January 1914

Thursday 1st   It was a very dull day, there was misty rain about 3 pm and in the evening.
Willie, Grace & Edith Torkington drove over to the Claim to the annual picnic, Vic Simpson & Uby Becroft returned with them.

Friday 2nd   It was a very hot day.  My back was very bad, not able to do much Vic Simpson & Uby Becroft returned to Port Albert in the afternoon.
There was a dance in the Hall in the evening in aid of the Tennis Club, Willie & Grace went.
Willies Jersey cow Kate calved a heifer calf.

Saturday 3rd   It was a very hot day.  I took it easy on account of my back.  Willie went fishing to Ti Point in the pm and brought home 4 nice schnappers.

Sunday 4th   It was a very hot day.  None of us went out during the day.  Revd Mscdonald held service in the evening, Willie & Grace attended, I staid at home on account of my back.  The collection was 11/3.  Mr Macdonald came up here after church to see me.

Monday 5th   It was a hot day.  Willie was thrashing Danthonia.
Sidney & Miss Rhodes called in the pm.  I wrote a letter to Alan Wallace.

Tuesday 6th   It was a very hot day.  I was helping Willie pick Burbanks plums and he hauled 14 Cases of them down to the wharf in the afternoon.  I wrote a letter to Jack & Henry

Wednesday 7th   It was a very hot day.  Willie was thrashing Danthonia.  I went down for the mail and carried up a bag of sand.
I got Ernest to Audit the Library Accounts.
Dan Kempt came in the evening and we went down to the Hall to sign some papers in connection with the Library.

Thursday 8th  It was a very fine day.  Willie was thrashing Danthonia.  Mr & Mrs Fisher,  Mrs McKinnon & children called in the afternoon.
I went for the mail and attended the Library.  There was a Meeting of Ratepayers in the Hall in the evening, to discus the spending of the Loan,  the Riding Members attended to explain matters.

Friday 9th   It was a cloudy day.  I got up before 5 am, picked a bunch of flowers and then walked over to Jims where I had breakfast & afterwards I walked over to Robert Williams, where I dined.  On my way back I called at Mr Sadlers, staid at Jims all night.

Saturday 10th   It was a fine day.  In the morning I tied up Janes Tomato plants. In the afternoon there was a Tennis Match on the Domain between Whangateau & Leigh Clubs.  The former won, there was a large number of onlookers, they gave us a very good afternoon tea, Grace & I walked home in the evening.

Sunday 11th   It was a very fine day.  Willie & Grace drove over to Ti Point in the morning to spend the day with Flo & Harold and they brought Mrs Simpson back with them.  Revd O. Blundell held service in the afternoon, I attended, afterwards I called at Mrs Gravatts & Jos Wyatts, had tea at the latter place.
Mr W. Birss (Lay Reader) accompanied by 30 Boy Scouts held a service in the Hall in the evening, large attendance.  Collection 9/3.

Monday 12th   It was a very hot day.  I was helping Willie pick Jargonell Pears.  In the afternoon I went down to meet the steamer & to get the mail, carried up a bag of sand.

Tuesday 13th   It was a very hot day.  Willie hauled the fruit down to the wharf in the morning.  I went down to the beach and sieved a lot of sand and Willie hauled it up for me.  I met a met a Mr Spedding down where I was sieving sand and we got into conversation with him and found that he was an enthusiastic florist, especially in the cultivation of Roses so we had a very interesting talk together.
Willie went fishing in the afternoon down to the cove & Grace & Mrs Simpson went with him, he brought home one schnapper and several rock cods.

Wednesday 14th   A very hot day.  Mrs Simpson, Grace & I were helping Willie pick fruit.  I went down to the village in the afternoon to get the mail.

Thursday 15th   There was a misty rain in the morning which freshened things up,  I caught as much rain as I could to water the garden.
Willie hauled his fruit down to the wharf in the morning and brought up some goods & some sand for me.
Mrs Simpson returned to Auckland in the “Kawau“.
I went down to the village in the evening to get the mail and attend the Library.  The Annual Meeting of the Library was held, the old Trustees with the addition of Mr A. L. Greenwood were elected and my former officers.

Friday 16th   It was a very hot day.  Willie was spraying in the orchard.  I was working in the flower garden, dug horse manure in between the Dahlias near the summer house.
In the afternoon Mr & Mrs J. E. Spedding and children,  Miss Hughes & Mrs Glass came here to have a look at the garden.  Mr S. is an enthusiastic florist and we had a great talk together.

Saturday 17th   It was a very hot day.  Willie finished thrashing Danthonia.

