August 1914

Saturday 1st   It was very fine in the morning and early part of the afternoon and the ground was drying up nicely, but later in the afternoon it came on a misty rain. Willie was cutting tea tree in the front and I was helping him until my slasher handle broke and I had to knock off.   Grace & Jane went to see Mrs Ashworth in the morning, Mrs Simpson came from Ti Point and met them there and all of them returned here late in the afternoon.
In the afternoon I sowed seeds of the following in a box. DimorphothecaDouble Pink Godetia. Calliopsis Drummondi and Guillardia (mixed).

Sunday 2nd   It was a fine day. Revd O’Blundell preached his farewell sermon in the Hall in the morning, it was also a memorial service for the late Mrs D Matheson.  Mr Ashworth presided at the organ and played the Dead March at the conclusion of the service, Mrs Handby, Jim Greenwood and Minnie came up here for dinner, Jane had dinner at old Mrs Dunnings.  Jim G & I walked up the hill to call on Mr Murray.

Monday 3rd   There were some showers during the day.  I went down to the village in the afternoon to post some letters, change some books at the Library, carried up some sand.

Tuesday 4th   Fine in the morning but showery in the afternoon. After breakfast I went down to the village to get the mail, went to the wharf and got some timetables from Mr Duthie, carried up some sand.  On my way home I had a long talk with Charlie Wyatt about road matters.  In the afternoon Grace, Jane & Mrs Simpson went to Mrs Glass – from there Jane went to to Archie Dunnings to stay the night, I went down there in the evening to take Janes hamper,  I stayed and we played Five Hundred, enjoyed a very pleasant evening.

Wednesday 5th   It was a fine day.  I wrote a letter to Jack and posted it in the afternoon.  Willie packed the eggs and hauled them down to the wharf in the afternoon, I went down & carried some more round to the wharf and Willie hauled it home for me also some fowl grit.  Jane & Jean went back home by the “Kawau” to the upper wharf.

Thursday 6th   It was a fine day, Willie took the catamaran down to the wharf after an early breakfast and hauled up a sack of potatoes that was only landed from the “Kawau” this morning, after he came home he rode to Pakiri about a dog collar. Mr John Greenwood, Mrs Handby & Eva Harper came for dinner.
The overland mail has been changed from Friday to Thursday so in the evening I went down for the mail & attended the Library.
Grace & Mrs Simpson walked over to Ti Point late in the afternoon & Grace staid the night.

Friday 7th   There were some showers last night but it was fine to day.  Willie was pruning the apple trees in the pigs paddock and the peaches just below the house.  In the afternoon Willie took the catamaran down to the wharf, I went down to post some letters,
I got some sand and Willie hauled it up for me with 2 bags of flour that came by the Steamer to day.
Mr Torkington came up by the “Kawau” and he gave me this mornings paper containing news of the war.

Saturday 8th   It was a fine day. Willie was pruning the peach trees. In the afternoon I took Mrs J. C. Wyatt a large Rose tree & two Dark blue Forgetmenot, had a talk with Charlie about County matters, afterwards went down to the beach and carried up a bag of sand.

Sunday 9th   There were a few showers in the morning but the afternoon was very fine.   Willie & Grace went up to Mr Murrays to spend the day.  I walked to Ti Point, called at Harolds and then went on to Joe’s where I had dinner, afterward I walked across the beach to the Claim Hall thinking that Mr Glass was going to take the service for Mr Sims who had just recently lost his wife, but Mr Glass did not turn up so they asked me to give them a service which I did and a short address, Jane played the organ. I returned with Jane & Jim & staid the night.

Monday 10th   Very showery in the morning. Left Jims about 10.30 pm got caught in several showers and got very wet.   Willie was pruning the Diamond Plums.  In the evening Willie went down to the village on the arrival of the “Kawau” to hear the war news, he brought home four papers.

Tuesday 11th   Willie was pruning in this orchard.  In the afternoon I went down to the beach and sieved a lot of sand and carried it across to the wharf shed, carried up a bag of it.  Grace walked over to Ti Point in the afternoon and staid the night.

Wednesday 12th   It was a fine day. The Chairman & some of the members of the Country Council came over to confer as to what is to be done with the Stone crusher, several settlers met them on the wharf in the afternoon in the wharf shed to discuss the matter. There was also a meeting of Ratepayers in the Hall in the evening, Mr Jas Greenwood occupied the chair, the Chairman of the County Council was also present, a motion unanimously carried that the Stonebreaker be sold and removed.  There was a dance afterwards as a send off to Eddie Wyatt and Angus Dunning who are leaving tomorrow morning having volunteered their services to the home government in this war against Germany.

Thursday 13th    It was a showery day. I went down to the wharf in the morning.  The “Kawau” was supposed to leave here at 1pm, but according to Auckland port regulations all vessels have to be in port before sundown, so the “Kawau” had to leave here before her advertised time. The men who had volunteered for foreign service went up by her.
I went down to the village in the evening to get the mail and attend the Library.

