April 1915

Thursday 1st   It was a fine day.   I finished digging the piece of ground near the Lemon trees, I buried under it a lot of vegetable rubbish and several sackfuls of horse manure.
In the evening I went down for the mail and attended the Library.
The Annual Meeting of the Show was held in the evening.  Willie attended.

Friday 2nd   Good Friday.   It was very dull when we got up and then it commenced to rain and it rained all morning,  wind NW.   In the afternoon the wind changed to W and it cleared up, was not able to do much out of doors.   Planted a clump of Cynosure Daffodils near the Lemon Tree.  Willie & Grace went fishing in the afternoon to this wharf and brought home a few small fish.

Saturday 3rd   It was a fine day.
I went to Auckland by the “Kawau” which left here about 12.30 pm.
Mr Woods & Jim Greenwood went up by her, we had a very fair passage.   We arrived in Auckland about 5.30 pm.  Mr Wallace was on the Auckland wharf to meet me, and we immediately took the ferry over to Devonport and wagonette up to the house, where I received a hearty welcome.  The house seems quite deserted now the boys are all away, Bert being the last to leave.  He and Alan are in Egypt.
Noel & his wife were up from Te Kuiti for a holiday but they were out when I got there, so did not see them before I went to bed.

Sunday 4th   Easter Sunday.    There were several slight showers.
In the morning Mrs Wallace & I went to service at Trinity Church. The church was decorated for Easter, Mr Seaton who has held services here several times for Revd Macdonald preached a very good sermon.
In the afternoon Mr Wallace took a walk to the Narrow Neck beach and home by the old Lake Road.
In the evening Mr Wallace went to the Presbyterian Church,
Revd  Bertrum is leaving and preached his farewell sermon, he has accepted a call from Prahane a suburb of Melbourne.

As I did not keep a Diary while I was away I cannot say what I did every day.
I used to go over to Auckland most days.

Monday 5th   Easter Monday.   Noel & his wife went over to town.
In the afternoon Mr & Mrs Wallace & I walked to Bayswater, called at Kens.   Met them just coming out on their way to the boat, so we all walked down to the wharf to see them off.
Afterwards Mr W & I went to see Mr Inkster’s garden, we found him hard at work digging.   His garden did not look so well as it did when I was there last November.

During this week I called on Mr Grindrod at his office,  Messr Hesketh & Richmonds and arranged to go out to his place on Saturday afternoon.

Called on Mr Mrs McKinlay in Albert Rd, took his wife some bulbs and she gave me some in return.

One day I met Jim Greenwood and went with him to King Georges Pictures and we dined at the Strand Arcade.

Went up to the Domain and looked at the gardens there which are beautiful.   Also went to Albert Park gardens.
Went to consult Dr P. A. Lindsay at his residence at Albert Park.
I have been having giddy turns and pains at the top of my head.

Saturday 10th   In the afternoon I went by car out to Mt Eden to call on the Grindrods,  I found him busy finishing planting his Daffodils, he showed me round the garden & I had afternoon tea there and then returned to Devonport.

Sunday 11th   In the morning I walked up to Kens and we all went to service in the little church in Bayswater road, returned to Kens for dinner.   After that returned to Wallaces.   Attended the Presbyterian Church in the evening,  Revd Robert Ingris officiated.

Monday 12th   Went across to Auckland in the morning.  In the evening Mr & Mrs W & I went to a concert in the Parish Hall, the first of the winter entertainments in connection with Trinity Church.
The Lyric Quartell were the entertainers for the evening and we all enjoyed ourselves very much.

Wednesday 14th   I went across to town and then took the car up to the top of Symonds St and walked down to Mt Eden Station and took the train to Henderson.   Norman Carr was in the same carriage going out and returning, he is teaching at Henderson.  I first went to my old friend Jos Greenwoods where I had a look round their orchard, they were busy picking and packing Apples.
Bob Morrison came after me to have a look round and he also had lunch there.   In the afternoon I went to Willie Wrights place down Lincoln road, he was also busy picking and packing apples.   Returned to Devonport late in the afternoon.

