Saturday 1st It was rather cloudy in the morning, but it turned out a fine day. There was a cup match at Warkworth between Omaha and Warkworth Clubs. Eddie and Lennie Wyatt got the loan of my sulky and their own horse and drove over, they called for me at Jims and drove me to Warkworth to witness the match, the local cricketers entertained us to lunch and tea.
The scores were as follows
Warkworth 86. Highest score Rainey 23
Omaha 281. Highest score W. Dunning 161
We arrived home about 10 pm. We went and came home in 2½ hours each way.
Sunday 2nd It was a fine day. Revd Macdonald held service in the Hall in the afternoon, there was a good congregation . Collection 12/8. Mr Ashworth played the organ, after the service the Dead March in Saul was played out of respect to the memory to the late Mrs Fordham.
Mr Ashworth, Mr McMahon & Mr & Mrs Jas Greenwood came up here for tea.
Monday 3rd It was a fine day. In the morning I got a lot of firewood the other side of the hill. The Misses Bertha & Janet Darroch called and staid for dinner.
In the afternoon I went down for the mail, carried up a bag of sand.
Tuesday 4th It was a fine day. Willie dug the potatoes below the house and planted maize in the same ground.
I was working in the flower garden, I was gathering in flower seeds.
Wednesday 5th It was a very hot day. In the morning I got firewood and was clearing away a lot of spent flowers from the long bed and digging it up.
In the afternoon we all went down to meet the Steamer, Willie took the sulky down with a few cases of fruit and a box of eggs. Miss Lily Mortimer and Bert Wallace came up to stay with us & Willie drove them home.
Thursday 6th It was a very hot day. While I was getting wood the other side of the hill in the morning John Greenwood came to tell me that Mr Handby had been knocked over the cliff near the Leigh wharf by Wilson Knaggs’ run-away horses, he fell about 30 or 40 feet on to the rocks below receiving serious injuries to his head, from which injuries he died about 2 hours afterwards. I went down below with John, they had put Mr Handby on a stretcher and put him into the old wharf shed. Dr Shoesmith arrived soon after, but he could only pronounce life to be extinct. I went up to Joe Wyatts for dinner and in the afternoon Constable Johnstone came over to arrange about the funeral inquest which is to be held tomorrow at 1 pm.
Willie & Bert went out fishing, but had very bad luck.
Friday 7th It was a very hot day. In the morning I was making a wreath. At 1 pm I had to attend the inquest on Mr Handby, I was chosen foreman. We brought in the following verdict.
That the deceased was knocked over a cliff on a road near the Leigh wharf and falling a distance of nearly 100 ft on to the rocks below his head was so much injured that he died with in an hour and a half of the accident. And we wish to add the following rider, that the Rodney County Councils attention is drawn to the dangerous places on the roads which we think should be widened and fenced, and also that posts or other converiences [sic] should be fixed on the embankment near the Leigh wharf to tie horses to. Mr E. Richards acted as Coroner.
The funeral which was a large one took place at 4.30. Revd Macdonald was unable to come so he asked to officiate. Mr Handby was buried alongside his father in law W. Greenwood.
Saturday 8th It was a very hot day. Willie & Bert Wallace went out fishing off the harbour and caught a lot of fish, some they gave away and the remainder they brought home. I went down to the wharf in the morning when the “Kawau” came in, to get the meat.
Sunday 9th It was a very hot day. Willie, Grace & Bert drove over to Bowden Birdsalls to spend the day. Lily Mortimer & I walked to Ti Point, Lily went to Harolds & I went to Joes for dinner, Arthur Torkington was home from South Africa for a holiday, he is looking remarkably well.
I went up to Harolds for tea and afterwards I walked to the Ti Point School where I met them coming home, Grace got out and walked up to Harolds to call for Lily as they are both going to stay the night with Gracie Knaggs. I rode home with Willie & Bert.
Monday 10th It was a very fine day. In the morning Willie went up to Neeleys to get a wild heifer of his. In the afternoon he was thrashing danthonia a second time.
In the morning Bert & I went to Willie Dunnings, he took us round his orchard.
In the afternoon I went down to the wharf when the Steamer came in, I got the mail. Grace & Lily returned from Ti Point in the evening.
Tuesday 11th It was a very hot day. In the morning I got firewood and afterwards Bert & I went down to the village to post some letters. Willie was picking Beurre Capiaumont.
Wednesday 12th It was a very hot day. In the morning Willie & Bert mended up the fence near the school where the cows got out yesterday, afterwards they picked Beurre Capiaumont Pears.
I went down to the village in the afternoon to get the mail. Willie & Bert went fishing in the evening.
Thursday 13th It was a very fine day. Willie, Grace & Lily drove & Bert rode to the Matakana Show returning late in the evening.
I stopped at home. Mr McMahon came to spend the evening.
