August 1893

Tuesday 1st   It was a fine day.  Henry & I were re-erecting the fence between T & J Wyatts land and ours on the hill which had been carried away by a landslip last summer.

Wednesday 2nd   It rained all day.  We were unable to work out of doors.

Thursday 3rd     It rained all day.  We were unable to work out of doors.  I wrote a letter to my brother Henry to send by the next mail.

Friday 4th   It did not rain, but it was dull and misty and the wind still blowing from N.  Henry & I were pulling up ti tree in the barley paddock both morning and afternoon.  Henry went down to the Post Office in the evening, but it had not arrived when he returned at 9.30 .   We heard afterwards that the mail carrier was delayed on account of land slips on the road and he did not arrive at the Leigh PO until nearly 10 pm .

Saturday 5th   It was a fine day and a strong NW blowing which dried up the ground a good deal.  We were  pulling up ti tree in the barley paddock.  Henry went up to bark the Kauri logs on the road on the top of the E.R. in the afternoon.

Sunday 6th   It did not rain, but it was a dull day and in the evening it was very black and threatened very much for rain.  I read service in the Hall in the afternoon, there were only about 27 present.  Geo Wyatt was here for dinner.  We passed a very quiet day as Willie & John did not come home this week.

Monday 7th   It rained heavy last night but it was fine to day, a strong wind was blowing from W which is drying the ground up nicely.  Henry finished barking the Kauri logs up on the hill above the E.R.   I was pulling up ti tree in the barley paddock and Henry joined me in the afternoon.

Tuesday 8th   There were several showers during the day especially a heavy one during the latter part of the afternoon.  Henry and I were putting in Posts in the new fence (Frearsons side) both morning and afternoon.  Nelly Calved a red Bull calf in the ti tree between the school & Teachers House.  We brought her home in the evening.  It was a very small Calf and could not stand,  had to carry it home, Nelly gave a lot of milk.

Wednesday 9th   It was a fine day.  Henry and I were working at the fence between  us and Frearsons.  Henry squared a Straining Post on the road between Haskells  and our place.

Thursday 10th   It was a fine day and a nice breeze to dry up the ground.  We hauled with the young bullocks some posts to the top of the hill.  We continued working at the fence.

Friday 11th   It threatened for rain in the morning, but it turned out a pretty fine day, there were only a few showers.  We were working at the fence all day and got the Straining Post in,  in the evening.
Emptied a Bag of Flour into the bin.

Saturday 12th   It was a very fine day, a cold wind blowing.  We put the strut to the Straining Post and commenced putting on the wire, we got 5 wires on by the evening.
Willie came home in the evening.  John did not come home.

Sunday 13th   It was a very fine day.  A strong SW wind blowing which is drying up the ground nicely.  I read service in the Hall in the afternoon there was a pretty fair congregation.  Miss & Fred Savage were here for tea.

Monday 14th   The wind was still blowing strong from SW.  There were a few slight showers in the morning, but it turned out a fine day.   We finished putting the wire on the fence next Frearsons. Afterwards we mended up the fence the top side of the farm orchard.   We got the Sheep up in the evening.   We have now 2 Lambs.

Tuesday 15th   My birthday.  I am 50 years old today.  It was a fine day.  We cleaned all the Sheep and drenched the small hoggets with Turpentine & Milk. We now have only 27 hoggets and 3 of these are very small and weak and look as if they would die.  We put 17 of the smallest 2 whethers and the Ram into the Barley Paddock.  Mr Pratt came up here and staid all night as he is going to Auckland in the Steamer tomorrow morning.

Wednesday 16th   The Steamer went into Big Omaha after leaving here to land some goods for D. Darroch, but she stuck on a bank and she will not be able to get out before this evening, if she does then.
Henry hauled some goods up from the Wharf for us, and then we were hauling Posts to Mathesons Beach.

Thursday 17th   We commenced to plant Potatoes in the orchard, but it came on to rain and we had to leave off.