Friday 16th   Went across to Auckland in the morning at  [sic:and] up to Laidlaw Leeds new warehouse in Hobson St to order some goods for the Church and for myself.   Had dinner in town and in the afternoon I went to the Autumn Show which was held in the Horticultural Hall in the Domain.  There was a splendid exhibit of Dahlias and Chrysanthemums.   Mr Grindrod gave me a complimentary ticket and I saw him at the show.
In the evening Mr Wallace & I went to the Pictures at Devonport.

Saturday 17th   In the morning I went across to Auckland shopping.
In the afternoon Gordon came, but did not stay long.   He is looking very well.

Sunday 18th   Went across to town in the morning to attend service at St Matthews church.   I heard the chimes on the bells for the first time.   The Governor Lord Liverpool was present.
Revd Jasper Calder preached a very good sermon.   Returned to the Shore for dinner & in the afternoon Mr W & I took a walk down Calliope Rd.

Monday 19th   As I am going home to day I took my luggage across to town and down to the Steamer.  I was busy all morning making purchases and taking them down to the steamer.   Returned to the Wallaces for lunch and then said good bye to my good friends and went across to Auckland and down to the “Kawau” steamer.  We left at 2 pm.   Bowden Birdsall & Eddie were fellow passengers.   We arrived at Leigh at 7 pm.   Willie & Grace came to meet me with the sulky.

Tuesday 20th   It was a fine day. The first thing in the morning I planted some bulbs that Mrs McKinlay gave me.   Afterwards I went to Mrs G. Knaggs to fix up her Pension paper.   Roddie McKinnon and his intended Miss Anderson were staying there but were going away by the steamer to day.  I went down to the village with them.  In the afternoon I walked over to Jims and staid all night.

Wednesday 21st   It was a fine day.  I returned home in the morning. Planted some Gladioli bulbs that Mrs McKinlay gave me.
Went down to the Steamer in the afternoon.   Captn Ohlsen is away for a holiday and Albert Hansen is in his place.   The furniture for the Church & myself came by the Steamer & Willie hauled mine up in the evening.
John Greenwood hauled that for the Church in the afternoon and stored it in the cottage.

Thursday 22nd   It was a fine day.  I was working in the flower garden all day planting and weeding, the latter have grown very much since I have been away. In the evening I went down for the mail and attended the Library.   Ernest Wyatt audited the Hall books for me. There was a meeting of the Ratepayers Association but I did not stop for it.

Friday 23rd   It was a fine day. I was working in the flower garden all day.
Grace walked up the hill to stay at John Greenwoods.

Saturday 24th   I was working in the flower garden all day.  Willie worked a full day at the quarry.   Grace returned from John Greenwoods in the afternoon.

Sunday 25th   The wind is blowing from E.   Mrs Handby and Agnes were here for dinner.   We went down to Church in the afternoon. Revd R. A. Macdonald conducted service.  Congregation fair, Collection 11/-

Monday 26th   It was a fine day, but the wind is blowing strong from NE.   In the morning I went down to the beach and sieved some sand and carried it round to the wharf shed, carried some home.  Mrs Rogers came to get me to fix up her Pension paper, she staid for lunch and I gave her some flower seeds, bulbs and plants.
Bowden Birdsall called to witness my signature.
Arthur Greenwood called in the evening to tell me about a meeting of the executive of the Ratepayers Association but I did not feel well enough to go.

Tuesday 27th   It was raining nearly all last night and it rained nearly all to day, it will do a lot of good as the ground was getting very dry again and the newly sown grass needs rain badly.
I went down to the village in the morning to post some letters and to get the mail, but I heard that the ”Kawau” did not come last night on account of the easterly wind.

Wednesday 28th   The rain we had yesterday made the ground very wet, and I was unable to do anything out of doors. Willie did not go to the quarry to day, but staid at home and picked and packed peas. Grace went down to the village in the afternoon and got the mail and the meat.

Thursday 29th   It was a fine day. I was weeding in the flower garden all day. In the evening I went down to the village to get the mail and attend the Library. The Annual Hall meeting was held in the Library, only a moderate attendance. The old Committee was re-elected also officers.

Friday 30th   It was too wet for Willie to go to work at the quarry so he and Grace went fishing down in this harbour and brought home a few small fish.
I staid at home and was working in the flower garden.