January 1904

Friday 1st   It was a fine day and the wind has calmed down.  I went down to the Post Office in the morning to post my Quarterly Returns.  After lunch Jane, Willie, Grace & Victor went over to the annual Picnic at the Claim.
I staid at home and was making up the accounts of the Library and also making up the new Issue Book.

Saturday 2nd   It was a fine day.  Minnie & Joe, Mr Torkington, Harold & Flo Simpson came and had dinner here.  We all went down to a Cricket Match at Charlie Wyatts paddock between the married and single.  Walter Frearson came to ask me to come and make his father’s will so I went up to the house and drew up a will which Mr Frearson signed, Charlie Wyatt and I witnessed his signature.
After the Cricket Match was over we had a lot of people up here to tea, and besides those who were here for dinner, we had D. Knaggs, Flo & Annie Torkington , Bob & Gus Neeley.  Gus Neeley staid in the evening and we had a game of whist.

Sunday 3rd   There were several showers of rain in the morning.  Mr French held service in the Hall in the afternoon.  Grace and I attended.

Monday 4th   It was a fine day.  Willie and I packed the 2 Bales of Wool, there were 95 fleeces.
Charlie Wyatt was here for tea and afterwards he hauled the 2 Bales down to the Wharf Shed.  Mrs Ellis Dyer and the two young Porritts were here in the afternoon.
Gus Neeley came up in the evening and we had a game of cards.
Jane & Grace went down to the Tennis in the evening.

Tuesday 5th   It was a fine day.  Willie & Victor went down to meet the old “Kawau” in the afternoon and got the mail.  I went down in the evening and took the steward a bunch of flowers.  I called in at the Tennis and Gus Neeley  came up with me and we had a game of cards.

Wednesday 6th   It was a fine day.  Jane & Grace walked to Ti Point.  We heard of the death of Mrs Blair of Lower Matakana.

Thursday 7th   It was a fine day.  I heard that Mrs Blair was to be buried this afternoon so I rode over.  She was buried in the Matakana Cemetery and Revd R. McKinney read the funeral service.  Jane & Grace went down to the harbour and got some oysters.  Flo and Harold came to spend the evening and they staid all night.

Friday 8th   It was a fine day.  Flo & Harold returned to Ti Point after lunch,  Willie & Victor went with them, and Willie brought home a large rock cod.  Jane & Grace went to the Tennis in the afternoon & I went down to the Library in the evening.  Gus Neeley came up and we had a game of cards.

Saturday 9th   It was very showery in the morning and the early part of the afternoon.  Flo & Harold came for lunch and we all went down to the wharf to see the Simpsons off by the “Rob Roy”, we had to wait some time as the Steamer much beyond her advertised time of calling in.

Sunday 10th   It was a fine day.  Willie and I rode over to Ti Point to spend the day.  Joe took us a sail up the harbour to his shanty on the gum flat.
After dinner I called at Neeleys to enquire after Jessie who is ill, I was invited to stay for tea, but as there was such a crowd of people there, I did not like to stay, but returned home to milk the cows.  Willie returned home after dark.

Monday 11th   It was a very fine day.  A hen brought out 10 chickens from our oun eggs, she was sitting near the back gate, I put her in a coop in the pigs paddock.
I cleaned out the pig sty, and we made a place raised up from the ground underneath the house to store our Potatoes.  In the afternoon we began to dig the potatoes down at the cottage, we dug two rows and carried them up and stored them under the house.

Tuesday 12th   It was a very fine day.  Walter Frearson came in the morning to tell me that his father died early this morning.  We dug a few Potatoes in the morning, had an early dinner and took the bullock and Catamaran down to the wharf, but the old “Kawau” broke down this side of Takatu Point, so we had to wait a long time for her, but she went into Big Omaha and up to the Top Wharf before she came here.  Several passengers came by her, also goods, we had 69 fruit cases by her, some of which we hauled up.

Wednesday 13th   It was a fine day.  We picked and packed 4 cases Burbank and 2 Cases Jargonel Pears.  Willie hauled them down to the wharf in the afternoon and he brought up some empty cases.
Mr Frearson Snr was buried in the pm.  I read the funeral service.
I heard that my wool was sold yesterday for 6½ d  per lb.

Thursday 14th   It was a fine day.  I went to Norman Mathesons in the morning to get him to audit the Library accounts.  We were digging Potatoes the remainder of the morning.  In the afternoon we went up to Neeley’s top place and got a Ewe and Lamb of ours,  the ewe was an old black face one with her wool on and a Ram Lamb with a long tail,  Willie sheard the Ewe and we put them out in the front.  Jane went down to the Tennis in the evening .  The old “Kawau” called in the evening on her way from Mangawai, she took over 100 Cases of Fruit from here.

Friday 15th   It was a fine day.  I went down to the Post Office in the morning, afterwards we tried to get up the Sheep in the front, but were unsuccessful, so Willie caught the Lamb with a long tail.
We were digging Potatoes in the early part of the afternoon, after that we killed a Sheep and a Lamb.
The Annual Meeting of Subscribers to the Library was held in the evening , the old Trustees were re-elected.

