March 1923

Thursday 1st   St Davids Day.  The weather was fine, but there was a strong SE wind blowing.  I went up the hill in Mr Turtley’s cream cart, and then walked to the John Greenwoods, the boys were away
Mrs G  &  Ethel were the only ones at home, had dinner there & had a long chat with my old friend Mrs G.  After dinner I went to Mr Rodney’s, but he was not at home, so I called at Johny Greenwoods & had tea there, returned home in the evening having spent a very pleasant day.

Friday 2nd   It was a very fine day.  I was working most of the day in the Lemon garden.  I finished digging out the convolvulus round the young Lemon trees at the top end.  I went down for the mail in the evening.
Eddie and Mr Ashworth were laying in the water to the Public Hall.

Saturday 3rd   It was a very fine day.
It was a very fine day.  I got the same time as the boys and after a cup of tea I walked over to Jim Dunnings,  Jim, Jane, Mildred and I drove over to Matakana to witness a cricket match for the possession of the Walker Shield, the challenger being a combined team of Auckland suburban clubs,  v  Rodney being the present holders. There was great interest in the match and there was a large attendance of spectators.  We had a picnic under the trees about 30 sat on the grass round a cloth loaded with a lot of good things.  I met a lot of old friends.  I heard that Rodney Wilson was ill so I went to see him , the Dr has been attending him & thinks he is breaking up fast.

Auckland Suburban went to the wickets and made 184 runs.  thus Rodney beat in first innings by 79 runs.  The highest score on this side was 40.
I returned to Jims and staid the night.

Sunday 4th   It was a fine day.
I left Jims in the morning. Revd Poole gave me a lift in his sulky over to Leigh and I attended his service at 10.30 in the Hall, and then came home to dinner.  I felt tired and was lying down most of the afternoon.

Monday 5th   It was a very hot day.  The boys were working at the saw mill.  I took out the sticks of the sweet peas and tied them in bundles.  In the afternoon I was working in the Lemon garden.

Tuesday 6th   It was a very hot day.  Alf Dunning who is working here brought word this morning that Mrs Neeley Senr was taken seriously ill this morning, they sent for Dr Whetter had stated that it was a clot of blood on the brain  and that most likely she would pass out about 2 oclock this afternoon and I heard this evening that Mrs Neeley had died this afternoon.
I was working in the Lemon garden all day.

Wednesday 7th   It was a very hot day.   I went up to the garden in the morning and I was working in the Lemon garden in the pm .  I went down to meet the steamer and to get the mail, Jim Dunning was over with the sulky to meet Mrs Wallace & Alma who came up by the steamer.  Four of Mrs Neeleys sisters and Bob Neeley also came up for the funeral tomorrow.  Mr & Mrs Stewart called on me in the evening to get my signature , and staid to have a chat.

Thursday 8th   When we got up in the morning it was raining, but after breakfast it cleared up a little and I went up to the garden and got some flowers to make a wreath .  It rained heavily about noon, but was showery all  afternoon.  Mrs Neeley was buried in this cemetery in the afternoon near to her father the late Angus Matheson , there were a lot of people present considering the weather,  Revd  Poole officiated at the grave, the service was almost [the entry stops there, with space at the end of the page as if he were going to complete it later]

Friday 9th   It was a fine day.  I was working up at the garden and Lemon garden. Went down for the mail in the evening.

