August 1916

Tuesday 1st    It was a fine day.
I continued pruning the trees.
Henry and Russell returned from Awanui while we were having tea, Henry won his case in the court, Metcalf was fined £5 bound over to Keep the peace and had to pay all expenses which would amount to about £20.

Wednesday 2nd    It rained steadily all day.  Henry rode to Te Araroa and brought the mail with him, I got the Weekly News & 2  ‘nos  of the “Garden”.
Henry reports that the river is in high flood.

Thursday 3rd    It was a miserable day.  Raining and blowing, Henry rode round to have a look at the sheep.
I staid in the house and wrote a long letter to Mr Wallace.

Friday 4th    It was a fine day.
Russell & Connerley took some horses to the other station, Addison was fixing a gate in the creek not far from the house.  Henry & I rode round the station and also the land belonging to Pemberton 450 acres in extent.  It is good undulating land and is much freeer of logs, we took our lunch with us and ate it at the homestead. I was very stiff and sore when I got back as I had not been on a horse for many years.

Saturday 5th    A showery day.   I was so stiff from riding yesterday I did not go out anywhere to day.
Henry & Russell were changing sheep into other paddocks.

Sunday 6th    With the exception of one shower in the morning it was a fine day.  Addison rode over to Jack’s place to spend the day, Jack asked me to go with him but I felt too stiff after my ride on Friday.  Mr O’Regan came here for dinner.  Henry heard that his timber had been landed on the beach at Te Araroa so he & Russell rode down there after dinner to look after it.

Monday 7th   It was a very showery day.   I started to put a handle into a spade.

Wednesday 9th   It was a fine day.  Russell & Connerley were going over to Ahomatariki where Jack is manager so I thought it a good time to go with them as I could not find my way by myself.  We rode down the river to Henry Briscoe’s (a Half Caste) place, crossed the river and then climbed a very high hill in some places very steep, descending the other side to the other river close to Mr Hayes’ place (another Half Caste) and then going up the river, crossing it four times, passing Mr Metcalf’s place who has a nice large house and lots of outbuildings.  Jack has a housekeeper named Miss Kurwell to whom Jack is engaged to be married.  She seems a very nice person. Jack has working for him besides, Carpenter (a half caste) who does the carting and a boy named Terry.  The men who came over with me returned to Tangihanga after lunch.  The place is much improved since I was here 13 years ago, they have a snug 5 roomed house and the place is much clearer of logs and stumps.
While at Jack’s place I occupied my time in working in the garden, forking out docks & sorrell and burning them in a heap, getting out stones and carrying them out.  Jack was building a Dairy near the house covering the sides and roof with asbestos sheets.

Thursday 17th    It was a fine day.  Jack & Miss Curwell rode down to Te Araroa, the latter is away for a week’s holiday, so Russell Terry & I are left to look after ourselves.

Friday 18th    Russell took a horse down to Te Araroa to get shod and neither he nor Jack returned at night.
Jack rang me up to say that a young fellow was coming up here to work [as] a shepherd,   so he turned up in the afternoon with two dogs.
I had to do the cooking.

Saturday 19th    It was a fine day.  The boys rode round the sheep and then they broke up ground newly enclosed in the garden, turning out big stones.  Jack & Russell returned from Te Araroa in the evening.

Sunday 20th   It was a fine day.  Russell was leading a horse over to Tangihanga so I rode with him, we arrived just after they had finished lunch,  Henry had gone to Te Araroa early this morning to attend a meeting about the Telephone, he returned in the evening, Russell returned to Ahomatariki.

Monday 21st   It was a wet day.  The men rode after the sheep.

Tuesday 22nd   It was a fine day.  Carpenter took the dray down to Te Araroa to cart timber for this station, he was late returning so he left the loaded dray at Halliwells and brought the horses on here after dark.
I started to dig in the garden next the macrocarpa hedge near the Dairy, the ground looks better than I thought it was, I dug out a lot of stones, docks, sorrel & other bad weeds.

Wednesday 23rd & Thursday 24th   Both days very fine, I continued digging the piece of ground and finished it out to the path the latter day.

Friday 25th   It was a fine day.  Henry rode to Tokomaru where the Freezing Works are.  I was digging between the Cabbages in the morning and in the afternoon I walked to where Addison & Connerley are cross cutting a large Rimu log, they are clearing a piece of ground of logs & burning ready for ploughing.  It came on to rain while I was there and got wet coming home. Russell returned here in the evening.

Saturday 26th   It was a fine day.  I commenced to dig the piece of ground in the garden near the front Privet hedge, it is occupied by Artichokes which I dug out.

Sunday 27th   Mr & Mrs Connely intended to go to Te Araroa to day, but when we got up it was raining and continued showery all day so they gave up the idea.  Henry returned from Tokomaru at 8pm.

Monday 28th   A few showers, I was busy in the garden picking up stones, tins & bones and carrying them out.  Dug round the 2 Oranges & Guava.

Tuesday 29th   A few slight showers.  Mr & Mrs Conneley rode over to Jack’s place and brought home two draught horses to plough with.
I was pruning gooseberries and doing other odd jobs.

Wednesday 30th   It was showery in the morning, but the afternoon was very fine.  The men packed the plough out to the cultivation and commenced to plough.   Connerly & I dug out the docks in the enclosed piece of ground near the wool shed, afterwards I was digging out artichokes in the garden.

Thursday 31st   It was a very fine day.  All us men folk rode out to the cultivation, Russell held the plough.  Henry drove the horse, Addison, Connerly & I took out stumps & roots. It came on to rain in the evening.  I wrote a letter to Mrs J. C.  Wyatt.  A wire came that Russells brother was dead in the Waikato.