August 1892

Monday 1st   Willie went away to his work at Charlie Dyers early this morning.   It was a very fine day.  The boys were working in the E. R.   I was working in the orchard transplanting some Plum Trees in the far side of the orchard.

Tuesday 2nd   The boys were working in the E. R.  I was transplanting trees in the orchard.  Mrs Pratt came in the afternoon we all went down to the Steamer, she staid all night.  We sent away 1 Case Lemons containing 23½ Doz,  15 Doz of Henry’s and 8 ½  Doz of mine.

Wednesday 3rd   The boys were working in the E. R., they hauled some posts out of the bush.  I transplanted some Apple Trees in the orchard.  Mrs Pratt went home after dinner.

Thursday 4th   Arbor Day.   The children had a holiday for the purpose of planting trees in the school ground.  31 trees were granted for the purpose viz Oakes, Sycamores, Alders, Oregon Pine, and Austrian Pine,  some of the School Committee were present to assist in planting.  I also went to help.  We planted them all by 12 oclock.   I transplanted Apple Trees in the afternoon.  Mrs Handby & Mrs James Greenwood called in the afternoon and staid for tea.   The boys were working in the E. R.

Friday 5th   The boys were working in the E. R.   I finished transplanting Apple Trees in the morning.  I sowed a row of Veitchs Perfection Peas over a manured trench.

Saturday 6th   It was showery all day.  We were not able to work out of doors, except to get firewood.  Willie came home in the afternoon.  There was to have been a meeting of the Show Committee in the Hall in the evening, but on account of the wet weather it did not come off.

Sunday 7th  It was fine in the morning and the ground was drying up nicely, but it came on to rain again in the pm.  Revd S. Griffith preached in the Hall in the afternoon.

Monday 8th   Willie returned to his work at Pakiri early in the morning.  There were several showers in the morning, but it was fine in the afternoon.  The boys were working in the E. R.  I was putting together the gates in the shed.

Tuesday 9th   It was dull in the morning, but it turned out a fine day.  Mrs Witten called and staid for dinner.  The boys were working in the E. R.  I was repairing the fence between the barley paddock and the farm.

Wednesday 10th   It was a fine day.  The boys took the steers to the wharf and hauled us the following goods.
1 Sack table Potatoes
1 Cwt Seed Potatoes
1 Bag  1¼ Cwt Potatoe Manure.
The remainder of the day the boys were working in the E. R.   I cut all the green stuff off & prepared the ground in the garden where I am going to plant Potatoes.
Miss Wann called in the evening.

Thursday 11th  It was a fine day, but the wind has come round to the NE, and it looks very much like rain.
The boys were working in the E. R.   Minnie and I commenced to plant Potatoes  in double  rows 2 ft 9 in apart.   The first row next the Peas  I manured with Potatoe Manure & ashes.  The second row with Bone Dust & ashes and all the others with a mixture of Potatoe manure, bone dust & ashes.  We planted 6 rows.
Miss Haskell came in the morning and staid for dinner.

Friday 12th   It was a fine day.   Minnie & I finished planting Potatoes in the piece below the house, there are 13 rows in all.  The boys were working in the E. R.   I went down for the mail and also to the Library in the evening.

Saturday 13th   It was a fine day.  The boys were working in the E. R.   I sowed a row of Peas (Veith’s Perfection) next to the other row near the bee hives.  Willie returned from his work at Pakiri in the evening.

Sunday 14th   It was a fine day.  I read service in the Hall in the afternoon,  Mr Pratt & Mary Anne were present and they came up here for tea.  Mary Anne went to Miss Wann’s in the evening, she is going to stay with her and go to school.  I went to have a look round Tom & Joe Wyatt’s places in the evening.

Monday 15th   My birthday, I am 49 years of age today.  It was a fine day, I was planting Potatoes in the orchard that we broke up last year.  The boys were working in the E. R.   It looked very much like rain in the evening.

