March 1917

Thursday 1st   It was a fine day.  The married couple (Corletts) left this morning, Mr Bristow took them down on horses and their luggage on pack horse.  Henry rode down to Te Araroa to bring the draft horses that Carpenter left there, the waggon had to be left there until the roads are put straight.  Coming back he called in at Halliwells and the horses gave him the slip.
I put the wool out to dry in the morning but after lunch it came over so cloudy that I took it in again.

Friday 2nd   It was a showery day.  Henry was riding all round the country looking for the horses but he returned late in the evening without them.
The men were repairing the telephone line.

Saturday 3rd   It was a fine, but cloudy day.  In the morning Henry and Jack fixed up the telephone line so that he could ring up Jack on the other station.
In the afternoon Henry got in some rams to pare their feet for foot rot.

Sunday 4th   It was a very fine day.  Henry finished paring the sheeps feet in the morning, in the afternoon he rode down the road to look for the horses that gave him the slip the other night.  Jack and George took a walk down the road in the afternoon.
Mr Bristow came up to turn the water into the dip as he is going to dip his sheep here tomorrow.

Monday 5th   The day was fine but there were some heavy showers towards evening.  Mr Bristow dipped his sheep here to day.  Jack Johnson left Henry’s employ to day and is going to work at Te Hui (Metcalfe’s other station).  George was fencing.  Henry went over to Jack’s place in the morning to help Jack muster sheep for shearing, he took a pack horse, camping woolpacks, spare clothes, butter and quinces.

Tuesday 6th   I intended to go to Mr Halliwell’s to day and had made all arrangements for doing so, but just as I was going to start, there was a long shower of rain, so I rang up Mrs Halliwell to tell her I was not coming, but afterwards it came on so fine that I started at 10.30 am.
I found Mr H & Mr Davies and a man ploughing out and picking up potatoes in a paddock near the house, I had lunch there, Mrs H. lent me some books to read and then I started to Tangihanga reaching there at 5 pm.
Jack Johnson came with a pack horse and took his luggage away.

Wednesday 7th   There was a misty rain when we got up in the morning and there were showers during the day.
George was fixing up the fence at the cow yard.

Thursday 8th   Heavy showers all day.  George was not able to do anything outside besides milking the cows morning & evening.
Millie Kirwell rung me up from Te Araroa where she is waiting to go up to Auckland by the “Maku” which is expected in at noon to day, she said that Carpenter was also at Te Araroa waiting to go away, he was turned down for active service, but passed for home service.

Friday 9th   It was a very fine day.
George Worthington cleared out with his swag after lunch in a huff because I told him that the boss would not be satisfied with the work he had done while he was away, he was fixing up the boundary fence of the cow paddock.  I hunted for the cows in the evening to milk them but could not find them, so they had to go unmilked.

Saturday 10th   After breakfast and feeding the fowls & pig I went in search of the cows and I found them outside the fence near Bristows, brought them home and milked them, they gave a lot of milk. Henry came home at 4 pm and wanted me to return with him to Jack’s place this evening, but it came on showery so we staid the night at Tangihanga.

Sunday 11th   Henry & I rode over to Jack’s place in the morning arriving there at 10 am.  Jack, Henry & the shepherd went out mustering and brought in a mob of sheep in the evening, they took some sheep that were in a paddock down to Metcalfe’s shed as Jack is shearing his sheep there on account of the engine being damaged by the flood.

Monday 12th   It was a very fine day. The shearers did not come, so Jack’s sheep are still in Metcalfe’s shed, Jack, Henry and Fred brought some sheep in from the back. In the afternoon they were drafting and in the evening they took a mob of lambs to the back. Mr Roberts was here for lunch, he came to fix up the oil engine that was damaged by the flood. I was helping Lily all day.

Tuesday 13th   It was a fine day. The Maori shearers were shearing Jacks wet ewes in Mr Metcalfe’s shed. Henry and Fred were mustering sheep.

Wednesday 14th   It was a fine day. The Maori shearers were shearing Jack’s sheep in Mr Metcalfe’s shed, I took a walk down there in the morning. Henry & Fred were mustering sheep.

