May 1899

Monday 1st   It was very fine in the morning.  I took the bullocks down and was hauling metal on to the road, there was a very heavy shower of rain in the middle of the day, which made the road very slippery so Mr Neeley & I were compelled to leave off & go home.  Joe & Alec remained and cleared out the water tables up the new road  and also the one leading to the Hall.

Tuesday 2nd   It was a fine day.  I was digging in the orchard in the morning and in the afternoon I went down to the steamer.
Mr Roose traveller for the D.S.C. called here in the evening, I paid an old  acnt  &  gave him a small order.  He staid here all night.

Wednesday 3rd   It was a fine day.  I took the bullocks down again and was hauling metal on to the road, we finished in the evening.
I have been hauling  4½  days.

Thursday 4th   It was a fine day with the exception of a few showers which increased towards evening.  I was planting Paspalum  Dilitatum grass plants in the front, I ordered them from Arthur Yates & Co through Mr Harper.  Went to Mrs Gravatts in the evening to help take her Piano to the Hall.

Friday 5th   It poured with rain last night, and it rained all to day.
Killed a Sheep in the afternoon.  The Concert which should have been given to night in the Hall had to be put off on account of the weather.

Saturday 6th   It was a tolerably fine day, but the roads are very soft after the heavy rain we have had.  I took the mutton out in the morning.  At noon was the Annual Meeting of Ratepayers  in the Hall.  There were only 7 Ratepayers present.
There was a meeting of the Road Board I was re-elected Chairman.

Sunday 7th   It was a beautiful day, so sunny and calm, the wind has gone round to the SW.  I held service in the Hall in the pm, there were about 20 present.
Miss Mitchell & Joe Torkington were here for tea.

Monday 8th   There were a few showers in the morning, but it was fine in the afternoon.  I was planting Paspalum Dilitatum plants out in the front.   Charlie Wyatt shot his cow that had a cancer in the eye, it was unfit for food although it was splendid looking meat.  I went down there in the afternoon to get a piece of meat to cook for the fowls.   John Wyatt came up to get me to go down & witness Old Mrs Wyatt’s signature, so I went down to the beach with him.

Tuesday 9th   There were a few showers.  I finished planting the grass Paspalum Dilitatum and was cutting tea tree in the morning.
I went down to the Steamer in the pm and was preparing for the Concert at 8 pm.  The performance commenced, the concert was not very good, but the farce was excellent, there was a dance afterwards & supper at 11 pm.  The attendance was not very numerous on account of a concert at Matakana this evening and also on account of the threatening weather & dark night.

Wednesday 10th   It was a beautiful day.  I was pulling up tea tree in the morning.  In the afternoon I went down to the Hall to clear up.  The School was closed today on account of Whooping Cough.  Miss Niccol & Miss Mitchell went to Auckland this morning in the Steamer.   Walter Frearson was here for tea.

Thursday 11th   It was a fine day, the wind blowing from S.    Charlie &  Alfie  Wyatt came to dip my Sheep – we dipped them under the Pine Trees & we felt it very cold.  The sheep are in very good condition, and look better than they have ever done before.  We put a few wethers that were in good condition, out in the front with the others.  After we had dipped them we put them all out on to the farm.
Minnie rode up to Pratts in the afternoon and staid all night.  I filled in my Sheep return in the evening which I intend to post tomorrow morning.  It rained heavily after tea.

Friday 12th   It was a showery day and very cold.  I was cutting tea tree in the morning.  Killed a Sheep in the afternoon.  Went to the Library in the evening.

Saturday 13th   It was a fine day, but very cold.  I took the mutton out in the morning & mended the roof.  Cut tea tree in the afternoon.  Willie went fishing to the Goat Island beach and caught a few fish.

Sunday 14th   It was a fine day,  Walter Wyatt came here and staid for dinner.  I paid him £7 . 10 . 0  for the Sheep I bought of him  on Decr  27th last year.   I conducted service in the Hall in the afternoon, there were about 15 present.

Monday 15th   It was a fine day.  Willie and I picked all the Apples.  We packed 2 Cases Red Warrior & 3 Cases Kentucky Red Streak which I intend to send to Dumper by the Steamer tomorrow.
Afterwards I picked in the Dun Beans and then burnt off some tea tree heaps on the road in front of my land.