Sunday 18th   It was a very hot day.  Mr Raeburn  McDonald (Presbyterian student) held service in the Hall in the morning, I attended.  I went up to old Mrs Dunnings for dinner, met Mr MacDonald who was dining there.  In the afternoon Mr & Mrs Glass, Miss Hughes, Mrs Spedding & children came and went down to the beach  and we all had tea at Mrs Dunnings.  Mr Birss & the scout boys gave a service in the Hall in the evening,  there was a large attendance and Mr Birss gave us a very good sermon of his own composition.  Collection

Monday 19th   It was a very hot day.  Willie was picking Jargonell Pears.  I was working in the flower garden.  Grace went attended a Tennis meeting in the evening.

Tuesday 20th  It was a very hot day.  In the morning I went down to the beach and sieved some sand.  Willie was picking fruit and in the afternoon he took it down to the Steamer and he hauled up the sand for me.  Revd  Macdonald & Turner came here for tea and Mr Turner gave a Lecture in the Hall on the Melanesian Mission illustrated by lantern slide,  the attendance was not large.

Wednesday 21st   A very hot day.  In the morning I was helping Willie pick fruit, and he took it down to the wharf in the afternoon and he brought up a bag of sand for me.  The “Kawau” made a round trip today, the scout boys returned by her.

Thursday 22nd   It was a fine day, but threatening,  Willie & Grace drove over to Ti Point to a picnic, I walked and got a lift to the Claim, went to Jims place where I found Alma Wallace who had come the day before, I was helping Jim dig his Potatoes which yield very well. The Dunnings & Ashworths were picnicing on the Domain & playing tennis, Jim & I joined them late in the afternoon, I had tea with them & Willie D  drove me home in his waggon, it came on a misty rain and having only a light coat on I got wet, got the mail and attended the Library.

Friday 23rd   Soon after I got up it came on to rain, so I put the tubs &c out to catch water and watered the flowers with it,  the remainder of the day I was working in the flower garden,  I planted 2 Antirrhinums (pink)  3 Delphiniums,  1 Heliotrope & 1 Phlox.
Willie planted a row of Lettuces and sprayed in the afternoon.

Saturday 24th   It was a very fine day.   Willie was spraying in the morning.  There was a Tennis Match on this court between Leigh & Whangateau Clubs.  Leigh won all the events except Lady’s singles.
There was a large attendance of spectators, they gave us afternoon tea in the Hall and there was a dance in the evening, we were all there, Jane, the children & Alma Wallace came over and they came up here to stay the night.

Sunday 25th  It was a very hot day.  Revd C. A. Sims (Methodist) held service in the Hall in the afternoon , I attended.
Mr & Mrs Gus Neeley & children came to spend the afternoon.  After tea Willie drove Jane, children & Alma Wallace home to the claim.

Monday 26th   It was a very hot day.  In the morning Joe Dennis came to register the death of his sister Mrs Curtin who died at Pakiri last Saturday pm, she was brought here to be buried at the Native Cemetery,  Revd C. A. Sims (Methodist) conducted the service.

Tuesday 27th   It was a very hot day.  In the morning Willie took the fruit down to the wharf, I went down to the beach and sieved a lot of sand and Willie hauled it home for me.  Joe & Minnie and a lot of other passengers went to Auckland by the Steamer.  Willie was spraying, I was gathering in flower seeds.

Wednesday 28th   Edgar Meiklejohn came just after breakfast to Register the death of his mother Mrs Jno Meiklejohn which occurred early this morning.  I had known her for 50 years.
Willie took the horse to be shod.  I was digging out convolvulus  the lower side of the netting wire fence.  I went down to the steamer in the afternoon, got the mail, carried up a bag of sand.

Thursday 29th   It was a fine day.  In the morning Willie hauled a box of Eggs & a crate of Fowls down to the wharf,  I went down and sieved some sand & Willie hauled it up for me.  Wilie was digging Potatoes.  Mrs John Meikljohn was buried at the Whangateau Cemetery at 3 pm, I walked over,  Revd Blundell officiated at the grave.
Mr Archie Dunning gave me a ride home in his buggy.  I got the mail and attended the Library in the evening.

Friday 30th   It rained last light and there were several showers today,  I watered the flowers with the rain water that I caught.
Willie was digging Potatoes.
Alma Wallace came over from the Claim in the afternoon.

Saturday 31st   Several showers during the day.  I got firewood and was digging out convolvulus the lower side of the wire netting fence. Wille & Grace drove Alma Wallace over to the Claim in the afternoon to finish her stay with Jim & Jane.