Friday 1st It was a beautiful day with the exception of one or two rather heavy showers. In the morning I was getting firewood and in the afternoon I went down to the village to post some letters and to get the mail. Read in the paper of the death of Robert Morrison of Warkworth, of pneumonia in England while training.
Saturday 2nd It was a very fine day without a shower. In the morning I was cutting tea tree and young pines opposite Charlie Wyatt’s. In the afternoon I got firewood and weeded the flower garden. Went down where Willie & Dave are working. They are covering in their charcoal pit.
Sunday 3rd It was a beautiful day.
In the morning I attended the Presbyterian service in the Hall, Revd Boyle officiated and preached a very good sermon. Willie & Grace drove over to Ti Point, they picked me up at the Hall and we all went to Joe’s for dinner.
Monday 4th It was a very fine day. Willie & Dave set fire to their charcoal heap. In the morning & afternoon I was working in the flower garden, clearing away rubbish & digging, and blocking up the spaces under the house to keep the fowls out.
Tuesday 5th It was a fine day, ‘tho dull. In the morning I got firewood and in the afternoon I went down to the steamer.
Wednesday 6th It was a fine day. I was cutting ti tree where Arthur Greenwood is ploughing both morning & afternoon.
Thursday 7th It was a very fine day. In the morning I was cutting tea tree where Arthur Greenwood is ploughing. In the afternoon I was fixing up under the house to keep the fowls out of the garden. In the evening there were two meetings in the Library which Willie and I attended. The first was the Annual Meeting to elect a Hall Committee. The old Committee with the addition of Mr Neeley were elected. The gross receipts were £37 . 17 . 2 and the expenditure £11 . 7 . 0 leaving a balance in hand of £26 . 7 . 2. The earnings of the Hall for use during the year was £10 . 4 . 6. There was also a meeting afterwards of the Farmers & Fruitgrowers Association. The Fruitgrowers present decided to form a new association without the name “Farmers”. Mr J. C. Wyatt was appointed President and Mr D. M. Glass Secretary & Treasurer.
Friday 8th It was a very fine day. I was working in the flower garden & cutting wood. In the evening Willie & I went to a Roll of Honour dance in the Hall.
Saturday 9th It was a fine day ‘tho the wind is blowing in from the East.
In the morning I went down to the Store and then walked over to Jims place where I arrived just after they had finished lunch. Staid the night.
Sunday 10th A dull day and blowing strong from the E. In the morning I walked up to Bowden Birdsall’s, staid for dinner and had a great chat with him, returned to Jim’s for tea, went to the Hall in the evening to a Methodist service, Revd Southern officiated.
Monday 11th It was blowing and raining all last night and there were several showers to day. I left Jim’s place at about 10 am, called in at Harry Ashtons to see Joe & Emily, found the roads very muddy after last night’s rain, arrived home at 12.30, got some firewood in the afternoon.
Tuesday 12th It was a very showery day. In the morning I wrote to Jack and Lily and posted the letter in the afternoon when I went down to the steamer.
Wednesday 13th The wind was blowing very strong and cold from the S with driving showers. I got the loan of Willie’s axe and cut a lot of firewood the other side of the hill. Willie took the butter & eggs down to the wharf.
Thursday 14th It was a beautiful day. In the morning I chopped firewood the other side of the hill & carried two loads home. In the afternoon I worked in the flower garden. In the evening I went down for the mail.
Friday 15th The wind has got to the NW and it looked threatening for rain, but it cleared off and it was a fine day. I was pulling up tea tree & cutting firewood the other side of the hill & I carried home three loads of wood.
There was a Patriotic Dance in the Hall in the evening, all of us attended. The sum of over £7 was realized.
Saturday 16th The weather was threatening for rain, but we did not get a shower ‘til late in the afternoon.
In the morning I was pulling up tea tree the other side of the hill and carrying home loads of firewood.
In the afternoon I went down to the Church to dust, fill the lamps, arrange the flowers &c &c.
Sunday 17th It was a disagreeable day with driving showers. Revd Macdonald held service in the church in the evening, on account of the weather only twelve attended. Willie & I attended and were fortunate in getting up and down without rain. The collection was 10/-
Monday 18th It was a showery day. I was packing up the iron bedsteads that I intend to give to Minnie and Jane.
Tuesday 19th It was a fairly fine day. In the morning I was clearing blackberry the other side of the hill. In the afternoon I went down to the steamer, had a talk with Jim Armour – Hoult’s manager about going down to Henry’s place. Arthur Greenwood came in the evening to consult me about new books for the Library. I wrote a letter to Henry about Armour and gave it to Arthur to post.
There was a social in the Claim Hall to night as a send off to Guy Ashton & Herbert Smith.
Wednesday 20th It was a fine day. In the morning I was pulling up tea tree and putting heaps together the other side of the hill. In the afternoon I was working in the front garden.
Thursday 21st It was dull first thing in the morning but it turned out a very fine day. In the morning I was working the other side of the hill pulling up tea tree and putting heaps together, in the pm I was working in the flower garden, and in the evening I went down for the mail and to the Library to change my books.
Friday 22nd The wind is in from the E and threatens for rain. In the morning I was working the other side of the hill, and in the afternoon in the flower garden, afterwards I went down to meet the steamer, Minnie, Joe and Jane were there, the former to meet their daughter Alma who came up for her winter holidays, she is teaching at Papakura. Willie Knaggs came up with me for tea and in the evening all of us went down to the Hall to hear a Lecture by Revd Mawson of the Canton Presbyterian Mission in “China”, there was a good attendance and the lecture was very interesting, the ladies provided a good supper.
Saturday 23rd It was a showery day and the wind is blowing strong from the E. Willie Knaggs who stayed here last night went over to
D. Mathesons and Alma T. , Eyleen & Edith returned to Ti Point. Jane and the children who staid at Mrs Archie Dunnings last night came up here late in the afternoon and staid the night.
Sunday 24th The wind has gone down and it was a beautiful day. The “Kawau” which was wind bound at Mangawai came out this morning and called in here and Ti Point for passengers.
Jane and the children walked over to Joe’s place at Ti Point. Jim was here for dinner. I conducted service in the Church in the afternoon 24 present, collection 7/3. John Addison came here for tea.
Monday 25th It was a showery day. In the morning I chopped a lot of firewood the other side of the hill. In the afternoon I sewed up in scrim the bedding I am going to send to Minne and Jane. Willie & Dave set a light to the Kiln.
Tuesday 26th Shower in the morning but finer in the afternoon.
In the afternoon I went down to the steamer and got the mail.
Wednesday 27th It was a fine day.
I was chopping firewood the other side of the hill.
Thursday 28th It was a fine day. I was cutting firewood the other side of the hill both morning and afternoon. In the evening I went down for the mail. There were two meetings in the hall, the first of the Hall Committee at which it was decided to erect a galley to cost not more than £10. The second was a Patriotic meeting to consider the desirability of presenting the boys who went from this district with a gold medal each, this suggestion was negotiated [?]
[ possibly negated ] and the Committee were requested to continue sending comforts to the boys.
Friday 29th It rained nearly all day. I did not go out anywhere.
Saturday 30th There were only a few slight showers. The Kiln has burnt out and Willie and Dave were sacking up the charcoal. Dave went to Auckland in the “Kotiti” in the evening. I was cutting firewood the other side of the hill both morning and afternoon.
Jim Wyatt came at dinner time and told us that Bert Rollinson was killed in action at the front.