Saturday 10th   It was a very fine day.  Eddie lent me Bell so I rode over to Jims.  Mrs & Alma Wallace are staying there, after dinner I went down to the Domain to witness a Cup Cricket Match Whangaripo  V  Omaha.
Whangaripo went in first & made 27 runs,  Kenealy made top score 17.  Bowling  J. Dunning took 7 wickets for 11 runs  W. Dunning 2 W for 16.
Omaha 1st innings made 146 runs.  Highest scores,   A. Dunning 77, P. Dunning ,  23,  J. Wyatt 21,  H. Ashton 13.   Bowling D. Bell  5 for 27,  W. Armour 4 for 68,  D.Kenealy 1 for 24.
Whangaripo  2nd Innings made 120 runs.  Highest scores R. Bell 53, Pannet 23,  R. Vipond 13.
Bowling P. Dunning 1 for 27,  A. Dunning 2 for 9,  J. Wyatt 3 for 41. W. Dunning 2 for 17,  J. Dunning 1 for 7.
Omaha 2nd Innings,  P. Dunning retired 14,  E. Wyatt retired 1.
Omaha won by 14 runs & 10 wickets to fall.
I staid the night at Jims.

Sunday 11th   It was a fine day.  After breakfast I walked up to Mr Whitakers, he gave me 3 fine Tomatoes for seed.
Revd Addenbrook held service in the Claim hall in the afternoon, all of us went.
After tea I rode home.  In the evening I went to Mr Griggs, it was his 60th birthday.  Willie & Annie Dunning were there, we sang hymns & had supper.  Quite a pleasant evening.

Monday 12th   It was a very fine day.  I was working in the Lemon garden all day.  Jim as carting out old wheat chaff in the orchard,  Eddie was working at the mill.

Tuesday 13th   There was a slight shower in the morning, but it turned out a fine day.  After breakfast I went down for the mail. Drew £10 out of the P.O Bank.  Eric Brown took me over in the boat to the Pa to witness Rahui’s signature, called at D. Mathesons and had lunch there, took the mail to Eddie at the Mill and then came home.   The remainder of the day I was working in the Lemon garden. Jim and Alf Dunning were cutting down pine trees on the road boundary.

Wednesday 14th   It was raining last night and it poured with rain early this morning, there was a strong wind blowing from NE.  It was fairly fine during the day, but it came on to rain again late in the afternoon and evening.  I went up to the garden in the morning and was shelling Canadian Wonder Beans.  In the afternoon I was working in the lemon garden, later in the afternoon I went down to meet the steamer.  I heard that Mr Wm  Torkington had died in the Auckland Hospital this morning and that the body was sent down by the steamer to day to be buried at Dacres claim.  I got the mail.

Thursday 15th   It rained all last night and everything were very wet, but the wind has changed to the SW, the sun came out and dried the ground and it was a beautiful day.  All in this house went to Mr Ashworth’s clearing sale,  a crowd of people were there and a great many things were offered for sale.  In the middle of the sale on behalf of many friends presented Mr & Mrs Ashworth an umbrella each.  I bought several things at the sale.

Friday 16th   It was a fine day.  Jane came over with the sulky to take me back with her as I have to conduct the funeral service over the late Mr Torkington.  I had dinner at Jims and all of us went to the funeral at the Claim Cemetery.  There were not many people attending.  I read the burial service.  Mr Torkington was 78 years of age.  I staid at Jims the night.

Saturday 17th   St Patrick’s Day.  There were a few slight showers in the morning, but fine in the afternoon .  There was a Cricket match at the Domain between Warkworth V Omaha.  Several ladies came with the cricketers & the club entertained them to lunch & tea in the hall.

Sunday 18th   It was a fine day.  I went up to the garden in the morning & took them down to the Church.  Revd Addenbrooke held service at 2.30, there were 15 present,  Collection 10/3.  I went up to Arthur Greenwoods after church and tea there,  Arthur is altering his house, making it into bungalow.  Mr & Mrs Dunning were here for tea and spent the evening.

Monday 19th   It rained a little last night, but it was fine today.  Jim took some dry cows to Pakiri, in the pm he cutup firewood.  Charlie & Eddy took the iron off the cowshed on the hill and took it down to cover the shed over the sawmill.  I was digging out convolvulus in the garden.  Went down for the mail in the afternoon.  Jane, Mildred, Mrs Whitaker, Mrs Wallace and Alma came to spend the day, they went up to look at my garden , they had dinner here, and afterward they went to Mr Stewarts.

