April 1910

Friday 1st   It was a fine day.  After breakfast I went down to the P.O – to post my Quarterly return & get a Postal Note for 18/9 to send to Mr Shannon as the Quarterly Guarantee from Leigh to the Angican Church.  Went down to the beach and carried up a bag of soil.  Willie was picking Vicar Pears all day.  I was helping him.  Henry returned from Ti Point and then took Willies horse and rode to Pakiri.  In the evening I went down for the mail and to attend the Library.

Saturday 2nd   It was dull and cloudy in the morning, but it turned out a very fine day, there was a heavy shower at about 3.30 pm.
Willie finished picking the Vicar pears, he had no cases to pack them in so he put them on a shelf in the Store.  I was working in the flower garden all day, I planted 2 clumps of Ranunculus that I received by post last night from Yates, also planted 3 Snapdragons, 4 Stock plants & transplanted an Indian Pink.

Sunday 3rd   It was a very fine day.  Revd S, Entrican (Presbyterian) held his last service in the Hall in the morning , there was a large congregation, Jane & I went.  Mr Banks & Mr Rhodes were here for dinner, we showed them the flower garden and the Pumpkin patch.

Monday 4th   It was a fine day.  Willie hauled 2 loads of Fruit to Steamer.  I was working in the flower garden.  Henry returned from Pakiri.  May Dunning & Katie Meiklejohn were here for tea and staid the evening.

Tuesday 5th   It was a fine day, with the exception of a shower in the pm.  In the morning Henry & I walked over to Ti Point, first went to Mr D. Knaggs, had lunch there, afterwards called at Joes and then came round in the Steamer.  Willie brought down 2 loads of Fruit and was on the wharf seeing it away, he had 60 new Fruit Cases up.

Wednesday 6th   It was a fine day. In the morning Henry went over to the Pa to try & hire a horse, he also made other calls returning here about tea time.  I was planting some things that Mrs Knaggs gave me , viz some bulbs of Yellow Ixia, plants of Minonette & Wall flower, also sowed seeds of Reddis Purple and Double White Candituft, burned some clay and went down to the beach to get some sand .  Willie was picking in Golden Russet Apples.
Henry & I went to spend the evening at Joe Wyatts.

Thursday 7th   There were a few showers during the day.  In the morning Henry went down to Harpers to get the horse that was sent from the Pa for him, he rode it to Pakiri in the pm.  Willie was picking Golden R  Apples, nailing down fruit and he hauled the 14 Cases down to the wharf in the pm.  In the am I was working in the flower garden/  I planted out a Pelagonium and a Double Purple Carolla Fuschia.

Friday 8th   It was a fine day.  After breakfast Willie went down to the wharf to meet the “Kawau” and to get his fruit signed for.  My knee was very painful where I had besk  [sic: been]   kicked by a horse years ago.  I did not get up very early and was in the house most of the morning, in the pm I cut some firewood and Willie carried it home.  Willie was picking in Golden Russet Apples.
In the evening I went down for the mail and attended the Library.  Henry returned from Pakiri.  Mrs Gravatt called here in the morning.

Saturday 9th   It was a fine day.  In the morning Henry rode to Pakiri to witness a Cricket Match between Omaha & Kia Ora second elevens.  In the morning I planted out 5 Stock plants in the flower garden.  In the pm I went down to the beach for some black soil, the Parson arrived from Auckland and I got the mail, Jane got a letter from Jack.
Willie walked over to Ti Point in the pm to try and get some fish and he brought home a few small schnappers
The Annual Meeting of Subscribers to the Show was held in the Library in the evening, Mr Jas  Greenwood was in the chair.  It was decided to continue the Show next year and a Committee was appointed to carry it out, afterwards the Prizes that were won at the late Show were paid.

Sunday 10th   It was a fine day.  Jane walked over to Ti Point to spend the day at Flos  & Henry rode to Ti Point to spend the day at Mr Neeleys.  I walked up to Mr Handbys in the pm and staid tea there.

