June 1922

Thursday 1st   It rained heavily last night and blew very strong from NE.  In the morning I went up to the garden and down to Koroa creek.   It was showery in the afternoon, I was shelling beans in the workshop.  The boys were making a fence to fence in the Lemon grove and the garden.  The “Kawau” was wind bound in Big Omaha as there is a very rough sea outside.

Friday 2nd   It rained nearly all day,  The SS “Kawau” left Big Omaha this morning and called in here on her way to Auckland.
I was shelling and cleaning beans all day.  Eddie was making a cupboard under the ?ilK  [sic: sink]  in the kitchen.  Jim went down for the mail and we saw in the Herald that the cargo steamer “Wiltshire” was wrecked last Wednesday night at Rosalie Bay near Tryphena, Great Barrier Island.  She failed to see Cuvier light on account of fog and a gale blowing and a heavy sea she missed the passage and got on the rocks, fortunately there were no passengers, but 104 of a crew, she broke in halves the stern part sinking into deep water the bow was fast on the rocks, all hands were got off without the loss of one life.  She had a valuable cargo for several ports.

Saturday 3rd   King Georges birthday.  It poured torrents of rain last night which caused floods & landslips, making big channels through the newly sown grass.  I went up to the garden in the morning, but the rain had not done any damage, but everything were very wet.
Eddie drove Ivy to Warkworth and he staid the night.  Jim rode to Matakana in the afternoon to play hockey with the local club, but Omaha got beaten.  There should have been a meeting in the church this afternoon, but only A. L. Greenwood & I turned up.

Sunday 4th   It rained a little last night, but it was much finer today as there were only a few showers.  In was very fine between the showers, the wind and the sun dried the ground.
We are only a small family to day, only Jim, Jessie, the two children & myself.
Revd Richards held service in the Hall in the afternoon, all in this house went, thee was a very fair congregation and the parson gave us a very good sermon.  Eddie returned from Warkworth in the evening.

Monday 5th   It was a very fine day, wind S,  but it will take several fine days to dry up the ground, I had severe pains in my stomach, so I took caster oil and staid in the house all morning.
In the afternoon I was clearing the road opposite.  The boys were re-erecting a fence opposite the house.

Tuesday 6th   It was a very fine day.  I was clearing the road opposite.  Charlie and Eddie were fencing in front of the house.  Jim was hauling gravel from Goat Island beach up to the School.
Mr Roebison of Matakana  & [sic]  had dinner here.

Wednesday 7th    It was a very fine day.  I was clearing the road in front all day.  Went down for the mail in the afternoon.  Jim was ploughing in the swamp.  Charlie & Eddie were fencing.

Thursday 8th   It was a very fine day, wind E.  I was clearing the road below the gate.  Jim finished clearing the swamp in the morning.
The Loan Co held a clearing sale at Mr Mervyn Rodney’s at Big Omaha who is leaving.  Charlie & Maggie & Eddie & Jim went.

Friday 9th   It was a showery day, wind easterley.  The boys were picking Lemons in the farm orchard.  I was clearing the road the other side of the farm gate.

Saturday 10th   It was a very fine day ‘tho a strong wind was blowing from E.  I was clearing the road opposite.  Took flowers down to the Church.  There was a hockey match at Warkworth between Omaha & the local club, Eddie & Jim went.

Sunday 11th   It was a very fine day.  Wind from S.  Cold in shade, beautiful in the sunshine.  I conducted service in the Church at 2.30. Congregation 34,   Colln  12/4.  There was a meeting of church members after the service.

Monday 12th   It was a very fine day,  wind S.  I was clearing the road opposite.  Went for the mail in the late afternoon.  Jim was ploughing in the barley paddock.  Eddie was concreting the drain near the house.

Tuesday 13th   It was a fine day, but the wind is easterly.  I was clearing the road opposite morning & afternoon .  Jim was ploughing in the barley paddock.  Eddie packed Lemons & carted them down to the wharf.  In the afternoon he was splitting pickets.  The “Kawau” endeavoured to get into Mangawai last night, but on account of the weather she had to return here and lay alongside of the wharf.  A male passenger who was sleeping in the ladies cabin was missed during the night and when a search was made for him, he was found in the harbour drownd

Wednesday 14th   It was a fine day, but the wind is blowing strong from NE.  I was clearing the road opposite .  Jim was ploughing in the morning, in the pm he went down to the village to get two teeth out as a dentist is visiting the district,  Eddie was splitting pickets.

Thursday 15th   It was a fine day, wind still SE.  I rested in the morning and spent the time in reading.  In the afternoon I walked up to John Greenwoods and staid the night.  John & I had a talk on Church matters.   Jim was ploughing in the barley paddock.

Friday 16th   It was a very fine day.  Wind has changed to the S.  I left John Greenwoods after breakfast, called at Johny Greenwoods on my way home, Johny was away, but his wife, Winnie, showed me over the house which is a very nice one, and was built just before they were married .  When I got home Jim was ploughing in the barley paddock and Charley & Eddie were cutting box timber.  In the afternoon I was clearing the road opposite.  In the evening there was a meeting of members of the church in the Church.

Saturday 17th   It was a beautiful day, but cold as the wind was from the S.   In the morning I went down to the store, and afterwards was clearing the road opposite.  Jim was ploughing & Charlie & Eddie were cutting box timber.  In the afternoon Jim drove me over to the Claim to witness hockey matches.  The A team played against Dome Valley , and beat them by 1 goal to nil.  B team played against Warkworth B team and lost 2 goals to 3,  Minnie & Jane & the children were there and Jane wanted me to go home with them, but I returned home in the sulky with Jim.
This is my brother Henry’s 81st birthday if he is alive, but I have not heard from him for a long time.

