April 1907

Monday 1st    It was a fine day.  Willie & Ken went fishing in Duncan Matheson’s yacht.  There was a Cricket Match again between the Aucklanders and Omaha, the latter won.
We had three Miss Ashtons,  two Miss Browns, Flo, & Minnie here for tea besides our own party ,  There was a dance in the Hall in the evening, I staid at home, our visitors bid us good bye and returned to Auckland by the “Kawau” at midnight.  Mr & Mrs Harry Ellis & infant drove over and spent the day with us and staid here all night.

Tuesday 2nd   It was a fine day.  Mr & Mrs Harry Ellis returned to Matakana in the morning.  Jane, Jack & I went down to Tennis in the afternoon.

Wednesday 3rd   It was a fine day.  I took the bullock down to the wharf in the afternoon and hauled up 2 Bags Lime, Box of Jam Jars, empty Egg Box and some gravel.  The “Gael” came in and took the fish & passengers, the “Kawau” took the cargo and some Sheep.

Thursday 4th    It was a fine day.  Jack & I went down to meet the “Kawau” in the afternoon.  I had 8 bundles of lids landed.  Also went down to the village in the evening to look after the Library.

Friday 5th   It was a fine day, I was working at the footpath.  Willie took the bullock down to the wharf and hauled 3 bundles of lids and some gravel.

Saturday 6th   It was very dull in the morning.  I made a concrete step to the Store.  In the afternoon Eddie Wyatt drove me over to the Claim, Jane & Jack rode, there was a Tennis Match between Dacres and Leigh Clubs, the match was played in a drizzly rain, the gents doubles was not played, Leigh winning all the events played. After tea Eddie & I drove home, raining all the time, I got wet.  After I got home it poured with rain all night and it was very dark.

Sunday 7th   Jane & Jack only got home at 7 am, all the Omaha people stayed in the Claim Hall until daylight on account of the rain & darkness.    It rained nearly all day and the wind is blowing
from the E.

Monday 8th   It was a fine day.  The wind has changed to SW.   In the morning Jack fixed up the new grindstone and he was squaring puriri posts on the hill.  Willie was picking Vicar Pears, and I was packing them.  In the afternoon Jane & Jack rode over to Ti Point to visit Duncan Knaggs.
Willie went out in the yacht fishing for kawhai, he returned for tea, but went down again in the evening to sleep on board the yacht.
In the afternoon I was packing & nailing down Vicar Pears, there are 15 cases.
In conversation with Jack I gathered the following information.
Their  leasehold at Te Araroa has been lately valued by the Government Valuer and was valued at £4,700.  The original value of the land was 2/6 an acre on which they pay rent at 5%    1½d an acre, but the Valuer has raised the unimproved value of the land to 30/-  an acre.  The original total value was £232, they pay £14 a year rent and £1 . 2 . 6  a year rates, the latter cannot be raised during their term of lease.
The adjourning property is owned by Mr Campbell, 1600 acres are freehold and 1400 acres are leasehold, he pays £40 a year rates, the property is for sale for £10,000.
50 bales of wool are produced and shipped home and insured for
£1,100.  Besides Sheep, 200 head of Cattle are kept on the place.

Tuesday 9th   It was very dull in the morning and we thought it was going to be a wet day, but it turned out a very fine day.  In the morning I took the bullock down to the wharf with 15 Cases Vicar Pears which I am sending to Dumper.  I hauled up 2 bundles of lids, some stones and gravel.  In the afternoon I went down to the store again to witness the signatures of Mrs Harper & John Greenwood.
Jack finished squaring the puriri posts on the hill.

Wednesday 10th   It was a fine day.  I was concreting the path just under the store door.
In the afternoon I went down to the Store to sell some eggs and to get a Postal Note.
Oliver McLauchlan came up in the “Kawau” and came up to our place to stay, he is a son of Mr McLauchlan who used to keep the Hotel at Te Araroa and consequently a friend of Jacks.

Thursday 11th   It was a fine day.  Jack and Oliver McLauchlan rode over to  Robt  Williams to spend the day returning in the evening.
In the evening I was down for the mail and at the Library.
May Dunning and Miss Avey were up here to spend the evening, Oliver sang us some songs very nicely.
Willie returned from fishing bringing some fish with him.

Friday 12th   It was a fine day.  Willie rode over to Warkworth to get some clothing returning in the evening.  Jack and Oliver went to Walter Frearsons in the morning to have a look round and staid for lunch.  In the afternoon they went over to Joe Wyatts and spent the afternoon there.

Saturday 13th   It was a showery day.  Jack, Oliver & I went down to the store in the morning.  We called in at Mr Archie Dunnings, it rained pretty heavily while we were there.  In the evening Jack, Jane, Oliver &  I went down to spend the evening at Mr Archie Dunnings,
Oliver sang us a lot of songs, we also played at cards – and spent a very pleasant evening.

Sunday 14th   It was a very dull day.  Jack, Oliver & Willie went over to Ti Point to spend the day.  Jane & I staid at home.  It came on to rain in the evening.

Monday 15th   It was a fine day in the morning, but in the afternoon it set in to rain and continued all evening.  The “Gael” should have called in to take Oliver to town, but on account of the stormy weather she did not go down to Waipu, we spent a very pleasant evening in singing & playing cards.

Tuesday 16th   It was a fine day.  In the morning Willie & I picked 6 Cases Ohinemuri apples & I picked 1 Case Vicar pears in the afternoon & nailed down all the other cases.
Jack & Oliver rode over to Pakiri in the morning to spend the day at Johny Salts, returning after dark.
Willie went out fishing in the yacht in the afternoon.
In the evening Jane, Jack, Oliver & I went to spend the evening at Mrs Gravatts where we had some singing, it rained very heavily while we were there, but we got home dry.