Monday 11th   It was a fine day, wind changed to SW.  Willie took a load of fruit down to the wharf to meet the “Paeroa“.  Henry rode up to Wilson Knaggs in the afternoon , he and I went to spend the evening at Mr Archie Dunnings.

Tuesday 12th   It was a fine day, wind W.  Willie was packing fruit & he was also burning grass behind the house, he took a load of Fruit down to the wharf in the pm, the Steamer did not come in until 6.30 and Willie had to wait down there until she came in to get a box of Groceries.  Mr Fisher came here to get his Marriage Certificate and Miss McKenzie came to get some flowers.  I sowed a row of Sweet Peas.

Wednesday 13th   It was a very fine day.  I got up early and planted 2 clumps of Ranunculus bulbs that I received by post last night from Abraham of Parnell.  Willie took a load of fruit, a box of Eggs, a crate of fowls and my luggage down to the wharf and I embarked on board the “Kawau” for Auckland.  We took on board a large cargo at Leigh, and the newly married couple Mr & Mrs Fisher who were married early this morning by Revd S. Entrican.  We arrived in Auckland at about twenty to six, Alan Wallace met me at the wharf and we caught the ten to six boat to the Shore, got a wagonette to take us and my luggage to the house where I received a hearty welcome.  We had a beautiful calm passage and I enjoyed it very much.

Thursday 14th   It was a fine day, with the exception of a few slight showers.  I went over to Auckland in the morning, had my lunch in town and then went out to call on Mr Pilcher of Rocky Nook, I took him 2 varieties of Cannas from my garden, had afternoon tea there and then went to the Choral Hall to the Autumn Flower Show,  it is usually called the Chrysanthemum Show, but this year it was a misnomer as there were very few, but Dahlias were in great number and very beautiful.  Afterwards I went up to Mrs Simpsons, had dinner there and returned to the Shore in the evening.

Friday 15th   Rather a showery day.  In the morning Alan & I took a walk to Narrow Neck Beach coming home by the Lake Road, Alan went in for a swim.  In the pm Alan and I went over to town.

Saturday 16th   There were a few showers, the wind blowing strong from the W.  In the morning I went over to Auckland, got a few things to send down to Omaha, went up to Mrs Simpsons had lunch there and then took the parcel down to the “Kawau” and gave it to Wilfred Torkington to take down to Omaha to give to some of our people.
In the pm I went back to the Shore and went to see a cricket match on the North Shore Domain.  In the evening Bert, Alma & I went to see Cooper & Mr Dermots  Pictures in the Forresters Hall.

Sunday 17th   It was a fine day, but the wind was blowing very strong from W.  In the morning, Mrs Wallace, Alma & I went to Trinity Church, Revd  Wingfield preached, Fred came over to spend the day.  In the afternoon Mr Wallace & I went down to O’Neils Point to the end of the wharf.

Monday 18th   It was a fine day.  In the morning I went over to town, went up to Gallaughers to order some things, returned to the Shore for lunch.  In the afternoon I walked to the Calliope Dock to see the S.S. “Kaipara“, afterwards walked along the beach road and home.

Tuesday 19th   It was a fine day.  In the pm I went over to Auckland.  In the evening Ken & Alan took me to see the Pictures at the Opera House, which I enjoyed.

Wednesday 20th   It was a fine day.  I went over to town in the afternoon.  Went to the “Kawau” and heard that Joe & Minnie had arrived by her, but I was unable to find them.

Thursday 21st   It was a fine day, but the wind was blowing very strong from  NE.    In the morning Alan took me to see the gardens at the Takapuna Race Course.  In the afternoon I took a walk on the Lake Road as far as the third hill, called in at Mr Sep Meiklejohns, but only Miss Meiklejohn was at home.

Friday 22nd   It was very dull in the morning.  I went over to town in the 10 am boat, met Willie Wright,  Joe Greenwood, Mr & Mrs Ashworth & Revd McWilliam, but did not see Joe or Minnie, returned to the Shore for lunch,  soon after I got in it commenced to rain and rained steadily all afternoon.