Tuesday 16th   It was a fine day.  I hauled a load of firewood in the morning and in the afternoon I hauled 5 Cases Apples & I bundle (9) Sheepskins down to the Wharf, the two steamers were in, the “Kapanui” and the “Orewa“, both of them went out again this afternoon.
I hauled up 2 Bags Flour,  1 Sack Maize & a parcel of Drapery that came up by the Steamer.

Wednesday 17th   It was a fine day.  Ernest Wyatt came here to work.  We dug a piece of ground the far side of the orchard that was in Oats this season and which I wish to prepare to plant a few trees in when it is time to transplant,  afterwards we were digging out and burning brambles, docks and creeping weed.
There was a dance in the Hall in the evening to eat up the cake remaining from the concert last week.  I went down but did not stay long there were very few girls there so the dance was not very successful.

Thursday 18th   There was a frost this morning, but it was a very fine day  –  and hot.   Ernest Wyatt was working here.   We were fixing up the bottom gate, we re-hung the gate, put in a new post and formed the approach to the gate from the road.

Friday 19th   It was very gull and threatened for rain, but it passed off without rain.
Ernest quarried some stone on the wharf hill and I was hauling the stone up to put at the gateway.  I hauled 6 loads – 3 in the morning and 3 in the afternoon.
Ernest Killed the Sheep in the evening.  He finished working here today.  He has been working 3 days.

Saturday 20th   It rained heavy last night and this morning, but it cleared up and was a tolerably fine day.  Willie went fishing and brought home 4 schnappers.
I was pulling up tea tree in the front all day.  There was a meeting of the Hall Committee in the evening.

Sunday 21st   There were a few showers in the morning, but it cleared up and was a fine afternoon.
I went down to the Hall in the afternoon, but there was no service.

Monday 22nd   It was a very fine day, the wind has changed round to SW, and the weather seems more settled.  Willie & I were pulling and cutting tea tree in the front.

Tuesday 23rd   It was rather a dull day, but it did not rain.  Willie & I were pulling and cutting tea tree in the front.
Miss Niccol & Miss Mitchell came up from Auckland by the “Rose Casey“.

Wednesday 24th   It was a dull day, strong wind from NW accompanied by slight showers.  There was no School today as only 2 put in an appearance.
Willie & I were pulling up and burning tea tree in the front.

Thursday 25th   There was a heavy shower in the morning and slight ones in the afternoon.  I mended up the fence at the Koeroa creek next Mathesons, with netting wire.
I was pulling up tea tree in the front in the afternoon.

Friday 26th   It was a fine day.  I went down to post a letter in the morning.
I burned some heaps on the road next the gate, also pulled & cut tea tree in the front.   Killed a Sheep in the evening.

Saturday 27th   It was a fine day, but very cold in the morning & evening.  Took out the mutton in the morning and was digging up briers in the cow paddock.   In the  afternoon Willie & I were pulling up tea tree in the front, Mr Birdsall came and was talking with us, he came over thinking there was a Road Board meeting, but it is next Saturday afternoon.
There was a meeting in the Hall in the evening about the Cemetery.  Miss Niccol & Miss Mitchell were here for tea.

Sunday 28th   It was a very fine day.  George Wyatt, Frank & Eunice Pratt were here for dinner.
I read service in the Hall in the pm.  Frank & Eunice went to service with us and started for home directly after.  Miss Kempt & Joe Torkington were here for tea.

Monday 29th    It was a fine day.  Willie remained at home from School,  he Jane & I went down to the E.R,  we planted a few rows of Early Rose and Lapstone Kidney Potatoes.  We also sowed 3 rows of White Stone Turnips, and 1 row of Enfield Market Cabbage.  We then came home and commenced to plant Strawberries near the front gate, we planted 2 rows containing 54 plants.

Tuesday 30th   The wind was blowing strong from SE, it was a dull day.  We continued planting strawberries plants the top side of the house.  Jane went down to the Steamer in the afternoon to sell butter & eggs to the Steward.
Jim Dunning came in the evening and brought us a present of a brace of cock Pheasants.

Wednesday 31st   We finished planting Strawberries in the morning.  Charlie Wyatt came in the afternoon and helped Kill the Pig.
Jane rode to Matakana in the pm.  Miss Niccol had a card party in the evening, we were all invited, but Jane was the only one from our house that went.