January 1894

Monday 1st   It was very dull in the morning and inclined to rain.
Maud, Willie and the baby went up to Pratts to spend the day.  The young people went to a picnic at Dacre’s Claim, and they came home to a Dance in this Hall in the evening.  I staid at home and did several odd jobs

Tuesday 2nd   It was a fine day.   Henry and Willie went up the hill to bring down our share of the Lambs,  they brought down 3 Wethers and 5 Ewe Lambs and 5 old Ewes.   There was an election to fill the vacancy in the County Council,  Wm Greenwood & George Knaggs were the candidates.  The number of voters polled for each were as follows.
Knaggs             47
Greenwood   34
Majority for Knaggs  –  13
We dipped the Ewes and Lambs that they fetched from W. Pratt’s.
I wattled the fence next  A. Haskells.

Wednesday 3rd   It rained in the morning, but it cleared up towards noon.   The Steamer came in & left at 1 oclock, Henry & Willie P. went away in her to go down to New Plymouth.  There also went with them, G. Hedger,  Ernest & Alf Gravatt & D. Matheson.  After the Steamer left the Wharf it came on to rain and we got wet going home, it cleared up in the evening for us to milk the cows.

Thursday 4th   It was fine in the morning.  I went up to Mr Handbys to get a Sheep of ours that is in his place, but he had not got his Sheep up as he said he was going to.   I put some top rails in the fence next A. Haskells.
In the afternoon Minnie & I yoked up Prince & Redman and went down to the Wharf and hauled up 1 Sack Flour & 1 Sack Maize that came by the Steamer yesterday.  There was a shower when we were down there.

Friday 5th   I was hanging the gates going into the cow paddock.
Charlie & George & Emma Pratt  and two Miss Hardings called here and had dinner.  We killed a Sheep in the evening  and I went to the Library.

Saturday 6th   It was a fine day, I went up to Handbys and got a Ewe of ours that got in his place when the boys brought the Lambs from the hill.  I was putting in a block and fastenings to the double gates leading into the pigs paddock.

Sunday 7th   It was a fine day.  I rode to Pakiri to Henry Browns, but he was not at home.  I had dinner there, called in at J. Salts, he rode back with me to Omaha, I found Miss & Geo Pratt,  H. Rayner & Miss Handby here who staid for tea.  I read service in the Hall in the evening  there was a good congregation.

Monday 8th   It was a very fine day.  I was digging Potatoes all day.

Tuesday 9th   It was a fine day.  I was digging Potatoes all day.  Went to see A. Haskell in the evening who had a sun stroke last Saturday, found him in bed.

Wednesday 10th   I was digging Potatoes all day.  The Steamer was to have come in at 4 oclock, but it was nearly 6 before she came.
2 Miss Hardings & Emma Pratt went away by her.
Had a letter from John who is in Tarata near Inglewood.

Thursday 11th It was a fine day.  I was digging Potatoes.  Sarah Wyatt came to stay here with three of Mr Earles children, Mr W. Voice came here in the evening.

Friday 12th   It was a fine day, but threatened for rain.  Minnie and I went up the hill to Greenwoods to get some Sheep.  I bought 30 Cull Ewes at 8/- each, total £12 .   Some of them are very good and fat.  We had dinner there and John helped us down with the Sheep, they came down first rate.
Mr R. Wood of Dacres Claim came to register the birth of a child and he staid for tea.  We killed a Sheep in the evening.

Saturday 13th   I walked round the farm in the morning to see that the Seep were all right, after that I dug some Potatoes.  At dinner time Eva Freason came to tell me that there were some of our Sheep in their place.  I went over, they were dipping theirs, I brought away 2 Ewes and 2 Lambs, some of theirs had got into the Barley paddock so we got them up into our stockyard  and I helped them take theirs home 5 in all.   Mr H. Brown came for tea, we went down to the hall to a meeting of the Show Committee.

Sunday 14th   It was very misty in the morning, which afterwards turned into a gentle rain , but it cleared up and turned into a fine afternoon but it continued very misty up on Greenwood’s hill.
Mr W. Voice  & Mr C. Coffin were here for tea, read service in the Hall in the evening pretty fair congregation.

Monday 15th   It was a very hot day.  I finished digging the Potatoes and stored them under the house.  Afterwards I cleaned out the pig sty and did other odd jobs.

Tuesday 16th   It was a very hot day.  We commenced to cut the Cocksfoot Grass Seed down at Mr Wyatt Senr.

Wednesday 17th   It was a very hot day.  I was writing for the Show in the morning .  Went down to the Steamer, she did not come in until 3 oclock.  Maud, Horace and Willie went up to Pratts to stay.

Thursday 18th   It was blowing very strong from the NE and threatening for rain.   We were cutting Cocksfoot Grass Seed down at Mr Wyatt Senr., we finished in the afternoon.  It rained in the evening accompanied by strong wind.

Friday 19th   It rained in the morning, but cleared up in the afternoon, we killed a Sheep in the evening.  Went to the Library in the evening, it was to have been the annual meeting, but on account of the small attendance it was postponed.

Saturday 20th   I cut some Grass Seed in front of the  house.  There was a meeting at the School at 4 pm to elect a new Committee as Dacre’s Claim has been separated from this district and therefore each elects its own Committee, the following were elected here.
Jno  &  Jos Wyatt,    W. Neeley,  T. W. Knaggs and Jos Greenwood.
The Annual Meeting of the Farmers Association was held in the Hall in the evening, there were only 11 present.  The report and balance sheet were adopted but the election of Officers was deferred until next meeting.

Sunday 21st   It was a fine day.  I called to enquire after Mrs Haskell in the morning.  Revd J. K. Davis held service in the Hall in the afternoon.  There were about 40 present and 11/4 collected.  Mr Voice was here for tea.

Monday 22nd  It was a fine day.  I was cutting grass seed in the orchard.

Tuesday 23rd    It was a fine day.  I was cutting grass seed.

Wednesday   24th    It was a fine day.  I was cutting grass seed.  Went down to the Steamer.  Maud & Willie returned from Pratts.  Mr, Miss & Charlie Pratt had dinner  tea here.

Thursday 25th   It was a fine day.  I was cutting grass seed.  Minnie went on Emperess to Pakiri to stay a few days at Mrs Gravatts.

Friday 26th   It was a fine day.We got a Wether out of the E.R. we had a job to get them in the pen.  Killed it in the evening.
Went to the Library

Saturday 27th   It was a fine day.  I emtied the closet, cleaned out the calves place and picked up the manure and put it all on the manure heap.  We put the two calves, Cherry and Merry in the E.R.

Sunday 28th   It threatened for rain, but we did not get any.  I read service in the Hall in the evening.  Minnie returned from Pakiri.

Monday 29th   There were several slight showers during the day,
I was sifting grass seed.  Miss Rogers & Miss Savage were here for tea.

Tuesday 30th   It was a fine day.  I pulled up the Pea sticks in the front of the house and dug the ground, digging in rushes and the pea haulm.

Wednesday 31st   A fine day.  Commenced thrashing Grass Seed.
Steamer came in at 1 oclock