Thursday 15th    It was a fine day. The “Mako” is expected to arrive at Te Araroa from Auckland to day and Henry is expecting a married couple up by her, so Henry & I returned to Tangihanga in the morning and after lunch Henry went down to Te Araroa to meet the married couple.
Jimmy Hayes brought a flock of sheep here to dip them.
Henry rang me up in the evening to say that the “Mako” had only just arrived and that he would not be coming home to night.

Friday 16th   It was a fine day.  I milked the cows morning and evening and was expecting Henry & the married couple all day but they did not turn up until 8 pm.
The couple are named Connely and seem very nice people, the reason of their late arrival was an accident to the buggy at Halliwells gate, the winkers of one of the horses fell off and it started away and overturned the buggy injuring it somewhat.

Saturday 17th   St Patrick’s Day.   Was very fine, Henry got the Rams & other sheep into the yard.
I was digging out stones in the garden.  I wheeled them out & brought silt back.

Sunday 18th    It was a very fine day.  Henry took the rams to the back and put them to the ewes in the different paddocks, he did not get home until after dark.  In the afternoon I walked out to the cultivation.

Monday 19th    It was a very fine day.  In the morning Henry was making out the shearers accounts.  In the pm he took Jack’s new Rams over to Ahomatariki.
I was digging out stones in the garden.

Tuesday 20th   A very fine day, very hot in the middle of the day.
Connoly was fixing up the cow paddock fence, I was digging out stones in the garden near the orange tree.
Henry is away at Ahomatariki mustering.

Wednesday 21st   A very fine day.  Connolly was fixing the cow paddock fence.  I was digging out stones in the garden.  Henry returned from Ahomatariki in the evening.

Thursday 22nd   It rained early this morning and afterward it was misty rain.
Henry went out mustering lambs before breakfast.

Friday 23rd   It turned out a very hot day.  Connelly took a pack horse out to the cultivation and brought home a load of Potatoes.
I was digging out stones.
Henry went to help Jack and Fred drive Jack’s lambs down to the sale yards at Maungairoa, returning here late at night.

Saturday 24th   It was a very hot day. Connelly was snigging firewood. I was digging out stones.
Henry went down to the sale at Maungairoa, he took Carpenter’s luggage to Halliwells.  Jack’s lambs were not sold so they brought them up to Whites for the night.  Fred Galbraith brought a pack horse load of goods here intended for the other station, Fred and Jack staid here the night.

Sunday 25th   There were several slight showers.  Jack, Henry & Fred Galbraith went down to Whites and drove up Jack’s lambs that were not sold yesterday & also about 200 Ewes that Henry brought at the sale.

Monday 26th   Jack & Fred returned to Ahomatariki before breakfast.  Henry & Connelly were mustering sheep.  I was digging out stones in the garden.

Tuesday 27th   It was a fine day.  Henry & Connelly were mustering sheep. I finished digging the piece of ground near the hedge, I have taken out a quantity of stone, leaving the ground a spade deep with soil, the stones I have wheeled out of the garden and have brought back every time a load of silt that was deposited on the ground by the flood.

Wednesday 28th   It was a fine day.  Henry & Connelly were mustering sheep. I commenced to dig the piece of ground that was in Peas, I took the pea sticks up and stacked them the upper side of the fowl yard, the ground here is in splendid condition and free of stones.

Thursday 29th    It was a fine day.  I continued digging the piece of ground I started yesterday.  I found more stones to day so it took me longer, but I took them all out a spade depth.  Henry & Connerly were mustering.

Friday 30th   It was a fine day.  It rained last night and the ground was too wet to dig to day, so I wheeled out some stones which were dug out at the back of the house.
Jack & Fred brought over a flock of sheep from Ahomatariki about 180 to go to the freezing works next week with Henry’s sheep.

Saturday 31st   It was a very fine day. Henry, Jack and Fred were mustering sheep.  I finished digging the piece of ground I had in hand and I started to dig another piece that was in silver beet.
Late in the afternoon I walked down to Bristows to meet Mr O’Regan who brought our mail from Te Araroa, I had a long letter from Willie.