Wednesday 1st It was a fine day. Willie and I picked about 7 Cases Orleans in the farm orchard & 2 Cases of Orleans in this orchard and hauled them down to the wharf for the “Gael” in the afternoon.
Thursday 2nd It was a fine day. Willie and I picked 6 Cases of Orleans in the farm orchard in the morning, and 2 Cases ditto in this orchard in the afternoon. Willie hauled them down to the wharf later in the afternoon and saw them on board the “Kawau“‘
Friday 3rd We got up early in the morning, and Willie went fishing with Charlie Gravatt round to Ti Point, he did not return home until late in the evening. I cleaned out the calf’s place and put some of the manure round the Tomatoes, and the remainder round some of the young trees in the orchard. Cleared out the Potatoe place under the house , put the old fern into the calves place and got fresh fern for the Potatoes. Commenced to put potatoes into the place.
I planted 2 rows Dun Beans in the potato ground near the back gate.
The “Gael” arrived from Auckland about 3 pm, Jane came back in her. I went down to the wharf to meet her and carried her luggage up.
I attended to the Library in the evening, as Criss Boyd started for the Mahurangi Regatta in D. Darroch’s yacht.
Saturday 4th It was a fine day. Willie got up early to go to the Mahurangi Regatta, the “Kapanui” was to call in at 3.30 am.
I was busy doing odd jobs all day. I gathered all the manure in the lane and put it round some of the young trees in the orchard. Cut some rushes to bed the calves place, and dug some potatoes and camped them under the house. I examined the bandages round the Apple trees and killed 71 Codlin Moth Grubs.
Sunday 5th Jane & Willie went over to Ti Point to spend the day.
It came over very thick later in the afternoon, and rained in the evening and during the night.
Monday 6th It was misty and dizzled with rain nearly all day. Willie and I were picking Orleans both morning and afternoon, the plums were so wet that we laid them out on the floor to dry, we packed it in the evening, there were 8 Cases out of this orchard and 6 Cases from the farm orchard besides about two piled milk tins.
Tuesday 7th It was very misty in the morning, but after a while the sun came out & dispersed the mist and it was a fine day. Willie hauled the 14 Cases Orleans down to the wharf in the morning expecting that one of the Steamers would be calling in from Mangawai, but Willie heard while down there that neither boat went down yesterday on account of the NE wind blowing, but that the “Kawau” was going down today and would call in here on her way back this evening. We packed 2½ Cases of Green Gages in this orchard and 1 Case of Dr Hogg Peaches, and in the farm orchard nearly 2½ Cases of Green Gages, 2 Cases of Purple Gages & 1 Case of Orleans. Mrs Runciman came to spend the afternoon here.
After tea Willie and I went down to the wharf and took with us 1 Case of Dr Hogg Peaches to go with the 14 Cases of Orleans that Willie hauled down this morning, also a Case of ripe Orleans for Mrs Simpson.
Wednesday 8th It was a fine day. Willie and I picked 8 Cases of Orleans Plums in the farm orchard in the morning, at noon Jane went down to the wharf to see that our fruit went away by the “Kawau“. In the afternoon George Wyatt & Alec Haskell came to help us pick fruit, we picked 4 long Cases of Fruit & 9 30 lb Cases in the farm orchard, and 2 30 lb Cases in this orchard, that make 21½ Cases picked from the two Orleans trees in this orchard.
Thursday 9th It was a fine day. We got up early in the morning and took all the fruit down to the wharf in the catamaran. There were 32 Cases & a box of Eggs and the bullock had a difficulty to pull it. The “Claymore” came this trip. Mrs Runciman went away by her. We hauled up 24 Fruit Cases that came in the “Claymore“.
Willie took Minnie a Case of Orleans round to Ti Point in his boat in the afternoon & I took Mrs Willie Savage a basket of Orleans, Mr & Mrs Moody came for tea.
Willie returned from Ti Point in the evening , leaving his boat round there, he walked home bringing three schnappers with him.
Friday 10th It was a fine day. Willie and I were digging out the Potatoes below the house, they turn out very well.
I went down to the wharf at noon to meet the “Gael“, Mr & Mrs Moody went to town in her , the “Kawau” was in at the same time, Mr Torkington went up in her, I gave him two letters to post in Auckland.
Saturday 11th It was a fine day. Willie & I were digging Potatoes in the garden near to the orchard gate.
Jane rode to Pakiri to be present at a Tennis match. In the afternoon Willie & I were picking plums in this orchard, we picked 4½ Cases for market and ¾ case of ripe ones, this makes about 28 Cases that we have picked from these two trees.
Sunday 12th It was a beautiful day. Revd W. J. Gow (Presbyterian) held service in the Hall in the morning . Jane & I went, there was a large congregation about 100. Offeratory £1 . 4 . 4 . Mr Gow preached a very good sermon. Mr & Mrs John Greenwood & three children were here for dinner & tea, and Mrs Kempt for dinner.
Monday 13th It was a fine day. Willie and I were picking Orleans in the farm orchard, we picked 10 long cases.
Tuesday 14th It was a very hot day. We picked 3 Cases of Orleans in the farm orchard and 1 Case of Peaches in this orchard also a mixed Case of Plums & Apples for Mrs Wallace, hauled them down to the wharf in the pm. The “Gael” was very late in coming in from Mangawai. Jane rode to Matakana to the Show Concert in the evening.
