down to the Hall again. I had several games of cribbage.
Sunday 9th It was a fine day. Joe and Minnie returned home in the afternoon. I went down to the Hall to hear Mr French, & he returned with me for tea.
Monday 10th It was a fine day. Willie & I were mending the fence between N. Mathesons and ours to keep the sheep from getting in to his place. We killed the old ram that was in Norman’s place and we skinned it. Charlie was working here. Whitehouse exhibited his Kinomatograph in the Hall in the evening. Willie went.
Tuesday 11th It was a fine day tho’ rather dull. Charlie was carpentering here. In the afternoon Willie went over to Ti Point to fish.
Wednesday 12th It was a fine day. Charlie was carpentering here. Jane and I went down to the wharf in the afternoon to see the Steamer off. Willie returned from Ti Point in the afternoon, he only caught a few fish.
Thursday 13th It was a fine day. Charlie finished carpentering here in the morning , he finished the Office, Bath Room, fixed the spouting at the cottage and several other odd jobs. Willie was burning on the hill.
Friday 14th It was a fine day. I rode to Matakana to get a Cheque (Library Subsidy) counter signed, called at Mr Sims where I had dinner on my way home I called at Mr Ashton Senr who seems to be failing very fast.
I went to the P.O. & Library in the evening. Mr Roose came and staid all night, we gave him a small order, he has taken over the D. S. C. branch at Warkworth and is now taking orders on his own account.
Saturday 15th There was a Tennis match on this court between Kia Ora and the local club, our club won 5 of the events to nil, the club gave afternoon tea to all comers and in the evening there was a dance and supper in the Hall. It came on a misty rain while they were playing , so all adjourned to the Hall for tea, however it cleared up and they finished the match afterwards.
The Annual Meeting of Subscribers to the Show was held in the evening in the Library, a new committee was elected and the prizes paid.
Sunday 16th A very showery day did not go anywhere.
Monday 17th It rained a little a little in the morning , but it turned out a fine day. Willie & I were cutting tea tree in the front all day.
Tuesday 18th It was a fine day. I was cutting tea tree in the front all day. Willie went down to the wharf in the morning to catch bait, and when he came back he went over to Ti Point to fish. Mrs J. C. Wyatt called in the pm.
Wednesday 19th It was a fine day. Willie returned from Ti Point in the morning, he had no luck, he only brought home one fish.
Jane rode to Matakana in the afternoon returning by way of Ti Point, she left her horse there and brought Alma and Agnes round in the “Gael“.
Got some Sheep in in the pm and killed one. Went down to meet the “Gael“, a parcel of drapery came by her from Mr Roose. Mr Handby very kindly hauled the parcels & Jane and the children up to our gate.
Thursday 20th I went down to meet the “Gael” in the morning. There were some showers in the afternoon. The “Claymore” came after midnight bringing the Wanderers Cricketers and other passengers amounting to over 40. Fred Simpson came up to stay with us. Willie went down to meet him.
Friday 21st Good Friday. It was a showery day. It is usual for the settlers to give a picnic in Archie Dunnings paddock as a welcome to the Cricketers, but the weather prevented it. However tea was given in the Hall for all comers, and the Cricketers gave a very good concert in the evening, but on account of the weather not so many were present as usual . Afterwards there was a dance and supper. Minnie, Joe and Mr Torkington were over for it, we spent a very pleasant evening.
Saturday 22nd It was a fine day. Willie and Fred walked over to Ti Point to spend the day. There was a Cricket match in Charlies Paddock between the Wanderers & Omaha, 15 played on each side, the latter won on the first innings. Mr Torkington walked over to witness the match, he came here for tea & staid all night, Willie & Fred returned from Ti Point in time for tea. Willie Dunning came in the evening and we had a game of cards. There was a smoke concert in the Hall.
Sunday 23rd It was a fine day. Several of the Wanderers went over to Pakiri to spend the day, we lent Empress to Mr Baxter. Revd C. Griffin preached for the first time in the Hall in the afternoon. I went and liked him very much. Willie and Fred walked over to Ti Point to spend the day and they staid all night.
Monday 24th It was a beautiful day. There was a cricket match in Charlie’s paddock between the Wanderers and the Omaha team, two innings were played each, Omaha won by 41 runs. Some of the Auckland cricketers came up to our place after the match to buy some apples, we sold them 4 cases of Golden Russetts. There was a dance in the Hall in the evening, we all went and enjoyed a very jolly evening. There was a large gathering and the cricketers gave us a lot of songs. The SS “Orewa” came after midnight to take the Cricketers back to Auckland. Fred went back, also Miss Gallie and May Clark came to stay with us.
Tuesday 25th It was a fine day. Willie & I picked 5 Long Cases and 4 30 lbs Cases of Golden Russett Apples. I wrote a long letter to Jack in the evening.
Wednesday 26th It was a fine day. Jane and May Clarke rode to Matakana. Willie & I took the bullock down to the wharf with the 9 Cases of Golden Russet Apples, the “Gael” called in the afternoon on her way from Mangawai and took them, Willie remained down at the wharf catching bait and when he came back he went to Ti Point to fish.
Thursday 27th There were a few slight showers in the morning, but otherwise it was a fine day. I was picking Russet Apples in the morning. Jane & May Clarke returned from Matakana in time for lunch, Miss Gallie returned from Auckland in the “Gael” so May went home with her. I went down to the Steamer in the pm.
Friday 28th There were several showers during the day. I picked a case or two of Russet Apples while it was fine. Went down to the P.O. and Library in the evening. There was a meeting in the Hall to elect a Committee of Management for the Hall, Only some of the old Committee attended, the balance sheet was read which showed that there was a balance in hand of about £7. The old Committee were re-elected.
Saturday 29th It was a beautiful day. There was a Tennis match at the Domain between Omaha and Dacres Clubs, I walked over with Alec Haskell, play commenced about 12.30, it was a long game and was only finished just before dark, Omaha won 4 out of 5 events, the Omaha only loosing the ladies doubles. The ladies provided afternoon tea, and there was a dance and supper in the Hall in the evening. I spent a very pleasant evening playing euchre having Mr J. Darroch as partner, against Mrs D. Birdsall and Archie Dunning.
Sunday 30th Willie went to Ti Point in the morning. It was fine in the morning, but it rained in the afternoon and evening. Revd D. Perry (Presbyterian) held service in the Hall in the afternoon . On account of the weather Jane & I did not attend, we heard afterwards that 24 were present.