Friday 1st There were a few slight showers during the day. Walter and I were nearly the whole day sighting the line between my land and Haskells. Killed a Sheep in the afternoon.
Saturday 2nd It was a fine day. I took the mutten down to Harpers in the morning. Walter & I continued fencing, also set fire to some stumps & logs that were in the line. There was a meeting of the Committee appointed to place the Hall under more satisfactory management in this house, consisting of Messrs Jos Greenwood,
A. Matheson, W. Neeley, D. Kempt & myself.
There was skating in the Hall, Jane went.
Sunday 3rd It blew very strong in the morning, then it came on the rain in the middle of the day and rained all afternoon, but cleared up in the evening.
Jane and Walter rode up to Mauds returning in the evening.
On account of the weather there was no service in the afternoon.
Monday 4th It was fine in the morning but there were several showers in the afternoon. We continued fencing in the morning, but in the afternoon Walter was not working as he was suffering from influenza. I was burning and clearing the line.
Minnie and Miss Niccol were here for tea & spent the evening.
Tuesday 5th There was a very heavy shower in the morning and slight showers in the afternoon. Walter was not working today.
The Steamer commenced her summer trips to day, coming about 2.30 pm, returning to Auckland as soon as she had discharged and taken in cargo.
I had 4 coils of Plain Galvanised Wire, 2 Reels Barb Wire and a Sack of Potatoes.
Wednesday 6th It was a very showery day. Walter & I fixed up the fence between Mathesons paddock & my land, and we went on with the fence in the afternoon.
Thursday 7th It was pretty fine in the morning, but very showery in the afternoon. Walter and I cut down a Puriri tree, crosscutted it and split 4 Straining Posts & 9 ordinary ones and I bored 2 Straining post for the wire.
Mrs A. Haskell & baby were here for dinner and Maud called in the afternoon.
Friday 8th It was a very showery day and very disagreeable. We got the bullocks up in the morning and hauled the Straining & other posts to where they are wanted, also hauled up 6 Cwt of Wire on to the line of fence and a sack of Potatoes to the house.
Saturday 9th Walter & I went on with the fence. Walter put the remainder of the posts on Haskells line, also two straining posts.
There was skating in the Hall in the evening, also a meeting of the Farmers & Fruitgrowers Association at Mr Harpers.
Sunday 10th It was a beautiful day. I was so unwell that I was unable to hold service in the Hall in the afternoon.
Monday 11th It was a fine day. I was in bed nearly the whole day.
Walter went over to Frearsons and helped them get their Sheep up into the pen near the Totara tree. They put 2 Sheep & 3 Lambs of mine over the fence into my place after tailing and marking them.
They were as follows.
2 Ewes twins
1 Wether
Walter put in two straining posts and four ordinary ones in the afternoon. It came on to rain late in the afternoon.
Cassy calved on the farm and Jane & Willie got Rosie in that calved about a fortnight ago.
The Miss Fordhams came in the evening to enquire after me.
Tuesday 12th It was a fine day, but the wind was blowing strong from the NW. I got up and went up on the Hill, but felt very weak & bad. Walter put the struts in and commenced to put on the wire.
The Steamer came in about 3.30 and left again about 4.45. Charlie, Maggie & the children went up by her. There was a Cricket dance in the Hall in the evening, Jane & Walter went.
Wednesday 13th It was a fine day with the exception of a few slight showers. Mr Roose came in the morning and staid for dinner, we gave him an order.
Continued putting on the wire on to the fence, finished the portion down to Haskells boundary and put on 4 wires to the straining post at the foot of grandpapa’s road besides, putting on the strut. Willie went over to Tea point to Mrs Lloyd’s to get a selling of eggs. I set a Wyandotte hen on them in the hay place in the evening.
Walter, Jane & Willie went down to the beach in the evening.
Thursday 14th It was a fine day with the exception of a few slight showers. We finished to put on the wire down to the bottom straining post, Walter then commenced to fix up the fence between the cow paddock and the front, by taking out the rails and ramming the post up into position.
I called at Mrs A. Mathesons , Mrs D. Mathesons and down at the store in the afternoon.
Friday 15th It was a fine day. Walter squared a totara corner post on the top of the hill, also took out some posts from the old fence, got the bullocks up in the afternoon and hauled the posts on to the line of fence.
We did not kill today, but got a quarter from Walter Freason.
