December 1897

Wednesday 1st   It was a fine day.  We were digging round the trees in the orchard in the morning, and we sowed 2 rows of Dun beans next to the others.
Ernest Wyatt finished working here this afternoon, he has been here 3½ weeks and I paid him £3 . 10 . 0 .  We left off work early as Ernest wanted to go over to Dacres Claim to practice Cricket.

Thursday 2nd   It was a fine day.  I was digging near the closet   Sowed 1 hill of Cucumbers.  Willie & I went up to Miss Niccols in the evening to have a game of cards.

Friday 3rd   It was a fine day.  We wasted all the morning in getting the Wethers up to kill one,  I was digging in the pm.  Killed a Sheep in the pm.

Saturday 4th   It was a fine day.  I took the mutton down to Harpers in the morning.
There was a cricket match on the Domain Dacres Claim, we all went,  Jane & I rode, Willie walked, we spent a very pleasant day.  The Match was between the Mullet Point and Omaha clubs, Omaha beat in one innings to Mullet Points two and 11 runs to spare.  Mr Whitaker provided dinner in the Hall.  There was a dance in the Maori Hall in the evening.  The girls staid, but Willie & I returned home to milk the cows.

Sunday 5th   It was a fine day.  Revd R. McKinney conducted service in the Hall in the morning.  I rode up to Mauds to spend to day.  Walter Wyatt and Jim Dunning were here for tea.

Monday 6th   It was a fine day.  I was doing odd jobs.  Charlie Dunning came to look at a pair of steers, Mick & Saxon which he bought for £7 . 10.   There was a dance at Mrs Wm Browns at the Pa in the evening, Jane went.

Tuesday 7th   It was a fine day.  Charlie Dunning came first thing in the morning and took away the steers.  I took the Eggs down to the store in the morning.  I was fixing up some netting wire in the front garden to keep out the fowls.
H. Brown brought me a white Sow Pig about 6 weeks old that I had ordered of him.  The Steamer came in about 4 oclock, I was down.  Miss Annie Niccol came by her.
I went down to Charlie Wyatts in the evening.

Wednesday 8th  It was a fine day.  Mr Jenkins of Komokoriki came to take the Agricultural Statistics.  I finished fixing up the netting wire in the front garden.  Planted out 64 Cabbage plants that Joe Wyatt gave me.  Jane went up to Mauds in the evening.

Thursday 9th   It was a fine day.  I went down to the P. O. in the morning to register a letter to Cruikshank & Miller.
There was a cricket match at Matakana between the Omaha and Wade clubs,  Wade won.
I was mending up the fence on top of the hill in the cow paddock.

Friday 10th   It was a fine day.  We got up the sheep from the barley paddock in morning & killed one in the evening.
I called at Mrs Fordhams in the pm.

Saturday 11th   It was a fine day, but threatened for rain in the evening.  Took the meat out in the morning and did odd jobs.
There was a meeting of Ratepayers in the Hall in the evening to consider making a grade road up from the Wharf,  23 Ratepayers attended.   It was proposed by Mr Witten and seconded by
Jos Wyatt that the Board proceed with the road.  13 voted for it, and it was carried.

Sunday 12th   It was a fine day.   Miss Annie Niccol was here for dinner, Willie rode up to Mauds.  I conducted service in the hall in the mor evening, it being changed to the evening today for the summer.

Monday 13th   It was a fine day.  Minnie came over to help Jane clean up the house.  I was mending the fence between the farm and the E.R.

Tuesday 14th   It was a fine day.   I was mending the fence between the farm and the E.R.
Walter Wyatt had the loan of my bullocks to haul some timber etc up from the Steamer, he also hauled up for me, a bag of sugar, a box of groceries, and a bag of flour.
The Steamer came in about 3 oclock, but the tide being low she could not get up to the wharf, she did not get away until after 7 pm.  A great quantity of Lemons & Fowls were sent away, and Archie Dunning shipped some Sheep.  There was a party of young people up at Miss Niccols, Jane went.

Wednesday 15th    It was a fine day.   I finished fixing up the fence between the farm & the E.R.  Joseph Wyatt put a horse into the E.R.