Friday 18th   It was a fine day, but we thought it too wet to plant Potatoes.  Finished stapling the wire on the fence next Frearsons. Took all the posts out of the old fence and put them and the rails over the new fence on to our land.  I went to the Library in the evening.

Saturday 19th   We continued planting Potatoes in the orchard, there were several showers of rain and we had to take shelter, but it was fine in the afternoon.  Henry went digging gum at Point Rodney. I went over to Mr Pearsons at Ti Point.  Willie & John did not come home from Tomarata this week.

Sunday 20th   It was a very fine day.  Mrs D. Knaggs & her brother were here for dinner and then went with us down to Church.
I conducted service in the Hall.  There was a very good congregation. Miss McKenzie was here for tea.  Henry went to Pakiri in the afternoon.

Monday 21st   It was a very fine day.  Henry & I were planting Potatoes in the orchard.  We are planting them where the ferns use to grow, we are putting the rows 2 ft 9 in apart and sowing bonedust and ashes in the trenches, the Potatoes are Lapstone Kidneys and have nice shoots on them.

Tuesday 22nd    It was a fine day but it rained a little in the evening. We were planting Potatoes in the orchard.
Mr John Meiklejohn & Mr Monk called in the afternoon, the latter was electioneeing, as he intends to contest the Waitemata electorate with Mr Jackson Palmer at the general election in November.

Wednesday 23rd   The slight rain that we had last night did not wet the ground much but we thought it was not fit to continue planting Potatoes, so we yoked up the bullocks and finished hauling the Posts down to Mathesons Beach.  We also hauled 4 of the Kauri logs partly down, but our two pair are unable to take them the whole of the way so we are going to get Mr Neeley to come with his bullocks and help us.  It was a fine day and very hot.

Thursday 24th   It was a fine day but it threatens for rain.  Henry took the bullocks and Mr Neeley took 2 pair of bullocks and they hauled the 5 pieces of junk down to Mathesons Beach.  Minnie & I were planting Potatoes in the orchard and when Henry came home he helped up and we finished the piece that we are doing.

Friday 25th   The wind was blowing strong from the NE and threatening for rain.  We were working down at the Koroa creek making a short piece of fence to join on to the new fence, Frearsons side to keep the animals getting round by the creek.
It came on to rain in the evening and rained very heavily.

Saturday 26th   It did not rain but it was very misty and dull.  Henry & I were pulling up ti tree in the Barley Paddock in the morning. Henry went gum digging at Point Rodney in the pm.  Willie & john came home from Tomarata in the evening.  John had not been home for a month.
There was a meeting of the Farmers Association in the Hall in the evening, as there had been several showers just before the time of meeting there were only 7 members present.  It was fine and moonlight coming home.

Sunday 27th   It was a fine day.  Revd J. Law held service in the Hall at 3 pm.  There was a very good muster.  Mr & Mrs Handby came up here after church and staid for tea.
Willie & John took their horses over to Duncan Knaggs‘ at Ti Point in the afternoon and left them there to graze.

Monday 28th   It had rained last night and rained a little in the morning.  Henry & I were pulling up ti tree in the Barley Paddock both morning and afternoon.  John returned to Tomarata on foot in the morning, but Willie stopped at home.  We heard a quantity of guns fired about noon.

Tuesday 29th   It was a fine day.  We were pulling ti tree in the Barley paddock both morning and afternoon.  I went down to the Steamer in the evening.
There was a dance in the Hall in the evening.  Evelyn Greenwood went with our young people and came home with them and staid all night.

Wednesday 30th   It was a very fine day.  Willie left for Tomarata in the morning taking the Pup with him.  Henry & I were splitting up the 4 ft 6 in Kaikakatea palings in the E.R.

Thursday 31st   It was a fine day.  Henry went down to Mathesons beach to stack the Posts.  I was splitting palings on the hill.