Thursday 1st It was a fine day.
Willie and Dave were working in the orchard. I was raking down the ground round the roses. The rain we had yesterday has done a lot of good. I planted a Penstemon and a Guillardia. In the evening I went down for the mail, called at Mrs Gravatt’s. Heard that Willie Haskell was Killed in action in France on the 12th of October.
Friday 2nd It was a very fine day. My cold was much worse and so I was in bed most of the day. Willie & Dave were working in the orchard digging the strips round the trees. Grace went down to get the mail in the evening and called in at Mr Dunnings.
Mrs Knowles called here in the evening.
Saturday 3rd It was a fine day. Felt better this morning so I got up early.
Dave took his trap down to the village in the morning to get some empty egg boxes, so I went down with him to get some sand, but the tide was full in, so I got some gravel. Cut the grass on the path from the front gate. Maggie Harper brought a wire from Mr Macdonald saying that he had received an accident and asking me to take the service tomorrow so I arranged to have service at 2.30 .
Sunday 4th It was a very fine day.
After an early cup of tea I went round to tell the people about the service this afternoon, had breakfast at Arthur Greenwood’s. Called at Alex Haskell’s to cheer them up a bit.
Held service in the Church at 2.30. 24 present. Collection 8/3. Dave was down at his place straightening things up.
Monday 5th It was a very fine day. In the morning I went over to the farm orchard and weeded half the Onions. In the afternoon I dug up the long bed. News came this afternoon that Captain Ashton (Charlie) had been Killed in action in Palestine.
Tuesday 6th It was a fine day. I finished weeding the Onions in the morning in the farm orchard. In the afternoon I was fixing the Kerbing of the round bed. Willie & Dave finished digging round the fruit trees and then commenced earthing up the Potatoes.
Wednesday 7th It was a very fine day. Willie & Dave went down to the Koeroa and started making a charcoal Kiln. In the afternoon they continued earthing up Potatoes. Dave took his trap down to the wharf when the steamer arrived and carted fowl feed up to his place. In the morning I went down to the beach and carried sand round to the wharf, and W. Dunning carted it up to our gate for me.
I planted several plants that Mrs Wallace gave me (Calliopsis) also 1 Cosmea.
Thursday 8th It was a very hot day. Willie helped Dave dig some new Potatoes at his place Dave carted them down (10 Sugar bags full) to the Steamer and carted up for Willie 1 Sk Maize 100 lbs Calf Food. I planted 2 Cosmeas & 3 Zinneas.
In the evening I went down for the mail, there was public Meeting in the Hall to form a Mutual Improvement Society. I was Chairman.
A Committee of Management and Officers were appointed.
Friday 9th Henry’s 44th Birthday.
It was a very fine day. Dave went to his place and was working there all day. Willie and Grace drove down to Goat Island beach, called at Alex Mathesons.
I was working in the flower garden all day. I planted 3 Zinnias and commenced to dig the round bed.
Saturday 10th It was a very fine day. Dave was working with Willie planting Onions in the new garden.
I was working in the flower garden.
Sunday 11th It was a fine day. Dave went home to spend the day.
I conducted service in the Church in the afternoon, there were 33 present Collection 10/4.
Monday 12th It was a fine day, the ground is getting very dry, and rain is much needed. Willie and Dave commenced building their charcoal Kiln at the Koeroa. I was working in the flower garden, I finished digging the round bed, before I had finished my back became bad. After breakfast I went down to the Post Office to make a declaration before Mrs Harper as D.R.O for County election.
Tuesday 13th It was a fine day, no sign of rain. Willie and Dave were working at their charcoal. On account of my back I did not get up until noon.
Wednesday 14th It was a very fine day. Willie and Dave were working at their Kiln. The election of a County Councillor for this Riding took place to day. The Candidates were Alex Matheson & Bertie Witten. I was Deputy Returning Officer for Leigh so I had to be at the Hall from 9 am until 6 pm. The Polling here was [as] follows.
Matheson 39
Witten 11
Thursday 15th It was a very fine day. My back was still very bad and I was lying down most of the day. In the evening I went down for the mail, the small flower plants I ordered from Yates’ arrived. Heard the result of the election yesterday.
Matheson 57 Majority for Witten
Witten 62 5 votes.
There was a meeting of the mutual Improvement Society in the evening, Grace, Willie & Dave went. Revd Boyle gave a Lecture on the English Language. I was sorry I was unable to go.
Friday 16th It was a very hot day. Willie and Dave were working at their kiln. I was working in the flower garden. I planted the following plants.
3 Delphiniums, 6 Asters, 7 Verbenas, 6 Aquilequias, 8 Salpiglossis, 1 Chrysanthemum (Tricolour).
Saturday 17th It was a very hot day. Willie and Dave were working at their kiln. My back was very much better. I was working in the flower garden all day, I finished planting all the little plants I got from Yates viz, 6 Penstemons, 5 Chrysanthemum (Tricolour),
3 Caliposis Grandiflora, 12 Pansies, and picked out in a shallow box, 6 Canterbury Bells.
Sunday 18th It was a very fine day. Revd Boyle held his last service in the Hall in the morning, there was a large congregation, and 16 partook of the Sacrament of the Lord’s supper. Dave went to Archie Dunnings for dinner, I came home. Willie & Grace drove to Ti Point.