Thursday 16th   It was a fine day.    Minnie came over to help Jane clean up the house.  The Miss Niccols came for tea.

Friday 17th   It was a fine day.    I went down to the store in the morning to post some letters.  We killed a Sheep in the afternoon.  Jane went over to J. Salts in the evening to go with him to the Tara tomorrow morning to see Mr & Mrs C. Gravatt.

Saturday 18th   It was a fine day.    There was a meeting of the Road Board in the Hall in the pm.  Matheson’s Bull got into our place, and Willie drove him up with our Cows,  Rosey was bulling.

Sunday 19th   It was a fine day.    I called at Mr Masefields in the pm.  I read service in the Hall in the evening.  Jane returned from Tara in the evening.

Monday 20th   It was a fine day.    I was doing odd jobs all day.

Tuesday 21st   It was a fine day.    Maud came in the morning and dined with us.  We hauled a load of firewood with the bullocks, we then took them down to the wharf to meet the Steamer.  Henry came up in her, also Miss Harding who has come to spend the Xmas with us.

Wednesday 22nd   It was fine in the morning, but there was a shower of rain in the afternoon.  Henry was not very well.  The Dunnings  boys,  Joe Wyatts young people , Miss Niccol and Minnie came to spend the evening.

Thursday 23rd   It rained in the morning and was misty in the afternoon.  Charlie Dyer who died on Tuesday night was buried in the Pakiri Cemetery this pm.  I rode over to attend it and read the funeral service.  Miss Harding & Jane went to spend the evening at Mrs Dunnings.  Henry did not go as he did not feel well enough.

Friday 24th   It rained steadily all last night which has softened the ground.
John came home this morning having been put ashore by the “Kawau
I sowed Maize broadcast and John & Henry helped me chip it in.  John & Henry rode up to Mauds  in the afternoon.  There was a dance in the Hall in the evening, the young people and Miss Harding went down, but there was no dance.

Saturday 25th   It was a fine day.    Christmas Day.  Walter Frearson came to spend the day, we had quite a family party to dinner, Maud was the only one absent.
John rode over to Dacres Claim in the pm to the Cricket practice.
The young people went down to the Wharf in the evening expecting to get a boat to have a pull in the harbour, but they were disappointed in getting a boat .  Henry was very unwell and was lying down all day and was unable to eat any dinner or tea, but he got up in the evening.

Sunday 26th   It was a fine day.    Miss Harding & John rode to Ti Point in the morning.  I read service in the Hall in the evening, there was a large congregation, we sang the Xmas Hymns.  There was a collection which realised 10/2 .   When we got home from church we found Maud, Willie & the children here.  Jim Dunning came up with us and staid for supper.

Monday 27th   It was a fine day.    We had an early dinner and then went down to the beach to a Picnic, there were a great number there , more than usual.   Tony Smith was here for dinner and went down with us.  We had tea down at the beach and the young people went to the Hall in the evening to a dance.  Willie & I came home to milk and did not go down to the Hall.  John got a crack on the foot with a cricket ball which lamed him.

Tuesday 28th   It was a fine day.    I took the eggs down to the Store in the morning, also 7 young roosters to Mr Masefields.
In the afternoon the boys castrated 4 bull calves and ear marked 5.  Also put the Wethers from the  Barley paddock into the horse paddock, and the sheep from the front into the Barley paddock.  We had an early tea.
John and Henry went away in the “Rose Casey“, we all went down to see them off, Maud, Willie and the children also went home, so that we are left quite a small family again.
I received a long letter from my sister Fanny containing a Xmas card and some stamps for the girls.

Wednesday 29th   It was fine, but it threatened for rain.  I was putting stakes and tying up Tomatoes and doing other odd jobs.  The girls and Miss Harding rode to Pakiri after tea to a Concert got up by Mr Hartly.

Thursday 30th   It was a fine day.    We were cutting tea tree behind old Mr Wyatt’s house.

Friday 31st   It was a fine day.    Willie & I were cutting tea tree.  Killed a Sheep in the evening.  The girls and Miss Harding rode to Matakana in the evening to a dance.

Memo’
I conducted 31 Services in the Public Hall, Omaha during the year 1897.