February 1892

Wednesday 10th   My great nephew Ernest Latham came up in the Steamer to pay me a visit,  he is very tall, being 6 ft 5 in high.  He, Maud & I went to Mr Walters to spend the evening.

Thursday 11th   Ernest Latham & I rode over to Mr Matthew’s, we had a look round his orchard, he has a splendid crop of Pears, one tree a Farelle he estimates to have a crop of 15 Cwt on.  We had dinner there and tasted his Cider.  We then rode to Septimus Meiklejohns, we had a look round his orchard and had a good feed of plums, we had an early cup of tea and then called on Mr John Meiklejohn and then started for home.

Friday 12th   Ernest and I took a walk through the farm and down to Mathesons Beach, we called at Mrs D. Mathesons and had lunch there.

Saturday 13th   Ernest and I went down to the Cemetery and he took some Photographic Views of the harbour.  In the afternoon he and I rode to Pakiri, we went by the old road, called at Mr Wittens and had tea there.

Sunday 14th    Ernest and I rode to Dacre’s Claim Church in the morning,  we went to Mr Birdsall’s for dinner.  Mr Boon, the Wesleyan local preacher held service in the afternoon in Dacre’s Claim Hall.  We returned home for tea, finding Willie Pratt and  John Dunning here.  I read service in the Hall in the evening.

Monday 15th   Charlie Wyatt was getting his exhibits ready for the Matakana Show.  Ernest Latham took a view of the Kauri tree in Haskell’s and also a waterfall.  We went to Mrs Fordhams in the evening.

Tuesday 16th  It was very dull first thing in the morning, but it cleared up and was a very hot day.  Ernest, Henry & I rode to Matakana to the Show, there were a great many people on the show ground  and Hunters band was present, it was a very good show considering it was their first one.
We did not stay for the evening entertainment but returned home, Charlie gained a lot of prizes and I got two,  viz  2nd Prize for Culinary Plums and 1st prize for Runner Beans.

Wednesday 17th   Ernest Latham left in the Steamer.  There was a meeting in the Hall in the evening of the Show Committee to receive entried of Live Stock etc .

Saturday 20th   We had a meeting of the Show Committee in the Hall in the afternoon.  We also fixed up the pens in Mr Harpers paddock.  John returned from the gum flat in the evening, he has now been there 6 weeks.

Thursday 18th   Went to Pakiri in the afternoon to read the funeral service over the late Mr Gravatt, who died at 11 am last Tuesday morning.  I staid at Wright’s for tea & had a look round the orchard

Monday 22nd   I was getting my exhibits ready for the Show.  In the afternoon the Committee erected the Marquee and fixed up the tables in the Hall.

Tuesday 23rd   I was down at the Hall all the afternoon and evening receiving the exhibits.  I staid down there until 12 midnight entering them all in the books.

Wednesday 24th   I was down in the Hall early in the morning and was kept busy all day.  The harbour was quite gay, there were four Scows in, Mr Holgates Steam yacht from Kawau,  (?)  bringing his wife & another lady and an Entice Haiso.  Trafalgar which he exhibited and for which he got 1st prize.  The Rose Casey arrived from Auckland about 10.30 bringing Hunter’s Band, some of the judges and several passengers.
The Show was in every way a great success, there were 100 more exhibits this year than last.  The Hall was very crowded, we had supper in the Marquee so that dancing was kept up in the Hall all night.  The Rose Case left 4 oclock next morning, we went down to the Steamer to see her off.  The Band played several patriotic tunes as the steamer was leaving the wharf which sounded very nice on the water.