Thursday 1st It blew a gale from NE and rained all day. I went up to the garden in the morning & picked some beans.
Alec Matheson came to see me in the morning and staid for dinner. The “Kawau” arrived from Auckland at 7.30 pm experiencing a very rough passage. Mr & Mrs Grigg returned from their holiday.
Friday 2nd It was a very fine day, the ground was very wet after all the rain we had yesterday , but the wind has changed to the SW, so it will soon dry up.
The Kirks left this morning by the “Kawau” which left here at 8 am, Wille Dunning carted their luggage down to the wharf, I sent a small case of mixed fruit to Willie by the Kirks. I was digging in the garden all day, went down for the mail in the evening. The boys were working at the sawmill.
Saturday 3rd It was a very fine day. I went with the cream cart over to Jim Dunnings. I took Jane some Lemons & Homestead Beans.
In the afternoon the cricketers were having a practice on the Domain, Jane & I went down, I was watching the play, talking to Mr Whitaker, Jane went round to Lew Meiklejohn’s bay where the Redwoods are camping, the cricketers & us adjourned to their camp for tea, a large party of us. I staid the night at Jims.
Sunday 4th It was a fine day, but windy. After dinner I took a walk up to Bowden Birdsalls, staid there for tea, had a long chat with Bowden. When I got back to Jims I found Minnie having tea there.
Monday 5th It was a fine day. Jim is putting an addition on to his house in the form of a lean to at the back. He has a lot of timber stacked on the ground, Alec Matheson is doing the work, and made a start last week. Jim drove me home in the morning he took the sashes home with him from the cottage. Wyatts were cutting down a pine tree & Jim was hauling logs down to the mill.
I went up to the garden in the afternoon and was digging.
Tuesday 6th It was a very fine day. I was digging in the garden in the morning. In the pm I planted about 21 Broccoli plants in the Lemon garden. In the evening I went down for the mail, received a letter from Willie.
Wednesday 7th It was a very fine day, I was digging in the garden in the morning. In the afternoon I went in the tea tree below the school and got some rods to tie the bean sticks together as the wind is knocking them over. The boys were working at the mill.
Thursday 8th It was a very fine day, I was digging in the garden in the morning. In the afternoon I went down to meet the steamer, she made a round trip. I got the mail and took it round to the sawmill. I received a Cheque for £9 . 10 . 0 from Messrs Elliott & Holden. And I took £100 out of the P.O. Savings bank which I am going to give to Jane towards their house enlargement.
Friday 9th It rained in the morning, but afterwards it turned out a fine day.
I went over to Jim Dunnings in the mail cart and returned in the evening the same way. Alec Matheson had got on with the addition to the house, the frame was all up and he and Jim put the iron on the roof while I was there. I gave Jane the Cheque for £100, which will be deducted from her share at my death.
Saturday 10th It was a very fine day. Warkworth Show. Jim drove and I suppose [?] took his girl, I was up at the garden and finished digging the piece of ground I was at. In the afternoon I called at Gravatts and Arthur Greenwoods, having tea at the latter place.
Sunday 11th It was a fine day, but windy. Revd Haynes (Methodist) held service in the hall in the afternoon, there was only a small congregation, I attended and after the service Mr Haynes gave me a ride in his sulky over to Jim Dunnings where I staid the night.
Monday 12th It was a very fine day. We were up early, had the cows milked and the work done. Jim, Jane, Mildred & I started off in the sulky to Matakana to witness a Cricket match between Manganui & Rodney Associated teams for the Walker shield, Rodney being the holders and Manganui the challengers, the match was to commence at 9 am, as we arrived there before that time, I took a walk up to Bob Williams and had a look at his garden, Bob & I walked down to the cricket ground together, there was a crowd of people there to witness the match, and I met a lot of old friends. We had our lunch under the trees with the Arch Dunning family & Harry Ashton & Mabel.
Manganui went in first & made 125 runs
2nd innings 152 ”
Total 277
Rodney 1 innings made 308 runs
Thus beating in one innings & 31 runs to spare.
Rodney scores, P. Dunning 108, Shepherd 6, Bell 39, Tomlinson 6, Arch Dunning 40, Munford 23, W. Dunning 21, Sampson 19,
J. Matthew 7, D. Knaggs 5, Kenealy not out 0.
I returned to Jims and staid the night.
Tuesday 13th It was a fine day. Returned home with Gus Neeley in the cream cart. Took my lunch up to the garden & staid all day.
Wednesday 14th It was a very fine day. I went up to the garden in the morning, was engaged in watering & taking up bulbs. In the afternoon I went down to meet the steamer and got the mail.
