March 1919

Saturday 1st   St Davids Day.  The weather still keeps fine & very hot.
Willie was working on the flat near the Koroa Creek cutting tea tree for making charcoal,  in the morning he had set fire to the scrub yesterday & I went down and put the heaps together.  In the afternoon Willie & Grace went fishing.  There was a Tennis Match on this courst between Pakiri & Leigh clubs

Sunday 2nd   It was a very fine day.  I conducted service in the Church in the pm.  There were 20 present.  Collection 8/3.
After church Willie & Grace drove over to the Claim to take a letter to Mrs Simpson who is staying with Jane.

Monday 3rd   It was a very fine day, wind E.  And still keeps very dry weather, rain very much wanted.  In the morning Willie was burning in the front, in the pm he was cutting tea tree for making charcoal.  I was digging out convolvulus round the Peach trees.

Tuesday 4th   It was a very fine day, wind E, weather very dry.  In the morning Willie was cleaning Danthonia seed, and he took it to
W.  Dunnings in the pm to sell to him,  I was digging out convolvulus  below the house.  Grace drove over to Jims and brought Mrs Simpson over here.

Wednesday 5th   It was a very fine day, still continues very dry.  Willie was cutting tea tree down on the flat to make charcoal.
I was digging out convolvulus round peaches.  I went down to the Steamer in the pm to get the mail.

Thursday 6th   There were a few slight showers early in the morning, but nothing to do any good.  Willie took his eggs down to the wharf in the morning and carted up 1 Sk each of Maize & Wheat, also
100 lbs Flour, the remainder of the day he cut wood for charcoal.  I was digging out convolvulus round peaches.  I went down for the mail in the evening and Willie & I attended the annual meeting of the Show Committee when the prizes were paid, won at the late show.

Friday 7th   It was a very fine day.   Willie was cutting wood on the flat for charcoal.  I was digging out convolvulus the top side of the house.

Saturday 8th   It was a very fine day.   After breakfast I went down to the village to get the mail  and to post a letter I had written to Mrs Halliwell of Te Araroa.  The remainder of the day I was digging out convolvulus round the young peach trees below the house.  Willie was cutting tea tree on the flat.  Grace took the horse and sulky to the claim and brought Mrs Watt  [Wattie?]  Darroch & youngest boy to stay here.  I heard that Mrs Eddie Wyatt was confined of a son yesterday morning.

Sunday 9th   It was a very fine day.  Revd Gould held service in the hall  in the morning, but as it was not advertised in the county times I thought there was no service so I walked over to Ti Point and spent a very pleasant day with Mr & Mrs Duncan Knaggs,  Duncan & I had a long talk on public matters, Mrs K has a beautiful flower garden and she gave me a big bunch of Asters to bring home.  Willie & Grace took Mrs Watt Darroch home in the evening in the sulky, and as they were returning they overtook me walking so I rode home part of the way.

Monday 10th   It was a very fine day, wins SW.  Willie was cutting wood for charcoal.   I was digging out convolvulus round peach trees. I attended a meeting of the Hall Committee in the evening.

Tuesday 11th   It was a very fine day, wind SW.   cutting wood for charcoal.   I was digging out convolvulus round peach trees.

Wednesday 12th   It was a very fine day.  Willie was hauling the wood he cut to where he is going to have his charcoal kiln.
In the morning I was cleaning Onion & other seeds and putting them away.  In the pm I went to Steamer.

Thursday 13th   It was a very fine day.  Willie was hauling firewood and building his kiln.  I was doing odd jobs, fixing the fastening on the front,  digging potatoes, collecting & putting away seed  and digging round some apple trees below the house.
In the evening there was the annual meeting of the patriotic Committee, there was a good attendance.  The balance sheet which was submitted showed a balance in hand of £52, together with the balance from the Show of £6 . 10 . 0  will make a total balance of
£58 . 10 . 0

Friday 14th   It was a very fine day, ‘tho very little sun.  Willie was building his charcoal kiln.  After breakfast I went down for the mail, burnt the heap of convolvulus roots I dug out, got my things together ready for going away to Auckland tomorrow.

Saturday 15th   It was a fine day, but the wind has changed round to the NE.  I went to Auckland in the “Kawau” which left Leigh at 9 am.
Mr & Mrs Ernie Greenwood were passengers also, the steamer rolled a lot until we got to Takatu point.  We arrived in Auckland before 2.30.  Ken Wallace was on the wharf and we immediately went across to Bayswater and up in the tram where Ken lives (Belmont).  I am staying a few days with Ken until Mr & Mrs Wallace return from the Helensville springs where they have been staying for the good of their health.