Tuesday 16th   It rained heavy and blew very strong last night, but it cleared up and was a fine day.  The boys were working in the E. R.   I gathered up the manure and put it on the heap in the morning.  In the afternoon I was mending up the fence between the barley paddock and the farm.
There was a thunderstorm with rain the latter part of the pm.  Miss Pratt & Mr Rayner came for tea and then went down to the wharf,  the boys also went and carried up the Corned Beef that came up by the Steamer.
I received a letter from my brother in law Mr Parkes it was dated July 3rd on his 76th birthday.  He is recovering from a severe illness and is afraid he will have to give up his appointment as Chairman of the Great Eastern Railway Company.

Wednesday 17th   It was a showery day, but fine & warm between the showers. The boys were working in the E. R.  I was mending up the fence between the barley paddock & the farm.

Thursday 18th   It was a fine day.  The boys were working in the E. R.  I was mending the fence on the hill.  I tightened up the wires and fixed up the slip rails so that now we can keep the sheep off the young grass in the barley paddock.  I went down to Charlies in the evening, he gave me some broad bean seed.

Friday 19th   Several showers.  The boys were working in the E. R.   I was working at the orchard fence.  There was a court held at Warkworth today.  The chief case of interest heard was  from this district an affilliation case viz Martha Selwood  v  Sydney Fordham.  The latter was found guilty and was ordered to pay 7/6 per week for the support of the child until it is 14 years old, and pay all costs.
I went to the Library in the evening.

Saturday 20th   A fine day but threatening for rain in the evening.  The boys were working in the E. R.  I was mending the fence.  There was a meeting in the Hall in the evening to consider the Codlin Moth Act now before Parliament,  I was elected chairman of the meeting. All present signed a petition against it.  It was also suggested to form a Fruit growers and Farmers Club to meet once a month on the Saturday night nearest the full moon.

Sunday 21st   It was a dull day the wind blowing strong from the E.
I read service in the Hall in the pm, there was a very good congregation.  Fred Pratt came over for the Library books and Mary Anne Pratt came for tea.

Monday 22nd It rained nearly all day but cleared up a little in the afternoon.  Willie did not go to his work at Pakiri.  I was working up in the shed.

Tuesday 23nd   There were several showers during the day and it rained heavily in the afternoon.   The boys were working in the E. R.  I was mending the fence round the farm orchard.   The Rose Casey did not come this week.

Wednesday 24th   It was a pretty fine day, showers slight.   The boys were working in the E. R.  I mended the farm orchard fence.

Thursday 25th    The boys were working in the E. R.  I was pruning trees in this orchard.  Maud & I went to Miss Wann’s for tea and spent a very pleasant evening.  Miss Wann’s brother from Matakana was staying with her.

Friday 26th  It was a showery day.  I made some Cases in the shed.   The boys were working in the E. R.

Saturday 27th   The boys were working in the E. R.  I finished mending the orchard fence in the morning.  The adjourned Annual Meeting of Ratepayers was held in the Hall at 2 pm.  Afterward a meeting of Trustees.  I tended my resignation which was accepted.  Willie returned from his work at Pakiri, he has finished at C. Dyers.

Sunday 28th   It was very wet last night and all this morning, but cleared up in the afternoon.  There was no service in the pm.

Monday 29th   Willie left early this morning, he is going to fell bush on his own land this week.  Henry went to Matakana to pay ½ years subscription to Weekly News  and to get a slasher.  John was underscrubbing in the E. R.   I was pruning in the orchard.  The weather was pretty fine, only a few showers.

Tuesday 30th   The boys were underscrubbing in the E. R.  I was pruning in the orchard.  The Steamer came in at 4.30.  Among the passengers were Mr Joseph Greenwood and his newly married wife, formerly Miss Laybourn.  Willie came home in the evening, he and the boys went to a dance in the hall.

Wednesday 31st   Willie went back to his work this morning.  The Steamer did not get out till 9 am as she was aground at the wharf.  Mr & Mrs Harvey left today although they have not sold their place.  Charlie Wyatt was also a passenger to Auckland.  The boys hauled up from the Wharf with two pair of bullocks:  3 Bags Flour and a Gunney containing 1 Bag Rice,  1 ditto Sugar,  2  25 lbs Oatmeal.
The remainder of the day the boys were underscrubbing in the E. R.
I was pruning in the orchard.