Sunday 18th   It was a very fine day, but cold in the shade as the wind is S.   There was no service today.  Eddie rode to Warkworth and staid the night.  Charlie & Maggie came up here for dinner.  In the afternoon I called at Mr Hewetts, Mr Hoskyns and then went to Willie Dunnings where I had tea, in the evening Willie, Annie & I went into Mr Gripps and we had music & singing, spent a very pleasant evening.

Monday 19th   A very fine day, wind still at S.  Eddie returned from Warkworth in the afternoon & packed Lemons.  Jim was ploughing in the barley paddock.  In the morning I was clearing the road, in the afternoon I burned the heaps on the road.

Tuesday 20th    It was a very fine day.  I went down to the village in the morning and drew £10 out of the P.O. Savings Bank, called at Mrs Gravatts , the remainder of the day I was clearing the road.  Jim was ploughing in the barley paddock.

Wednesday 21st  The shortest day.  A very fine day, wind still from S.
In the morning I was clearing the road.  In the afternoon I was burning heaps on the road.  The two Miss Hewetts came to see my garden in the afternoon.  Jim was ploughing in barley paddock.

Thursday 22nd   It was a very fine day.  Wind inclined to come in from E.  In the morning I went down to the P.O to send away a money order for £5 . 10 . 0  to Mr Shepherd who is Treasurer of the Church Vestry as a contribution from Leigh for the Self Denial Fund to make up the deficiency in the Church finances.  The remainder of the morning I was clearing the road.  In the afternoon I was burning heaps on the road I had cleared.  Jim was ploughing between the young Lemons of the drained ground below the road.
In the afternoon there was a Kitchen tea in the Hall for Annie Matheson who is shortly to marry Frank Waylen,  [sic: Whalen] about 50 ladies were present, and each brought some useful article for the kitchen or house.  Songs, musical items and recitations were given and a sumptuous tea was provided.

Friday 23rd   It was a very fine day.  We have been having very heavy dews every night .  Wind to day is NE.
I was clearing and burning on the road all day,  Eddie carted up from the wharf a bundle of 36 young Lemon Trees and afterwards they were planting them.

Saturday 24th   A strong wind blowing from the N.  In the afternoon slight rain which increased in the evening.  Eddie got a wire from Warkworth stating that Ivy was delivered of a Son this morning, she is in the Hospital there, so immediately Eddie rode over to Warkworth,  I sent by him a letter to Mr Shepherd, Church warden containing £4 . 3 . 6, being a quarter contribution from the Church here.  I was clearing and burning on the road.  Jim carted manure into the orchard.

Sunday 25th   It rained and blew last night and it was raining this morning.  Revd Poole held service in the Hall this morning, there was only a congregation of 10 persons.  It cleared up in the afternoon.

Monday 26th   It was a fine day.  After breakfast I went down to the P.O to send a wire to Mr Wallace telling him I was coming up tomorrow, called at Gravatts & then went to Arthur Greenwoods to get him to audit the last half years church accounts.  The remainder of the day I was clearing on the road, went for the mail in the evening.  Jim was hauling sand from Goat Island beach up to the School.  Eddie was carting gravel from the wharf up to the School, he had an accident, the traces broke and the horse walked out of the shafts & Eddie had the skin torn off his fingers.

Tuesday 27th   It was a very fine day.  I caught a chill last night down at the mail, and I was shivering with cold and felt very unwell to day. Sent a wire to Mr Wallace saying I was not coming up to day.

Wednesday 28th   It was a very fine day.  I was clearing and burning on the road.  Jim was carting gravel up to the School & also lime up to here.  Eddie was packing Lemons & Jim took them down to the wharf in the afternoon.  I went down for the mail in the afternoon, heard that the Steamer “Rona” belonging to the Colonial Sugar Co went full speed on to Canoe Rock outside Kawau last Monday night, she was loaded with raw sugar from Fiji, they are taking the sugar out and sending it to Auckland in smaller vessels.  Received a long letter from Willie.

Thursday 29th   It was a fine day.  I embarked on board the SS “Kawau” bound for Auckland for my annual holiday.  We left Leigh wharf at 11 am, the other passengers from Leigh were Mr & Mrs Harry Dyer,  Mrs Gennings,  Wilfred Meiklejohn,  Mr Whitaker, Willie Knaggs.  At Day’s Bay Mr John Wilson came on board, he and I chummed up and I heard a good deal about concrete for roads, buildings &c.  The wind was dead ahead and there was a choppy sea and I began to feel very queer, but after passing Whanapoua
[sic: Wangaparaoa]  the sea was calmer, we arrived at Auckland at 4.45. Mrs Whitaker, Gorrie Smith & Alma Wallace were on the wharf.  Alma & I soon got a boat over to Devonport & got a wagonette up to their place where, as usual, I got a hearty welcome.

Friday 30th   It had rained last night and early this morning , but cleared up afterwards.  I went across to Auckland by the 10 oclock boat.  Took the 6 Onions that I took a prize for at the last Omaha Show to Pilkington  (Seedsmen) to put into their window.  Had dinner at the Kensington dining rooms, went up into Albert Park & the Public Library, called at Mr Elliott’s office.  It came on a misty rain making it very unpleasant.  I returned to Devonport by 4.30 boat.