July 1904

Friday 1st   It was a fine day.  I went down to the Post Office in the morning to post some letters, afterwards went down to the beach to get some gravel, called in at the Library where I staid for some time arranging the books.
Willie and I were cutting & pulling tea tree. I went down to the P.O. and Library in the evening.

Saturday 2nd   It was a fine day. Willie & I were cutting & pulling tea tree in the morning.  In the afternoon Willie went to the wharf to catch bait.
I was burning some heaps in the front.

Sunday 3rd   The wind is blowing pretty strong from the NE.  I went up to Mr Handbys in the pm, he showed me his new fowl houses and fowl runs, I had tea there.  Willie walked over to Ti Point in the afternoon.

Monday 4th   The wind was blowing very strong from the NE and there was a heavy sea running outside. The steamers “Gael” and “Kawau” were unable to get out of Mangawai.  I was pulling tea tree.

Tuesday 5th   It was a fine day.  The wind and sea have gone down. Both steamers came out of Mangawai and called in here.  Willie and I were cutting and pulling tea tree all day.

Wednesday 6th   It was a fine day.  Both the “Gael” and “Kawau” made the round trip.  We took the bullock down and hauled up 100 lbs Flour and a box of Groceries.  Mrs D. Knaggs and Mrs H. Torkington came round in the “Kawau” and came up here for tea.

Thursday 7th    It was a fine day.  Revd J. T. McWilliam arrived by the “Kawau” from Auckland this morning, and he came up here to stay.
I took him round to introduce him to the people about here.
Willie went out fishing and did not come home until late in the evening .
Mr and Mrs Albert Wyatt came to spend the evening.

Friday 8th   It was a very fine day, and the sea very calm.
Willie went out fishing and did not return home until late at night. Revd McWilliam remained at home all day. I went down to the Post Office and the Library in the evening and brought up with me Annie Harper, Ernest and Mabel Wyatt and we spent a merry evening.

Saturday 9th   It was a fine day and very calm, but it seems as if we were going to have rain.  We lent Empress to Revd McWilliam and he rode up the hill to John Greenwoods where he was going to stay, having service at Pakiri tomorrow morning.   Willie went fishing in the afternoon & brought home some fish.

Sunday 10th   It was a beautiful day, so calm and bright.   Willie walked to Ti Point to spend the day, he took Minnie some of the fish that he caught yesterday.  Revd J. T. McWilliam held his first service in the Hall at 3 oclock this afternoon, there were about 40 present, he preached a very good sermon.   Offeratory 12/5.
5 Communicants.

Monday 11th   It was a showery day, we were not able to do much out of doors.
Revd McWilliam returned from Dacres Claim in the afternoon, having staid at Mr Birdsalls last night, he reports that he had a congregation of 25 at the Claim Hall last night.

Tuesday 12th   Revd McWilliam left for Auckland by the “Gael” which called in here from Mangawai about 9 am.  I went down to the wharf to see him off.
It rained nearly all day and very heavy in the afternoon.  We were not able to do any thing out of doors.

Wednesday 13th   It was a fine day.  I packed a box of eggs in the morning and Willie & I went down to the wharf in the afternoon to meet the “Gael“.

Thursday 14th   It was a fine day.  I went down to the wharf first thing in the morning to see the “Gael” off.   I gave Dan Kempt £4 . 0 . 6 to pay an A’c per books for the Library at Wildman and Lyells, the “Gael” had a lot of charcoal, some Sheep, and six passengers from here.  Willie went fishing and sold what he caught to the Fish Co.
Jessie Neeley who has been staying with Mrs Handby, called here and staid for dinner, Jane went with her down to Archie Dunnings in the afternoon, Jane went across to John Wyatts and brought Miss Austin (Alfie’s girl) up with her, and she staid here all night.

Friday 15th   It was a fine day.  I was pulling up tea tree at the back of Albert’s house.
Minnie, Flo’ and Annie Torkington came over from Ti Point and had dinner here.  Miss Austin returned to John Wyatts in the afternoon.  I went down to the P.O. and also attended to the Library in the evening.
Charlie & Walter Wyatt arrived from Auckland bringing a new yacht they had just bought.