Wednesday 15th It was a fine day. We picked 2 Cases of Golden Drops, 1 Case Elberta Peaches & 1 Do Early Joe Apples, we hauled them down to the wharf in the afternoon. We expected 2 Sacks of Maize from the Loan & Mercantile, but it did not come, we hauled up a Bag of Sugar, Empty Egg box, and 8 6 in Socket Pipes to my gate that I bought of the Rodney County Council.
Thursday 16th It was a hot day. Jane returned from Matakana in the morning having called at Ti Point on her way home.
I looked at the bandages on the Apple trees &c and killed 90 grubs, Willie pulled up the Tree Onions. Afterwards we finished digging the Potatoes below the house. I went down to the Store in the afternoon and got ½ Bushel Maize also the Weekly News & other mail.
Friday 17th It was a fine day. In the morning I was putting in an extra pipe in the culvert at our gate and filling in. I went down for the mail in the evening. Willie went fishing to Ti Point, he caught 12 schnappers and brought home 4.
Saturday 18th It was a fine day. We finished digging the Potatoes near the gate going into the orchard, they did not turn out so well as those just below the house . There were two Tennis Matches played at Pakiri today, Jane rode over there to see them.
Sunday 19th It was a fine day. Albert Wyatt knocked me up early this morning to tell me that his baby had died last night and that it was to be buried this afternoon and asking me to read the funeral service. The funeral accordingly took place at about 3 pm, and I officiated at the grave, there were not many people present. Willie went to spend the day at Ti Point.
Monday 20th It was a fine day. Charlie Mayall & Miss Johnson who are staying at Ti Point came to spend the day. They picked some blackberries and we gave them some plums to take back with them.
Willie & I picked 7 Cases of Golden Drops in this orchard and 2 Cases of Orleans plums in the farm orchard.
Tuesday 21st It was a fine day. I strained my back in the morning and was not able to do any more work all day.
Willie hauled the fruit down to the wharf to meet the “Gael“. While down there he met Gordon Wallace who is on a yacht with two other fellows. Willie asked them up to see us, so they came up in the afternoon, staid for tea and had a game of cards in the evening, afterwards they went down to their boat as they wished to make an early start tomorrow morning for Kawau.
Wednesday 22nd It was a fine day. Willie and I picked 2 Cases of Bon Chietieus Pears and 2 Cases of Orleans from the farm orchard. Also packed 2 Sack’s Potatoes, 1 Bag Tree Onions & Box of Eggs. We took all the above mentioned down to the wharf to the “Gael” which was alongside. 2 Sacks of Maize came up by her, we hauled 1 sack up, also jar of Vinegar, empty Egg Box and 9 empty fruit cases that Walter Frearson lent me.
Archie Dunning caught a very large shark at the Maori Point yesterday, it was 14 foot long and weighed about half a ton. Ben Smith who was up here photographed it from the wharf, the shark being hung up to the boom on the “Gael“.
Jane went round to Ti Point in the “Kawau”.
Thursday 23rd It was a fine day. Jane returned from Ti Point in the “Kawau” bringing Alma & Agnes to stay with us, Mr Witten gave them a ride up to our gate. I was doing odd jobs at home in the afternoon. I went over to Frearsons to get 9 fruit case lids to fit the cases I borrowed yesterday. Willie walked over to Ti Point in the morning to fish and returned home in the evening bringing 2 schnappers with him, he also brought home the news that Minnie was confined of a Son this afternoon.
Friday 24th It was a fine day. We weighed out 1 CT of Potatoes and took them down to our gate for Walter Frearson who called for it on his way to the wharf. Willie and I were working near our gate all day filling up to the level of the road which has been raised there preparatory to putting metal on. Charlie Wyatt, who has the contract, was hauling stone on the side of the road all day.
Mrs Alec Matheson came in the pm to register the birth of her baby and she staid for tea.
I went down for the mail in the evening, soon after I got home Joe Torkington called in to see the children, having returned from Auckland this morning.
Saturday 25th It was a fine day. We picked 11 Cases of Bon Chretien Pears, that is 13 Cases we have picked from that tree, besides about 1 Case of mothed ones.
I examined the bandages on the apple trees &c and killed 127 Codlin Moth Grubs.
Sunday 26th It was a fine day. Joe Torkington rode over here in the morning, had dinner here, and returned home in the afternoon taking Agnes home with him. Willie rode over with them to spend the remainder of the day.
I took Alma down to the Hall in the afternoon to service. Revd Marshall was planned , but a Revd T. W. Newbold came in his place and preached an excellent sermon.
Monday 27th It was a fine day. Willie & I went over to Frearsons in the morning to borrow 6.f cases. We picked and filled 5 Cases of Damsons in this orchard. We killed a Sheep in the afternoon. Jane went down to the Village in the evening.
Tuesday 28th There were several showers during the day. Willie took the mutton out to Alberts & Haskells and I took it to Miss Gullies and Frearsons.
We picked 1 Case of Orleans in the farm orchard, we marked all the Cases and hauled them down to the wharf in the afternoon. Hauled up the other Sack of Maize from the wharf and 100 lbs Flour from Harpers Store.