March 1913

Saturday 1st   It was a very hot day.  In the afternoon I went down to the village to meet John Greenwood who drove me up to his place where I had tea and afterwards I walked to Mrs Wittens where I staid the night.

Sunday 2nd   It was a very fine day.  I conducted service in the Hall, there was a congregation of 20,  Collection 10/2.  John & I had dinner at J. Salts and then John Greenwood drove me down here where I conducted service in the Hall in the afternoon.  Congregation 22.  Collection 6/-

Monday 3rd   It was a fine day.  Willie & Grace picked and packed the Bon Chretien Pears, there were 21 Cases.  I got firewood and did odd jobs.

Tuesday 4th   It was a fine day.  After breakfast Willie hauled 4 Sacks of Danthonia down to the village, he has sold it to Alf Wyatt.
I went down for the mail, carried a lot of sand over to the wharf which Willie hauled up in the evening.
After Willie came back in the morning he set fire to the grass in the front and it was spreading into the bush below the orchard  so he called for help and Charlie Wyatt & his two boys came up and helped him beat it out.
Gracie Knaggs & Julia Rollinson called in the afternoon.  Willie hauled 14 Cases Fruit down to the wharf in the evening

Wednesday 5th   It was a fine day.  I was clearing the fern &c from the macrocarpa trees so as to make it safe for burning off.
Willie hauled a load of fruit down to the wharf and he brought up a bag of sand that I had bagged up.

Thursday 6th   It was a very fine day.  We got up early in the morning and went down to the wharf to see Jane off who had come round in the Steamer to go to Auckland.  Willie hauled a crate of fowls down to the steamer, it was the “Paeroa” this week as the “Kawau” is in dock undergoing an overhaul.  Willie hauled up a bag of flour & a box of groceries.  Flo’ called in the afternoon & Harry Birdsall came for his marriage licence.

Friday 7th    It was a very hot day.  I went down to the village before breakfast to post some letters.  Also went down in the evening to get the mail and to attend the Library

Saturday 8th   A very hot day.  I went down to the steamer in the morning to get the meat, a good many passengers went away.

Sunday 9th   It was a fine day.  Willie & Grace drove to Ti  Point and from there took boat up to Wattie Darrochs to spend the day there, they returned home late in the evening.
In the morning I went to Joe Wyatts where I had dinner, in the afternoon I went to the Hall where Mr George  L            conducted service for the last time.  Afterwards I went to Jim Greenwoods had tea and spent the evening there.

Monday 10th   It was a dull day, the wind from the N and every indication of rain.  In the morning Willie fixed the sails to the windmill and ground the axe and a lot of other tools.  In the afternoon he was burning out in the front.  I was cutting tea tree & fern alongside of the fence and on the road.

Tuesday 11th   There was a misty rain last night, it kept fine ‘tho dull during the day, but late in the afternoon it came on a steady rain.
In the morning Willie hauled 27 Cases of Pears down to the wharf to go by the “Kawau“, I went down and got some sand and Willie hauled it up for me.  Sent away a money order to Ryder & Son of St Albans, England for some seeds.  When I came home I got firewood and gathered horse manure and put it on the diamond bed.  Willie cleaned out the fowl house.

Wednesday 12th   It rained steadily before dark last night, and there was a heavy shower in the middle of the morning.  The rain has not gone very deeply into the ground, but has freshened up everything.
In the morning before the shower I was working in the flower garden digging  and raking up leaves.  In the afternoon I got firewood, a load of horse manure, and went down to the village to get the mail.
Willie was picking fruit and he took a load down to the wharf.
There was a dance in the Hall in the evening, but none of us went.

Thursday 13th   It was a very fine day.  Mr Murray called here in the morning for me to witness his signature.  Willie hauled a crate of fowls down to the wharf, in the afternoon he was digging potatoes in the pigs paddock.
Mrs Ashworth & Mrs Rhodes came to spend the day and staid for lunch.
I was working in the flower garden, I dug up the long bed.

Friday 14th   There were several showers during the day.
In the morning I got firewood and afterwards I was cutting tea tree on the fence line out in the front .  Willie was planting maize below the house and digging potatoes in the pigs paddock.
in the evening I went down for the mail and attending the Library.
A lot of people were waiting  at the P.O for the mail by the Steamer from Auckland, but being such a misty night she did not come.  After I got home it rained steadily.

Saturday 15th   A heavy misty rain last night and several showers today.  After breakfast I went down to the village to get the mail, I heard that it was the “Kotiti” that came this morning instead of the “Kawau“.  After I got home I got firewood and worked in the flower garden.  Willie was digging potatoes in the pigs paddock.  I went down to the wharf again in the afternoon to get the meat, the “Kotiti” did not get here until about 5.30 pm.   Mrs Birdsall,  Mrs John Greenwood  &  Mrs Alf Gravatt, returned from a visit to Mangawai in her.  I got some sand,  Jno  Greenwood gave me a ride up to our gate.
Willie went to a Show Committee meeting in the Hall in the evening.

Sunday 16th   It was a very hot day.   Willie, Grace & I drove to Mr Robert Williams at Big Omaha to spend the day, met Mr Felton, Mrs William’s father who is a great florist ,  Mr McGeiknie the Teacher called in the pm , we went round Robert’s orchard which is beautifully kept.  We spent a very pleasant day, we did not get home until 8.30 pm.