Wednesday 17th   It was a showery day and the wind blowing strong.  We did not expect the “Kawau” from Mangawai, however we heard her whistle in the harbour and were surprized as we thought she would not come out with this wind ,  Oliver intended to go to town, but decided to wait until tomorrow.
Albert & Emma came to spend the evening, we had some singing and afterwards played at cards.

Thursday 18th   There were some showers in the morning.  Willie & I took the 10 Cases Fruit down to the wharf.  Oliver went away in the “Kawau“, we shall miss him very much, as he is splendid company.
It turned out a fine afternoon.  Jack took Joe’s horse over to Ti Point and staid all night.  Willie and I were fixing up the dipping tub.  In the evening I went down for the mail, also attended to the Library.
The Annual Meeting to elect a new Hall Committee, the old members were re-elected with the addition of Messrs E. D. Harper  &  W. Frearson.

Friday 19th   It was raining when we got up this morning, but it turned out a fine day.  Willie & I finished fixing up the sheep dip, also made a panel to put across the lane.  Jack returned from Ti Point in the afternoon and he went down to Charlie Wyatts in the evening.

Saturday 20th   It was a very fine day.  We got all the Sheep up in the morning, but we could not dip them because we could not get enough Sheep dipping powder, but Jack and Willie cleaned all the Sheep and then we put them into the pigs paddock.
Jack rode over to Matakana in the afternoon.
The School Committee erected a flagstaff in the School ground this morning, and the flag was hoisted for the first time this afternoon, the parents and others were invited to the ceremony.  Elliot Greenwood being the eldest boy at School hoisted the flag, two members of the School Committe &  myself gave short addresses also Miss Carr.  The children sang a patriotic song and the ladies gave afternoon tea.

Sunday 21st   It was a fine day.  Willie and I walked to Ti Point to spend the day , we had dinner & tea at Joes.  Harold & Flo were there for tea.

Monday 22nd   It was a fine day.  Willie & I were putting on netting wire on the fence near the stockyard.  Jack returned from Matakana just before dinner, we got 4 Sheep out of the front & put them in with the others in the pigs paddock.
In the afternoon we dipped the sheep.  There were 50 Ewes and
1 Romney Ram which we put out in the front.
8 Big Wethers  &  1 Long Tailed Ram into the paddock behind the house.
20 Lambs  &  5 Small Wethers we put on the farm.
Account of the Sheep Dipped
Ewes                                50
Romney Ram                 1
Big Wethers                   8
Lambs                              20
Small Whethers           5
Longtailed Ram            1
Total                                 85

Tuesday 23rd   It came on a drizzly rain in the morning & and we thought it had set in for a wet day, but it cleared up and turned out a very fine afternoon.
In the morning Willie took the bullock down to the wharf and hauled up some gravel and 100 lb  Flour & 56 lb of Sugar from Harpers.
In the afternoon Willie went fishing.  I went over to Mr G. Knaggs to witness the old peoples signatures.   Mr Knaggs entertained me with a lot  [of]  Phonograph selections.  I staid there for tea.  Jane went over to Joe Wyatts and Jack went down to the beach.

Wednesday 24th   It was a fine day.  In the morning I was doing some concreting.  Mr Torkington came to get some Danthonia Seed, he staid for dinner.
In the afternoon Jack rode up the hill to Pratts.
I took the bullock down to the wharf and hauled up some gravel and the remainder of the fruit case lids.

Thursday 25th   It was a fine day, but it was blowing very wintery in the afternoon.  In the afternoon I took some Eggs down to the Store.  I waited for the mail and attended the Library, when I got home I found that Jack had returned from Pratts and Willie from fishing.

Friday 26th   It was a fine day and the wind has gone round to SW.
Charlie came to work here to day, he fixed the sink in the scullery.
Willie hauled the two gate posts down the hill to the front gate, Jack squared these on the hill.
There was a Concert and Dance in the Hall in the evening got up by Mr Carr for the purpose of raising funds for getting seats with backs for the Hall,  all of us went, I was Chairman and it was a great success.  The takings were £7 . 10 . 6

Saturday 27th    It was a fine day with the exception of a heavy shower in the afternoon.  Charlie was working here, he was making a spout to catch the water at the Store door.
Jack walked over to Ti Point in the afternoon.  I was doing some concreting.  Willie was planing the gate posts.

Sunday 28th   It was fine in the morning although dull.  Jane and Willie staid at home.  I rode over to Ti Point taking Agnes with me.  I spent the day at Harolds place, Jack was also there, in the afternoon it poured with rain, and after it left off it blew a hurricane.  Jack walked home in the evening, I staid all night.

Monday 29th   I rode home first thing in the morning, arriving in time for breakfast.  It was a fine day.  Charlie came to work, he was painting.  Willie & I were also helping him.  We got the 8 whethers and long tailed ram from the paddock behind the house  and put them into the pen.  Jack castrated the long tailed ram and we put him out in the front.
Jack went to Auckland in the “Gael“, she called in here about 11 am. Joe, Minnie & Duncan Knaggs also went up in her.
Mr Carran of Warkworth came late in the afternoon and bought the 8  Wethers giving me 14/ s each.  Mr Carran put 26 Wethers which he bought of Alex Matheson with our 8 in our front paddock and we put our Ewes and Ram that were in the front into the cow paddock.

Tuesday 30th   It was a fine day.  Charlie was working here.  Willie, he and I were painting the house.