Monday 19th It was a very fine day. Willie & Dave were working at their Kiln. I was working in the flower garden all day. I planted in the round bed 3 Bonfire Salvia, 1 Pelargonium, 1 Red Begonia. Sowed seeds of Dwarf Tropaeolum on the outer edge of the round bed, also sowed seeds 3 clumps of Mignonette & dwarf Convolvulus near the summer house.
Tuesday 20th It was fine in the morning. I had a ride in the cream cart as far as the Ti Point School, I then walked to Dick Knaggs to see Annabell’s flower garden and had lunch there, it rained very heavily while I was there, when it cleared up a bit I called in at D. Knaggs to have a look at their flowers, afterwards called down at Joes, he was away at the flat so did not stay long but started for home.
Wednesday 21st It was fine in the morning. The rain we had yesterday has done a great deal of good in softening the hard lumps, I was out in the garden before breakfast with the rake breaking the lumps and smoothing the surface, after breakfast I was out in the garden planting the Antirrhinum plants about a doz that Annabel Knaggs gave me, also planted out some Zinnias and a Fuchsia and some Larkspurs.
Duncan Knaggs called in the afternoon so I had to come inside, and while he was here it commenced to rain again and it rained steadily. Willie & Dave went to work, but came home in the afternoon wet through.
Thursday 22nd It was a very fine day. After breakfast I walked to Mr Ashworths for him to witness my signature, called in at A. Haskells and then went down to the Post Office to get a Postal Note for 8/- to send to A. Yates [Arthur Yates the nurseryman] to pay for the little plants that I got from them.
When I returned home I was fixing up the fence of the front garden to keep the foals out, took up and replanted some double premieres. Willie & Dave set fire to their Kilns. Went down for the mail in the evening.
Friday 23rd It was a very fine day . I helped Willie milk the cows morning & evening as Dave could not leave the Kilns. I was working in the flower garden all day. I planted 2 Ivy Leaved Geraniums I got from the farm orchard, the cuttings came from Mrs R. Williams.
Saturday 24th It was a fine day. After breakfast I went down for the mail, called at Mrs G. Wyatts, carried up a bag of sand.
W. Dunning gave me a ride up to our gate. Worked in the garden, planted 2 Miniature Sunflowers that Mrs G. Wyatt gave me, also 3 Zinnias. In the pm I went down to the Koeroa flat where Willie & Dave are burning charcoal. Carried up a billy of creek sand.
Sunday 25th It was a very fine day. Joe and Minnie came to spend the day. Revd Southern held service in the afternoon. Dave went to play the organ, none of us went.
Monday 26th It was a very fine day. Willie and Dave sieved and bagged one of their Kilns of charcoal.
In the morning I went over to the farm orchard and stuck & tied up the Tomatoes. In the afternoon I took up & replanted the Nerine Sarniensis, also a yellow Chrysanthemum and planted 3 Larkspurs. Went down to see Willie & Dave, carried up a billy of soil. Went down to the village, Mr Torkington came up with me and staid for tea.
Tuesday 27th It was a very hot day. After breakfast I went down to the beach and carried across to the wharf 3 bags Sand. Called in at the store for 2 hanks twine and a tin of paint for Willie & Dave, after lunch I took these things down to them, they finished sieving and sacking the second kiln, they got 3 sacks out of the 2 kilns.
I transplanted a Michaelmas Dairy.
Wednesday 28th It was a very hot day. In the morning I weeded the Peas in the farm orchard. In the afternoon I went down to the steamer. Received a letter from Henry. Willie & Dave were carting their charcoal down to the wharf. In the evening there was a debate in the School on the subject “If Prohibition were carried should the Liquor trade be compensated.” Willie, Jim Wyatt and I took the affirmative and Mrs Knowles, Mr Glass, Beatie Wyatt and Jessie Wyatt took the negative. On being put to the meeting the negative had the greatest number of votes.
Thursday 29th There was a slight rain first thing in the morning, but it soon cleared up and turned out a very fine day.
Dave went to Auckland in the “Kawau” which left here about 10 am. Willie carted the remainder of the charcoal down to the wharf, the “Kawau” did not take any of their charcoal as she was full up with gum from Mangawai.
I took up and replanted several Dahlias near the summer house, also 5 Zinnias. I went down for the mail in the evening, there was a meeting of Fruitgrowers in the Library, Mr Morrison of Warkworth attended to explain the business of the Fruitgrower’s federation.
Friday 30th It was a fine day. Willie was planting Kumeras.
I planted out 1 Larkspur, 1 Antirrhinum, 1 Stock, 3 Nigellas.
The Bible Class picnic was to day. I went down in the evening.