Tuesday 20th   It was a fine day.  Mrs & Alma Wallace went away today , Jim drove them over, I went down to the wharf to see them off.  Jim was at Gus Neeleys,  Eddie was at the sawmill.  I was working in the Lemon garden all day.

Wednesday 21st   It was a very hot day.  I was working in the Lemon garden all day.  Eddie & Jim were working at the sawmill.  I went down to the wharf in the afternoon to meet the steamer,  Roddie McKinnon was Captain, he brought his wife up, she is a daughter of Joe Anderson  who used to drive bullocks for me over 50 years ago.

Thursday 22nd   It was a fine day, but threatening for rain.  I was working in the Lemon garden all day.  Eddie & Kim were down at the sawmill.

Friday 23rd   It was a fine day.  I was working in the Lemon garden all day.  Eddie & Jim were at the sawmill & Ivy & the children were away so I had to get my own dinner.  I went down for the mail in the evening.

Saturday 24th   It was a very fine day.  There was a Cricket match at the Claim between Big & Little Omaha, he latter won.  Eddie & Jim drove and I rode, I had lunch at Jims.

Sunday 25th   It was a fine day.  I took flowers down to the Church in the morning and called in at Mr A. Dunnings.  I conducted service in the Church at 2.30.  There were 16 present,  Collection 7s/7d
I went up to Willie Dunnings for tea and we went into Mr Griggs in the evening for some music, Mr & Mrs Stewart came in and we had good singing.

Monday 26th   It was a fine day.  I was working up at the garden picking in and shelling beans & cleaning onion seed.  Minnie called up to see me in the afternoon.  The boys were working at the sawmill.

Tuesday 27th   It was a fine day.  I went up to the garden in the morning.  I left for Auckland by the S S. “Kawau” at 5 pm, Mr Rennie, Dan Kempt, Wm Dunning were fellow passengers.  We had a calm trip, arrived at Auckland at 10.15 pm.  Mr Wallace met me on the Auckland wharf, he asked Willie D to go and stay the night so we went across to Devonport, and after arriving at the wharf got a motor car to take us up to the house,  Mrs W & Alma had gone to bed, but Mr W made us some supper.  Willie shared my bed.

Wednesday 28th   It was a fine day, ‘tho dull.  Willie D & I went down to the Gasworks and had a look round and then we went across to Auckland where we parted.  Had dinner at the Kensington dining rooms,  went to Mr Elliott’s office and got my Will made appointing Kenneth Wallace, Executor by his permission .  Later in the afternoon I went up to Willie’s place at 85 Norfolk St Ponsonby. After tea Willie & I went down Queen St to see the returns from the Tauranga By Election which was as follows,  Macmillan 4240,  Sir J. Ward 3134.  Majority for Macmillan 1106.  200 absent votes to come in.  Returned to Devonport by 9 oclock boat.
Received Cheque for £9 . 10 . 0 being 1 Qr     [that is,  1 quarter] interest due  6th  March due by N. A. Elliott.

Thursday 29th   It was a fine day.  I did not go across to Auckland until the afternoon .  Went up to the Domain garden, returned to Mr Wallaces for tea.

Friday 30th   Good Friday and a very fine day and a general holiday.  I went across to town after breakfast, and as it was the Tramways Picnic, there were no cars running, so I had to walk to the Domain to witness some cricket matches, the one I was most interested in was between Rodney and Auckland Suburban.  Suburban went in first and made             runs,  Rodney had bad luck and only made           runs there was a big crowd witnessing the match from Matakana and Omaha.

Saturday 31st   It was a fine day.  I went across to Auckland after breakfast and went up to the Domain and go[t] there before the matches commenced.  Rodney played a Wellington team and were unlucky in being beaten again.  Wellington made 208 runs and Rodney 160.   A. M. Dunning made 74.   J. Matthew 20.
A. R. Dunning 24.