Thursday 15th It was a very fine day. I was up in the garden in the morning, watering and taking up bulbs. In the afternoon I was working in the Lemon garden. In the evening I took a walk up to Mr Stewarts place.
Friday 16th It was a very fine day. After breakfast I went down to the P.O and after went up to the garden. In the evening I went down for the mail.
Saturday 17th It was a very fine day. Jim got me to call him at 3 oclock this morning as he was going up to Neil Neeleys to cut Wheat, he took the machine up there, but it had been raining and unfit for reaping so he left the machine up there and came home. I went with the cream cart over to Janes and took her some Lemons & Apples, had dinner there, Mrs Charlie Dunning & Alec Matheson were also there, Alec is getting on with the house. He has got the floor down, one window put in my room, and the partition up between porch and wash house & lined one side.
There was a cup match on the Domain between Kaipara Flats & Omaha Clubs. Kaipara Flats went in first & made 54 runs. 2nd innings 80 runs. Total 134, the highest score only 15.
In Omaha’s one innings they made 305 runs, thus Omaha beat by 171 runs on the 1st Innings.
The scores were as follows. W. Dunning 114, Pat 70, Archie 56, Jim Wyatt 13, Mr Ashworth gave me a ride home in his cart. I called at Gravatts and had tea there, Jim & Jessie Wyatt were also there, they played billiards in the evening.
Sunday 18th It was a fine day, but windy. I took flowers to the Church in the morning. Revd Addenbrooke held service in the Church in the evening, 29 present, Collection 14/-
Monday 19th It blew very hard and there was a heavy shower in the afternoon. I called Jim at 3.30 am as he wanted to go up and cut Neil Neeley’s wheat. As Secretary of the Show Committee he had to help put up the sheep pens and prepare the Hall for the Show. I was up at the garden morning and afternoon, picked in seed of Canadian Wonder beans. Went down for the mail after tea.
Tuesday 20th There were a few showers of rain. I was all day getting exhibits ready for the show. I took my flowers for the collection down to the hall in the evening and put it out on the centre table. It was showery in the evening.
Wednesday 21st When we got up in the morning it was raining, and very unfortunate for the show. I went up to the garden before breakfast & picked the remainder of the flowers, and after breakfast I dressed myself and took the remainder of the flowers down to the hall and remained down for the day. The weather cleared and turned out a fine day, but the rain this morning kept a lot of people away. Mr T. Scandret judged the vegetables, Mr Morrison the Fruit & Mrs J. Morrison the Miscellaneous. I only took 1st prize for my Collection of flowers, & 3rd prize for largest Onions.
There was a concert in the evening brought from Auckland by Mr T. Harris, consisting of Miss Jessie Bartlett, Miss Rita Engel, & Mr Haynes, violinist. The hall was well packed & was enjoyable.
Thursday 22nd A windy disagreeable day, all of us got up late, so after breakfast it was 10.30, so instead of going up to the garden I worked in the Lemon garden. Mrs John Smith, son and daughter dined here. In the afternoon I wrote a report of the Show for the Rodney Times.
Friday 23rd It was a fine day. Before breakfast I went down to the village to post a report of the late show to the Rodney Times. After breakfast I was working up in the garden. In the afternoon I was working in the Lemon garden. In the evening I went down for the mail. Received some flower seeds from Willie.
Saturday 24th There was a Cup Cricket match at the Claim between Matakana & Omaha. I rode over on Bell, the others drove, I went up to Jim’s and dined there, and went down to the Domain in the afternoon.
Omaha went in first and made 390 runs. Highest scores P. Dunning retired 267, A. Dunning 65, E Wyatt retired 40. Matakana then went in and made 43 runs, Manford made highest score 13. Jim Wyatt took 8 wickets for 30 runs. Matakana then went in again and when it was time to draw the stumps the score was 91, 6 wickets down. Tomlinson made 42, E. Y. Campbell 23, K. Campbell 7 not out, S. Smith 9 not out. So that Omaha won in One innings & 256 runs.
Sunday 25th It was a fine day. I had a sore throat this morning & very hoarse.
I conducted service in the Church in the afternoon, there were 22 present, Collection 8/3 .
Monday 26th It was a fine day. In the evening there was a meeting in the Library to arrange for a social evening as a farewell to Mr & Mrs Ashworth who have sold their farm and are leaving the district, it was decided to make presents to Mr & Mrs A. and share the expense
Tuesday 27th A fine day. Worked in the garden. Spent the evening at Mr Stewarts.
Wednesday 28th A fine day. I was working most of the day in the Lemon garden. Went down for the mail in the afternoon.