Saturday 16th   It was a fine day.  Willie & I were cutting and pulling tea tree in the morning.
In the afternoon Willie went fishing and I was getting a supply of wood.  It rained in the evening.

Sunday 17th   It rained all morning, but it cleared up in the afternoon.
Revd G. Marshall held service in the Hall in the afternoon.  I went.  On account of the weather there was only a small congregation.

Monday 18th   It was a fine day.  Willie went fishing and caught 4 bundles which he sold to the fish Co.  I was pulling tea tree at the back of the Cottage all day.  Mabel Wyatt came in the pm and she staid all night.

Tuesday 19th   It was fine in the morning, but it rained very heavily about 4.30 pm.  I was pulling tea tree and finished that piece behind the Cottage.
Willie went fishing, he caught 2 bundles which he sold and he brought home 2 large schnappers and 1 small hapuka.  I wrote a long letter to Jack in the evening which will be posted tomorrow.

Wednesday 20th   It was a fine day.  A strong SW wind blowing.  I hung the Hams and Bacon up in the smoke house and commenced to smoke them.
Willie got the bullock up in the morning and took him down to the wharf in the afternoon and hauled up 1 Sack of Sharps and empty Egg Box.   Willie reports that “Roney” has calved, a bull calf – on the farm.

Thursday 21st   It was a fine day.  The wind has calmed down.  We got Roaney & her Calf up from the farm and milked her.  Willie was mending the fences on the hill .  I sowed seeds in boxes of the following,  Early York Cabbage,  Enfield Market Cabbage  and  Cauliflower.  There was a surprise party at Miss Gallies,   Jane went.

Friday 22nd   It was a fine day.  Frost this morning.  I was burning tea tree heaps in the front.  Willie was cutting tea tree near Haskell’s fence.  I went for the mail and to the Library in the evening.

Saturday 23rd   Frost again this morning.  It was a fine day.  I sowed some Onion Seed in a box near the closet.  Willie & I were cutting tea tree near Haskell’s fence in the morning.  In the afternoon Willie went down to the beach to get some bait, but there was too much wind to go out in the boat.  I cut away a log in the bush and was making a new track leading down to the Cottage.  Jane went to Miss Gallies and spent the evening there.

Sunday 24th   It was a fine day.  Willie and I walked over to Ti Point and spent the day at Minnies.  Mr & Mrs George Knightly were there.

Monday 25th   It was a fine day.  Willie went out fishing, but it was too rough to stop out so he came in with out catching any fish.
Annie Harper came up in the morning with a telegram from Henry saying that friends were coming from Te Araroa.  I sowed some Flower Seeds in boxes.  Also went down to the wharf in the afternoon to meet the “Gael” which called in here on her way to Mangawai.

Tuesday 26th   It was a dull day.  The wind blowing strong from SE.
In the morning Willie was cutting tea tree in Henry’s garden.
I was cutting a lot of firewood on the hill.
In the afternoon Willie & I were improving the road up the lane.
Miss Gallie came for tea and went with Jane & Willie to the Euchre Party.

Wednesday 27th   It was a fine day.  The wind has moderated, but is still blowing from the NE.
I packed a box of Eggs in the morning and Willie and I went down to meet the Steamer in the afternoon.  The “Gael” came in first followed soon after by the “Kawau“.

Thursday 28th   It was a fine day, but very dull.  Willie and I pulled down the closet and commenced to make a new one.

Friday 29th   It was fine in the morning.  We were working at the closet, there was a heavy shower of rain in the middle of the day which knocked us off, but it cleared up again in the afternoon, and we were able to get the frame up and the roof on.  I went down to the Post Office and to the Library in the evening.  I had a letter from Henry.

Saturday 30th   It was a fine day.  We continued working at the closet.  Minnie rode over in the afternoon thinking that Henry had come.  Willie went fishing to the Point in the afternoon, but only caught a few little ones.  There was a shower late in the pm and it looked very black in the evening.

Sunday 31st   A very dull day.  Wind blowing very strong from NE.  It came on to rain in the afternoon and rained all evening.  Willie walked over to Ti Point to spend the day, and on account of the rain stayed all night.