Saturday 23rd   It was a fine day.  I went over to Auckland in the morning, returning to the Shore for lunch.  In the pm Mr Wallace & I went down to the domain to see the Football, Ken & Alan were playing.

Sunday 24th   It was a beautiful day.  Noel came home from Te Kuiti yesterday, but I did not see him until this morning, I was glad to meet an old friend again, as I had not seen him for nearly 2 years.  In the morning Mr & Alma Wallace & I went to Trinity Church, the Revd McLean the Curate preached.  In the pm Mr W and I took a walk down to Stanley Point, when we got back we found that Noel had brought Miss Slater over from town.  In the evening Mr W  and  I went to the Presbyterian Church.  Revd Bertrum preached a splendid sermon and the singing was very good, we walked home with Mr & Mrs Sep Meiklejohn.

Monday 25th   It was a very fine day, but very cold in the morning.
I went over to town in the morning, went up to Mrs Simpsons where I had lunch, afterwards called at Mrs Coplestones went down to Queen Street  where I met Joe & Minnie who have been in town since last Wednesday and this is the first time I have met them,  we walked up to Newton together looking in all the shops and making purchases, returned to the Shore for dinner,  & in the evening Alan & I went over to town to attend a Lecture given in the University building by Professor Seager, but we could not get in on account of the crowd.

Tuesday 26th   It was a fine day.  In the morning I went across to town, I saw Joe & Minnie off by the Steamer, afterwards I took the tram out to Onehunga to see my old friend Revd M. Kirkbride whom I had not seen for several years,  I had lunch there and we had a long chat.  After leaving there I walked up Normans hill to the Royal Oak and went to Mackays Nursery to have a look round, a Mr Plante who I met at the last winter show and also at the Chrysanthemum Show showed me round.  I returned to the Shore.

Wednesday 27th   It was a fine day.  In the morning I left Mr Wallaces where I had spent a very pleasant time and where I had received great Kindness, I went across with Ken who very kindly carried my  bag down to the Steamer, I took the car up to Ponsonby to stay at Mrs Simpsons to stay, after leaving my bag I walked to the Domain crossing the new concrete bridge just erected which spans the cemetery gully and which is to be officially opened tomorrow.  The gardens in the Domain are beautifully kept and are a blaze of colour, I sat down on a seat and basked in the warm sunshine, enjoying the beauty of the surroundings .  I returned to Mrs Simpsons for lunch, and afterwards to the Leys Institute to read and then went down to the wharf to meet the “Kawau“.  Returned to Mrs Simpsons for tea.
In the evening a Mr Marshall came in and we had a game of Cribbage.

Thursday 28th   It was a fine day.After breakfast I walked to Mount Eden station and took the train for Henderson to visit my old friend and neighbour Joseph Greenwood.  Joe and his son Elliot were busy packing fruit, before dinner Elliot took me to see Mrs Hardens flower garden.  After dinner Elliot took me to see Mr & Mrs Helsby (Mr Bank’s father in law), they have bought a small place with 7 acres of orchard, they gave me a very hearty welcome, we had a look round the orchard and had tea there we found Mr Greenwood at the station with his waggon bringing fruit for tomorrows sale in Auckland, we had a ride home in the wagon.  I staid the night spending the evening chatting of old times.

Friday 29th   It was very cold this morning, after breakfast they got me some plants and cuttings and I walked down to the station and took the train back to Auckland.  Went up to Mrs Simpsons to leave the plants and then went down town, bought a present for Mrs Wallace and took it across to the Shore and lunched there, returning to Auckland in the pm, did some shopping and then went up to Ponsonby, called at Mrs Coplestones to get a parcel of dress materials that Tillie had got for Jane.  Staid at Mrs Simpsons the night.

Saturday 30th   Left Mrs Simpsons having to go down twice in the car to take my luggage, gathered up my parcels and embarked on board the “Kawau“, left the wharf at 12.35 and arrived at 6 pm, we had a fairly calm passage,  Willie met me with the sleigh.