Monday 17th   It was a very fine day.  In the morning Willie burned the grass in the front next the barley paddock fence, it burned very clean.  I was working in the flower garden.  Just as we were finishing dinner Mr Felton & Mrs R. Williams called in, they had driven over and gone over to the Pah first. Mr Felton wanted to take a Photo of Willie Browns monument. They had some dinner here and then went out to have a look at the garden, Mr Felton is an enthusiastic gardener and we had a long chat together.

Tuesday 18th   It was a very hot day.  After breakfast I went down to the village to get the mail, carried up a bag of sand.  Grace went over to Mrs Ashworths and both of them went to Mrs Rhodes to spend the day.  Willie was picking fruit and he took it down to the wharf and hauled up 1 Sk Maize  &  1 Sk Wheat.

Wednesday 19th   It was a very fine day.  After breakfast I went down to the beach and got some sand & carried it across to the wharf & Willie hauled it up for me.  Wille was picking fruit and he took it down to the wharf in the sulky in the pm.  Miss Pearson came up by the steamer to stay with us.

Thursday 20th   It was a very fine day.  Willie went down to the village in the morning.  I got firewood and was working in the flower garden.  Willie was digging potatoes in the pm.  In the evening Willie, Grace & Miss Pearson went to Mr Ashworths to have a musical evening.

Friday 21st   Good Friday.  The “Kawau” called in from Auckland early this morning bringing the Waitemata cricketers, there was a cricket match at the Claim between the Waitematas and Omaha.
I started to walk over, but was overtook by Jim & Gozar who gave me a lift to the Domain.  Mrs Jas Darroch provided a hot dinner for the cricketers and they invited me to join them, I had tea with Minnie and her family.  It was a two innings match.
Omaha 1st in  114,                 2nd in  111.    Total 225
Waitemata 1st in  56,            2nd in 150      Total 206
Omaha thus winning by 19 runs.
I walked home after tea.  Willie, Grace and Nell drove to Ti Point to Pic nic at Lloyds point.  Willie caught a few fish.

Saturday 22nd   A very fine day.  Willie took the two Jersey cows over to Gus Neeley’s bull.
Nell Pearson returned to Auckland in the “Kawau” leaving here at 10 am.  Grace & I went down to see her off.   I carried up a bag of sand. Grace carried up the meat.
Flo and the children came in the afternoon.

Sunday 23rd   It was a fine day, but the wind was blowing strong from S.   Revd Paris preached his farewell sermon in the afternoon, there was a good congregation.  All of us went.  Mrs Paris is being transferred to the Te Aroha circuit.

Monday 24th   It was fine in the morning.  There was a Cricket Match in Charlie Wyatt’s paddock between the Leigh lads Mr Hoults men.  The Pakiri men won on the 1st innings.  There were some heavy showers in the afternoon and we had to take shelter in Charley’s barn.  There was a dance in the Hall in the evening, Willie and Grace went.

Tuesday 25th   It was a fine day, Willie was picking fruit.   I got firewood and afterwards did some gardening.  I planted in a box Cuttings of Blue Lobelia also in a box,  seeds of Lupin,  Scabious AF. Stock & Canterbury Bell.
The “Kawau” came in from Auckland in the pm 6 oclock.  I went down for the mail, Jim was over, he had a letter from Jane, both she and the baby are getting on nicely, Jane was confined of a daughter in Auckland last Saturday, March 22nd.   [ Jean Dunning ]

Wednesday 26th   It was a fine day . In the morning Willie picked fruit and hauled it down to the “Kawau“.  I went down to the beach and sieved some sand and carried it across to the wharf and Willie hauled it up for me.  In the afternoon I helped Willie pick & pack pears.

Thursday 27th   It was a very fine day.  In the morning I got firewood and then I helped Willie pick and pack pears, he hauled 15 Cases down to the Steamer, I went down also and got a bag of sand which Willie hauled up for me.
In the pm Willie & I were burning at the bottom of the barley paddock.
In the evening May Dunning came and she, Willie & Grace went up to call on Mr & Mrs Lees.

Friday 28th   It was a fine day, but the wind was blowing very strong from the N.   Willie was digging Potatoes in the morning and he went over to Jas  Darrochs in the afternoon to bring home the Jersey heifer he bought of him some time ago.  I was preparing places for roses in the long bed, and in the evening I went down for the mail and attended the Library, I called at Mrs C. Gravatts.
Revd Macdonald & other company were there.

Saturday 29th   It rained steadily all day.  I went down to the wharf in the afternoon to get the meat.  Duncan Knaggs & Pearl Greenwood went away by her (the steamer)

Sunday 30th   It was a fine day.  Revd Macdonald held service in the Hall in the pm, all of us attended,  No present 22.  Collection 7/4,
Mr MacMahon came up here for tea.

Monday 31st   It was a fine day.  I planted 7 clumps of Daffodils on the edge of the diamond bed.  I went up to Mrs Handbys in the afternoon.  Willie picked 12 Cases of Pears and he burned off some grass in the barley paddock.