Saturday 16th   It was a fine day.  Willie took the mutton out in the morning.  I was digging a few Potatoes came home for lunch and found Mr Henry Brown here.
Jane rode over to the Domain to witness the Tennis Match between Omaha and the Claim.  I walked to Ti Point and got the horse that Willie had taken over and went to the Domain.  The Claim won the match, the ladies provided tea, Jane rode on to Matakana,  I staid for the meeting called for the purpose of ascertaining the wishes of the people how they would like the Domain managed in future, it was decided to ask the Govenor to appoint seven Trustees for 5 years, and the following persons were nominated,
Messrs  M. Smith,  D.  & Jas Darroch,  H. E. Whitaker,  Jas Ashton,  J. H. Hadwick & J. C. Wyatt.  We had the meeting in the cottage and there was a dance in the Hall, I got home before 11 pm.

Sunday 17th   It was a fine day, but the wind was blowing strong from the NE.  I rode over to Ti Point in the afternoon, called at Minnies where I had dinner and then went to Neeleys where I had tea.  Jane returned from Matakana in the evening.

Monday 18th   It was a fine day.  We were digging Potatoes all day.

Tuesday 19th   There was a heavy shower of rain early this morning, but it turned out a fine day.  We finished digging Potatoes at the cottage and carried them all home.  Willie and I went down to the Steamer in the afternoon , we expected 2 Sacks of Maize, but it had not come.  I posted the application for the Library subsidy.

Wednesday 20th   I went down in the morning to see the “Kawau” off.  Mr Harper and party went with her en route for the Elingamite wreck.  We cut all the docks that were going to seed in the orchard and burned them in a heap, afterwards we cut all the Cocksfoot in the orchard.  Mr & Mrs Dale came in the morning for me to witness their signature, they staid for dinner.
Mrs Frearson came in the pm and staid tea. Willie and I were cleaning the strawberries in the pm.  Jane went down to Tennis, but a pretty heavy shower came on and she had to come home.  I went down to the Post Office and wharf in the evening, I found 2 Sacks of Maize in the wharf shed that must of come in the Coastal “Kawau” to day.

Thursday 21st   The wind is still blowing from the E and it was raining a little in the morning.  The Coastal “Kawau” should have run an excursion to the Kawau, but on account of the weather she did not start.  Willie and I took the bullock down to the wharf in the afternoon and hauled up 2 Sacks of Maize that came by the Coastal “Kawau” yesterday.  Jane rode to Ti Point in the pm returning in the evening bringing Alma with her.
I wrote a long letter to Jack in the evening which I intend to post tomorrow morning.

Friday 22nd   It was a fine day.  We finished cleaning the strawberry bed.  Minnie, Mrs James Torkington and children came over to spend the day with us. We all went down to the Village in the evening, the mail was very late, not arriving here until nearly 8 pm.
I went to the Library.  Jane and I each received a letter from Henry.

Saturday 23rd   It was a very hot day.  Willie took some of the mutton that we got from Walter Frearson over to Ti Point.  I was tying up the Tomatoes and watering them and the Lettuce.

Sunday 24th   It was a fine day.  willie and I walked to Pakiri. We started from our place at 10 am and arrived at Mr Wittens at 12 .  Mr & Mrs Frank Witten were there, we had dinner there and had a look round their orchard.  We then started again called at Willie Wrights, and went on to Johny Salts, we had a look round and had tea there walking home in the evening, it only took us one hour and five minutes to walk from John Salts bridge to our place.
Jane and Mabel Wyatt rode up to Pratts to spend the day.

Monday 25th   The wind has changed round to the SW.  It was a very hot day.  We were turning over some ground near the front gate to kill the sorrel.
We picked 3 Cases Fruit in the pm.  Jane went down to the Tennis and Gus Neeley came up with her and had a game of cards.

Tuesday 26th   It was a fine day.  We picked a mixed Case of Fruit for Mrs Simpson.   Jane & Willie rode over to David Darrochs to see the new scow launched .  I hauled the Fruit down to the wharf and hauled up the remainder of the fruit cases.  The Cricketers went up to Auckland in the M. CoKawau

Wednesday 27th   It was a fine day.  Willie and I finished digging up the piece of ground rough next to the Strawberry bed.  Jane rode to the Goat Island beach in the afternoon to join a picnic.

Thursday 28th   It was a fine day.  We were burning tea tree and grass in the morning.
Walter Frearson came to register his fathers day.   [sic]
I went down to the wharf in the afternoon to see the Coastal “Kawau” off, several persons from Ti Point & here went up in her for the holiday in Auckland tomorrow.

Friday 29th   There was a heavy shower of rain last night, it was a fine day, but windy.  We were burning some tea tree in the morning.  In the afternoon we got the sheep in and killed one (a fat ewe).  Went down to the Post Office and Library in the evening.

Saturday 30th   It was a fine day.  Willie took the mutton out.
Mr T. W. Knaggs came over on Old Age Pension business and I went with him over to Joe Wyatts.  Willie brought two large schnapper home with him from Ti Point that he caught.

Sunday 31st   There were some heavy showers early in the morning.
Willie walked over to Ti Point in the morning and I rode over in the afternoon .  Joe had just returned from Auckland having walked from Warkworth this morning .  So many people are away, the place seems quite deserted , as i saw nobody on the road, going or coming.