Friday 14th It was a very fine day, but in the afternoon there was a heavy was a heavy shower of rain, but it did not last long and the surface of the ground soon dried up. I went down to the village before breakfast to post some letters and also in the evening to get the mail and attend the Library.
Willie & Bert finished picking the Beurre Capiaumont Pears. Mr McMahon came for tea and we played six handed cribbage.
Saturday 15th It was a fine day. In the morning I walked to Ti Point, called at Mrs Lloyds to witness her signature, afterwards called at Joe’s and had lunch there, returning home I made a lot of calls.
Lily Mortimer returned to town in the pm by the “Kawau”. Willie & Bert went fishing & brought home some large fish.
Sunday 16th It was a very fine day. Mr Lochore, Presbyterian Student held service in the Hall in the morning. I attended, he gave us a very good sermon. Duncan Knaggs & family who had driven over to the service came up here to spend the day.
Bert Wallace rode over to the Claim to spend the day at Jim’s.
At church this morning I heard that Mrs Duncan Matheson Senr had a paralyletic stroke [sic: paralytic stroke] yesterday.
Monday 17th It was a very fine day. After breakfast I went down to the village to post some letters, carried up some sand. Willie & Bert were thrashing cleaning danthonia seed. In the afternoon I got firewood and also a sack of horse manure.
In the evening Willie & Bert went fishing.
Tuesday 18th There was a heavy shower of rain in the afternoon and also one in the evening, it refreshed all plants, but did not sink very deeply into the ground.
Willie was cleaning danthonia.
I got firewood and a sack of manure.
In the evening Bert left by the “Kawau” for Auckland, his holidays having expired. I went down to the wharf to see him off.
Wednesday 19th A misty rain when we got up, but cleared up and was a fine day. In the morning I went down to the beach and carried 2 bags of sand over to the wharf, in the afternoon I went down to the village again to get the mail. Willie hauled down to the wharf in the pm some cases of fruit & a box of eggs, and he the sand up for me.
Thursday 20th There were several showers. Willie was cleaning grass seed. I dug up the bed below the front steps. Eddie Wyatt came in the evening.
Friday 21st A few slight showers, but nothing of any consequence.
Willie finished cleaning the danthonia. Mr Roose called in the pm.
I got firewood and worked in the garden. Went down to the village in the evening to get the mail and to attend to the Library.
Saturday 22nd There were a few heavy showers during the day.
Eddie & Lennie drove me in our sulky over to Matakana to a cricket match between Omaha & Kaipara Flats, Omaha went in first & made 191. Willie Dunning getting 85 runs. Kaipara then went in and made 111, thus Omaha beating by 80 runs and a two point win.
I walked up to John Came’s where I had dinner and had a look round, I returned to the Claim in Jas Darroch’s waggon Jim driving him, I staid at Jim’s the night & Eddie & Lennie took the sulky home.
Sunday 23rd It was a fine day. After breakfast I walked to Mr Saddlers to have a talk with him about church matters.
Willie & Grace drove over for dinner and we all went to a Church parade in the hall conducted by Revd Paris, the 3rd NZ mounted rifles attended including our young men. We returned to Jim’s for tea and then drove home. There was a heavy shower of rain.
Monday 24th It was showery in the morning , but fine in the afternoon. Willie picked 12 Cases of Peaches and hauled them down to the wharf in the afternoon. When he came back he told us that the Houi [sic: Hui] was to be held at the Pa at 3 oclock, so we made haste and went. A great quantity of Maoris had assembled to un-veil the monument erected to the memory of Willie Brown. The settlers were invited and a good many attended, it was a very interesting ceremony, we were entertained to tea.
Tuesday 25th It was a fine day. We were all getting exhibits ready for the Show tomorrow, & we took some of the things down to the Hall in the evening.
Wednesday 26th It was a very fine day. The Annual Omaha & Pakiri Show was held today, and was a great success. Willie got 1st & 2nd prizes for his Dairy Cows, 2nd Prizes for 6 varieties Pears, 2nd Prize for Passion Fruit.
I took 1st Prize for Collection of Flowers. 2nd for Basket of Flowers & Table Bouquet & Grace got 1st Prize for Eggs, 2nd for Button Hole & 2nd for Gooseberry Jam. The Maori Band played during the day & for the dance, there was a very good concert.
All the Harolds & Joe Torkingtons were up here for tea & I took Willies place in clearing out the Hall and had tea with the Committee at Harpers
Thursday 27th It was a fine day. We did not get up very early. In the afternoon Willie & I went down to the Hall to clear up . Grace went to Charlie Wyatts & staid tea.
Friday 28th It was a fine day. We drove over to Ti Point to a Pic nic, all the Torkingtons , Ashworths & ourselves were there. In the evening I got the mail & attended the Library.