April 1913

Tuesday 1st    It was a very fine day.  After breakfast I went down to the village to get the mail, I went down to the beach and carried a lot of sand across to the wharf.
Willie was picking pears and in the afternoon he hauled 16 Cases down to the wharf and he hauled up the sand for me.
I planted 4 Clumps of Daffodils.

Wednesday 2nd   It was a fine day.  In the morning I planted 7 Clumps of Daffodils  in the diamond bed, in the afternoon I got firewood  and then went down to the steamer.  Willie was picking fruit and he hauled 18 cases of fruit down to the wharf, he had 72 empty cases down by the steamer and he hauled some.  A little boy of H. Greenwoods died in Auckland and the body was brought down by the steamer to be buried at Pakiri tomorrow.

Thursday 3rd   It was a fine day.  I was helping Willie pick Beurre Diel pears in the morning and part of the afternoon, afterwards I got firewood and planted a clump of Double Daffodils and 2 clumps of Grande Monaique Narcissus.
Mr, Mrs & Miss Lees  &  Mr McMahon came for tea and spent the evening, the Less family are very musical and they entertained us with songs and Mr Lees who is a good reader read to us a lot of amusing pieces.

Friday 4th   It was a fine day.  I was working in the flower garden.
I replanted a clump of Red Gladioli also planted clumps of Orange Ixia and Tigridia  (from Walborn  [?] ).
In the evening I went down for the mail and to attend the Library, there was a meeting of the Trustees to choose new books.

Saturday 5th   It was a fine day with the exception of a few slight showers.  John Greenwood drove me to Warkworth to attend a meeting of the vestry of the Warkworth Anglican Parochial District to meet Bishop Crossley to enquire into the reason of the discontent against the Vicar, Revd R. A. Macdonald.  The Bishop tried to patch matters up and Mr Macdonald is going to stay.  We had dinner at the Hotel and our tea at Matakana on our way home.
I arrived at home about 8 pm.  During my absence Willie & Grace drove to Ti Point to fish and Flo’ came home with them and stayed all night.
A cup Cricket Match was played at Matakana between Omaha and Matakana Clubs, the former won in one innings and a lot to spare.

Sunday 6th   It was a fine day, but very cold as the wind is from the S.
We drove up to spend the day at John Greenwoods, it was a very cold drive, we spent a very pleasant day.

Monday 7th   There were several showers during last night, but it was very fine today.
Willie finished digging Potatoes.  I was working in the flower garden, I planted 2 clumps of Watsonias.  In the afternoon I went down for the mail.

Tuesday 8th   It was a very fine day, wind from the S.  Willie hauled some fruit down to the wharf in the morning and brought up some empty cases, and in the afternoon he picked Pears.  I got firewood and then worked in the flower garden , I planted a clump each of Tall Spotted Lily and Allium Neopolitanum, also planted a Doronicum, a Stokesia and a Anchusa.

Wednesday 9th   It was a very fine day.  After breakfast and then I got firewood,  [sic]  afterwards went down to the beach and sieved some sand and carried it across to the wharf.  Willie hauled some fruit down to the wharf and he brought up some sand for me.
I went down to the village again in the afternoon to get the mail, Jane came up from Auckland by the “Kawau” and she brought her little baby girl which was born in Auckland.  Willie was picking fruit, in the evening there was a choir practice, all of us went.

Thursday 10th   It was a very fine day.  In the morning I got firewood and was working in the flower garden.  I planted out a Doronicum and a Hanimania.  There was a farewell to Mr & Mrs Jas Darroch in the Claim Hall in the evening, I walked over in the pm and Willie & Grace drove over in the evening, I staid at Jim’s all night.

Friday 11th   It was a fine day.  I returned home in the morning, the Jno Greenwoods who staid at Jas Darroch’s all night drove me to our gate.
In the evening I went down for the mail and attended the Library.
Revd Blundell held a preparatory service for the Communion and Mr Frasor Bartor gave an address on Bible Classes.

Saturday 12th   It was a fine day and very calm.  Willie drove me down to the wharf in the afternoon and I embarked on board the “Kawau” bound for Auckland, we had a very calm passage and arrived at about 6.30.  Mr Wallace was on the wharf to meet me and we went by ferry across to Devonport and took a  wagonette up to the house where I received a hearty welcome.

Sunday 13th   It was a fine day but dull and looking like a change of weather.
I went to Trinity Church in the morning, in the afternoon Mr Wallace and I went a walk to Cheltenam beach  and North Head, in the evening Mr W and I attended the Presbyterian Church

Monday 14th   It rained steadily all morning so I did not go across to Auckland until the afternoon, and after I got across there, there was a very heavy shower.  Returned to the Shore in the evening.

Tuesday 15th   It was a fine day.  I went over to Auckland in the pm.  Paid an account at Wildman & Areys, changed a cheque there for Willie and sent him a P.O.  order for £5, in a registered letter.

I staid at Mr Wallaces at Devonport until Friday May 2nd.  During my stay I went out to see the beautiful Chapel at St Johns College at Timiki  [sic: Tamaki] from there I went to Mrs Simpsons where I had lunch, went out another time to Mrs Simpsons and staid the night. Went 4 times to Benwells pictures at Devonport,  went to the Chapman Alexander Mission with Mr Wallace in the Auckland town hall,  went up Mount Victoria with Mrs  &  Alma Wallace to view H.M.S. “New Zealand” enter Auckland harbour escourted  [sic]  by a fleet of motor launches, the same evening Mr Wallace and I went across to Auckland to see the illuminations, there was a great crowd walking about .
One Saturday afternoon Mr , Mrs & Alma Wallace went to the Auckland Domain to see Wizard Stone’s flying machine, but it was a failure, there must have been 20,000 people who had paid 1/- each to go into the cricket ground to see it, they were all disappointed.
The Saturday afternoon before I returned home I went out to Mr Grindrod’s place at Mount Eden, I had a look round his garden, had afternoon tea there, he gave me some flowers.
The evening before I came away Mr W & I went across to Auckland to see the battle ship lit up with electric lights, afterwards went to the Globe pictures.
I was just on three weeks away and I had enjoyed my visit very much as all the Wallace family are so kind.