Sunday 16th   It rained heavily last night or early this morning, heard afterwards that nearly 1 in of rain which will do a deal of good.  It turned out afterwards a very fine day.
Ken & I went to service at the little church St Michaels – near his place, Revd Houchen a returned chaplin officiated.
Mat Coplestone & his mother in law Mrs Pollard came to spend the day.  Ken & I went to service at the same little church in the evening.

Monday 17th  St Patrick’s Day  which was kept in Auckland on Saturdays.  I went across to Auckland, posted a letter & paper to Willie, visited Albert Park and the Domain garden, returned to Kens in the afternoon.  Mr & Mrs Wallace called in the evening, they returned from Helensville this afternoon.

Tuesday 18th   It was a fine day.  I went to stay with Mr & Mrs Wallace at Devonport.  Ken carried my bag on his way over to Auckland.

Wednesday 19th   It was a fine day.  I went over to Auckland, saw the “Kawau” off,  Ernie & Enie Greenwood returned home in her.  Private Bert Greenwood who has returned from the war was also going down as they were going to give him & Keith Matheson a welcome home.  I met Joe Greenwood in Queen St and had a long talk with him.  Had a fish dinner at Sanfords & returned to Devonport in the pm.

Thursday 20th   It was a fine day.  My head was so bad that I did not go across to Auckland today, but in the afternoon I took a walk down to the store & made some purchases.

Friday 21st   It was a very windy & squally day.  I took a walk down Albert Road, but a shower of rain drove me back to the house.  In the evening Mr Wallace & I took a walk down to the shore.

Saturday 22nd   It was a fine day, but very windy and a few showers.
I went over to Auckland in the morning went up to G. Courts and bought 2 p of Pants & 2 Under Shirts.  Returned to Devonport for dinner.  In the afternoon Gordon Wallace, his wife & 2 children came & staid till evening.

Sunday 23rd   It was a fine day although there were a few slight showers.  I walked up to the little church in O’Neils Point road for morning service, Archdeacon Hawkins officiated, I had some conversation with him after church, returned to Mr Wallaces for dinner.  Mr McMurtrie & Mr Sinclair called in the afternoon and staid tea.

Monday 24th  I went down to the Shore in the morning to post a letter & paper to Willie.  In the afternoon I went across to Auckland took the car up to Ponsonby and went to see Mr & Mrs Jim Greenwood who are staying with their son in law Mr Stirling in Norfolk St,  Jim is laid up with Bronchitis.  Returned to the Shore.
In the evening Mr McMurtrie & Mrs Peterson came and we played 500.

Tuesday 25th   It was dull in the morning and it rained heavily all afternoon.  I did not go out anywhere.

Wednesday 26th   In the morning I took a walk to Narrow Neck beach, passed the camp where the German prisoners are interred & home by Old Lake road.

Thursday 27th   It was a fine day.  Went across to Auckland and took the train out to Henderson.  Walked from the station up to Mr Jos Greenwoods.  Had dinner there and was helping to pack pears.  Then went to Wilson Knaggs and had a look at his orchard, had afternoon tea there and returned to Mr Greenwood where I staid the night.

Friday 28th   It was a fine day, but very cold morning at Henderson,  Mr G. showed me round his orchard, I then went to Willie Wrights had dinner there and then called to see Heber Meiklejohn who is managing a saw mill  to cut up pine logs, called on Mrs Handby and returned to Auckland by the 2.24 train and crossed over to Devonport.

Saturday 29th   A fine day.  In the morning I went to Auckland and returned to Devonport for lunch and in the afternoon I went out to Mt Eden, called at Mr Grindrods, had a look round his garden, had a nice chat with him and afternoon tea, called at Mr Woods and returned to Devonport.

Sunday 30th   It was a fine day.  I went to Trinity church in the morning and in the afternoon Mr Wallace & I went across to Auckland and out to Elerslie gardens, returned to Devonport for tea and Mr W & I went to the Presbyterian church in the evening.
Revd Budd preached an excellent sermon in favour of  Prohibition.

Monday 31st   It was a fine day.  I went across to Auckland in the morning, met Bert Greenwood in Queen St and both of us took the car out to Ponsonby to where his father & Mother are staying,  Mr Stirling 47 Norfolk St.  I had dinner there and afterwards I called at Mr Downeys, Hepburn St, but there was nobody at home, he & his wife were teachers at Te Araroa School and left there while I was staying with Jack & Henry.
Mr McMurtrie came in the evening and we played 3 handed 500.