Saturday 16th It was a fine day. We got Cassy up in the morning from the farm, she calved last Wednesday she has a fine spotted heifer calf. Walter was putting in posts in the morning, in the afternoon he went over to Dacres domain to play cricket. There was a meeting of the Road Board in the afternoon and a meeting about the Cemetery in the Hall in the evening. J. Salt & G. Wyatt were here for tea and spent the evening.
Sunday 17th It was a fine day. Willie went up to Mauds in the morning and Jane & Alfie Wyatt after dinner rode by Big Omaha up to Mauds, had tea there, and came home with Willie. I read service in the Hall in the pm, there was only a small congregation.
Monday 18th It was a fine day. We put in the other straining post at the slip rails, put in a corner post between the pigs paddock and the orchard, also a post belonging to the stock yard.
In the afternoon we put on one plain wire on the front fence, and, 3 wires on the fence of the cow paddock, we worked until dark.
Tuesday 19th It was a beautiful day, very warm and without wind.
We put on the barb wire on the fence bounding the road, we had not quite enough wire to finish it, about a chain short.
Walter Wyatt finished working here this evening, he has been working three weeks and I paid him £3. The Steamer came in and left punctually at 2. Jane & Willie went down, but I did not. Dolly calved a red & white bull calf. I milked her in the evening.
Wednesday 20th It was a fine day, but rather windy in the afternoon. I went down to the E.R. in the morning and brought up a piece of barb wire, we joined a piece of barb wire on the bottom wire in the front fence, tightened it up and stapled it, so now the front fence is quite finished. Willie and I wound up all the black wire taken off the fence next Haskells. Jane rode over to Hadwicks in the afternoon and staid for tea there.
Thursday 21st It was a fine day, but the wind blowing strong from the N and it rained in the evening. Willie and I put the wire on the fence between the cow paddock and the front, we finished putting on the three top black wires, but we did not finish stapling it.
Friday 22nd It was a wet day, but it cleared up in the afternoon . I split some palings and fixed up the fence in the pigs paddock next the new corner post. I also fixed up the slip rails.
Saturday 23rd It was a fine day. I stapled all the wire on the fence between the cow paddock & the front. Walter Wyatt was here for tea, and he , Jane and Willie went down to the skating in the evening.
Sunday 24th There were a few slight showers in the morning, but it turned out a fine day. I read service in the Hall in the pm.
Monday 25th It was a fine day. In the morning I went down to the village to lay out a foot path nears Harpers corner for the Road Board, I then went to Mrs A. Mathesons to witness Miss Matheson’s signature to an application for an old age pension, this is the first time I have witnessed a signature in the capacity of a J. P.
In the afternoon I put in a post and mended a wire up the lane. and then commenced to dig in the orchard.
Tuesday 26th It was a fine day. I was digging in the orchard in the morning. In the afternoon we got the bullocks up and hauled a bulde of 6 skins down to the wharf, the Steamer came about 3 pm.
I expected a parcel of drapery & a chair from the D. S. C. but they did not come, but I had a coil of wire netting which I hauled up and a bag of flour from Harpers.
Revd J. W. Worboys held service in the Hall in the evening, Willie and I went and afterwards we went to Mrs Fordhams to get some sausages & to borrow their crow bar.
Wednesday 27th There were some heavy showers in the morning, but it turned out a fine day. I fixed up a fence from old Mr Wyatts corner to the new fence with wire netting. I did a little digging in the orchard after I had fixed up the fence.
Thursday 28th It was a fine day. I was digging in the orchard in the morning. In the afternoon I stuck a row of Peas and hoed some Potatoes. Jane went to Masefields in the evening, Ernest Wyatt came here. There was a shower of rain in the evening.
Friday 29th It was a fine day. I was digging in the orchard in the morning, and mended up the fence under the pine trees in the afternoon. Chloe calved in the barley paddock a bull calf, we got her up in the evening took her calf away and milked her. Went down to the Post Office in the evening.
Saturday 30th It was fine in the morning, but there was a heavy shower in the afternoon. I was digging in the orchard all day. There was a Cricket Match at Matakana in the afternoon, Minnie & Jane were over to it.
Mr Grierson examined the School in Standards, only 50% passed, Willie failed.
Miss Niccol came here for tea and staid all night.
Sunday 31st It was cloudy all day, but the rain held off. Revd E. M. Cowie held service in the Hall in the evening, there was a good congregation over 80 – Collection 19/10.
Mr Cowie staid at Mr Harpers all night.