Friday 14th   It was a fine day. Willie went down to the village in the evening after the “Kawau” came in and got the mail.

Saturday 15th   My 71st Birthday.  It was a fine day.  Willie went fishing to Ti Point but only brought home a few small fish.  I went down to the village in the afternoon, met Mr Seton, Anglican Student who is going to hold service here tomorrow, he was on his way to Pakiri.  I carried up some sand.  Mr Glass came to spend the evening and staid the night.

Sunday 16th   It was a fine day.  Mrs Simpson, Flo & Mr Glass were here for dinner. We all went down to the Hall in the afternoon, Mr Seton conducted service and gave us a very good sermon. There was a good congregation, Collecn 10/- .  I went up to Willie Dunnings for tea and spent a very pleasant evening.

Monday 17th   It was a fine day. I was helping Willie cut tea tree in the front in the morning, while we were down there we heard the “Kawau” which had just arrived from Auckland, I went down to the P.O to get the mail.  I planted 12 beef tins with Sweet Peas in the afternoon.

Tuesday 18th   It rained last night but was pretty fine to day. I was helping Willie cut tea tree in the front both morning & afternoon. There was a heavy shower late in the afternoon and had to come home after getting wet.

Wednesday 19th   It rained heavily last night but was fine today.  In the morning I was helping Willie cut tea tree in the front.  In the afternoon I went down to meet the steamer, the wind was blowing strong from SE and the steamer had a rough trip.  Willie carried a box of Eggs down to the wharf.  Len Wyatt spent the evening here.

Thursday 20th   It was a fine day. In the morning I was helping Willie cut tea tree in the front, we finished the side near the orchard.

Friday 21st   It was a fine day.  Willie & I were cutting tea tree on the road outside our fence in front.  In the afternoon I went down to meet the “Kawau” from Auckland, the “Kawau” did not proceed to Mangawai on account of the easterly wind but went back to the Kawau.

Saturday 22nd   Willie took the horse down to the wharf to bring up some oats that came by the steamer last night, he hauled two bags of sand up for me.   Late in the afternoon I walked over to the Claim and staid the night at Jims, he was away at a football match at Matakana between the boys of that place and Omaha when we arrived, when he returned home he reported that Seymour Smith who plays for Matakana broke his leg while playing.

Sunday 23rd   It was a very fine day.  I conducted service in the Claim Hall in the afternoon for Revd Macdonald.   There were 20 present, Collection 5/4.   Walked home after the service.

Monday 24th   It was a fine day. In the morning I was cutting tea tree on the road outside our place in front.  In the afternoon I was working in the flower garden and then went down to the steamer to get the mail.

Tuesday 25th   It was a very fine day, Willie & I went down to the wharf,  a bundle of Lemon trees which was on board the “Kawau” was only landed today, Willie hauled it home, also two bags of ground lime for me.  Mr Murray is getting 6 tons of ground lime from Te Kuiti and I am taking ½ ton.  I carried up some sand.
Willena Neeley & Maggie McDevitt were here for dinner, I gave them some flower plants.
Willie was planting some of his trees. I dug up the diamond rose bed using bonedust & fowl manure. I used some of the lime on the freshly turned up ground.
I went to Willie Dunnings in the evening.

Wednesday 26th   It was a very fine day, I limed the diamond rose bed, also dug up the bed near the front door. Willie was planting the Lemon Trees in the farm orchard.  I went down to the steamer in, got my mail,  carried up some sand.

Thursday 27th   It was a very fine day. Willie & I went down to the wharf after breakfast, we shifted some of the ground lime and put it into the old shed, the remainder of the lime that Mr Murray is getting from Te Kuiti was landed from the “Kawau” yesterday.  Willie hauled up 4 bags of lime for me. I carried up a bag of sand.
The remainder of the day I was digging round the newly planted roses.
In the evening I went down for the mail & attended the Library.
In the afternoon Willie & Grace walked to Ti Point & they brought Mrs Simpson home.

Friday 28th   It was a very dull day.  I was digging in the flower garden all day.  I limed the strip of ground planted with the new roses.

Saturday 29th   It was a fine day. After breakfast I went down to the village went into the Library & catalogued two magazines that came last night. Carried up some sand.

Sunday 30th    It was a fine day but very dull.  Revd  Perry (Presbyterian) held service in the morning, I attended.  Afterwards I went to Mr Jas Greenwoods for lunch, in the afternoon Mr & Mrs G & I walked up the hill to see the new road through Arthur Greenwood’s land. We went to Arthur’s place for tea, on my way home I called into Mr Dunnings and had supper there.
Willie, Grace & Mrs Simpson went down to Charlie Wyatts for tea.

Monday 31st   It was a fine day but very dull, I was digging up the long bed. In the afternoon I took Mrs Charlie Wyatt some pansy plants and she gave me some plants, after I got home I planted those she gave me namely 2 Pink Mallows, 6 Larkspurs, 2 Antirrhinums & 1 White Chrysanthemum.  News came through today that the first expiditionary NZ force that left Wellington proceeded to Samoa and took it assisted by men of wars.