September 1898

Thursday 1st   It was a showery day.  I split some palings and finished making the fowl yard in the stockyard.
Minnie & Violet Harper came from Pakiri to go to the confirmation class, they staid all night.
We had a confirmation class in the Hall in the evening, there were 12 present.

Friday 2nd   There were a few showers in the morning, but it was fine in the afternoon.  Minnie & Violet Harper returned to Pakiri in the morning.  Mrs C. Gravatt came in the morning and staid for dinner.
Willie and I crosscutted a pine log into blocks that were lying on the ground in the garden, we also carried out pine branches.
Killed a Sheep in the afternoon.  We put the Rooster and 7 Hens into the fowl yard in the evening.

Saturday 3rd   It was dull in the morning, but it was a fine day, a few slight showers in the pm.  I took the mutton out in the morning.  I pitched all the pine branches that were in the pigs paddock over the fence into the garden to burn.  I planted out 3 Peach trees in the orchard.  Willie went fishing to the Goat Island and he brought home a few rock cods.

Sunday 4th   It was a fine day.  Jane rode up to Mauds in the morning and Maud & Florrie returned with her in the afternoon.  Maud had tea here and then she went down to the beach to help nurse Aunt Jane and Grandmother.
After dinner I went down to the beach to see the sick people and then went across the beach to the Hall to conduct service, there was a better congregation than usual.

Monday 5th   It was a fine day.  I was pruning the Apricot trees in this orchard.  Took the Eggs down to the Store in the afternoon.  Maud and I went to call on Miss Niccol in the evening.

Tuesday 6th   It was a fine day.  I was pruning Apricot trees in the morning.  Miss Niccol and Miss Mitchell came here for dinner, they went away by the Steamer, Miss Niccol has got a months leave of absence on account of losing her voice.  Mrs Heney came down by the Steamer as releaving teacher in Miss Niccols place, she brought two children down with her, we were all down to the Steamer.
Willie was out fishing, and brought home a few fish.

Wednesday 7th   It was a fine day.  Mrs Heney commenced teaching School today.  Maud & Florrie returned home.  Jane went with them up the hill and then went to Kempts where she staid all night.
I was pruning in this orchard all day.

Thursday 8th   There were several showers during the day.  Jane returned from Kempts in the morning.  I was pruning in this orchard all day.

Friday 9th   It was a fine day.  I was pruning trees in this orchard.  Willie did not go to School, but burnt a big heap of pine branches in the front of the house.  We killed a Sheep in the afternoon.  I went to the Library in the evening.

Saturday 10th   I took the mutton out in the morning, while coming home there was a heavy shower of rain and I got wet and had to change my clothes.  I was pruning trees in this orchard.  Went down to Dunnings Beach late in the afternoon to get some shell sand for the fowls.  Set a hen in the manger with 13 Eggs of our own.
Willie went fishing to Ti Point, he did not come home until 8.30.  He had been out in a boat with Harold Torkington and brought home 2 Schnapper & 2 Rock Cod.

Sunday 11th   It was a fine day.  I read service in the Hall in the pm, there was a fair congregation.

Monday 12th   It was a fine day with the exception of a heavy shower in the afternoon.  I was pruning trees in this orchard all day.  Took the Eggs to the Store in the afternoon.  Willie & I went to Mrs Fordhams in the evening.

Tuesday 13th   It was a fine day.    I set a hen in the pine branches with 13 Eggs of our own.  I was pruning trees in the morning.  Went down to the Steamer in the afternoon.  Jane went over to Mr Sims to a rehearsal and staid all night.

Wednesday 14th   It was a very fine day.   Jane returned in the morning.  I heard last night that Chloe was dead in the E.R. so Willie and I went down there in the morning  and took a piece of her hide off and then buried her.  We commenced digging the piece of ground that was in Maize last year.
J. Salt came to spend the evening.

Thursday 15th   It rained heavily last night, and nearly all this morning, it cleared up in the afternoon but there was a very heavy shower after 4 pm.  I pruned a few trees while it was fine.
Joe Torkington took Empress over to Pakiri in the afternoon and brought Minnie home in the evening.

Friday 16th   It was fine all day, but it rained steadily all evening.
I was pruning tree in this orchard in the morning.  Minnie was doing up the flower garden and planting cuttings that she brought from Pakiri.  We killed a Sheep in the pm.

Saturday 17th   It was a fine day.    Only a few slight showers.  I took the mutton out in the morning.  Went down to the saw pit in the pm to get some saw dust and then pruned some trees in the farm orchard.  Willie & Jane went fishing to the Goat Island beach, Willie caught 3 fish.  Minnie went to Ti Point and got some Oysters.
Ernest Wyatt came in the evening to pay a grazing account, Joe T also spent the evening here.

Sunday 18th   There were some heavy showers in the morning, but it was fine in the afternoon.  I read service in the Hall in the pm.  Willie went to spend the day at Mauds.  Joe T was here for tea.

Monday 19th   It was fine in the morning.  Jane helped me dig the piece of ground that was in Maize last year.  It rained very heavy in the afternoon and stopped us working.
There was a meeting of the School Committee in the Library, there were only 3 present.  Ellis Dyer came to spend the evening and staid all night.  It rained nearly all night.

Tuesday 20th  There were some heavy showers during the day.  I hauled a box of 12½ Doz Eggs down to the wharf in the morning to send away by the Steamer consigned to Mr W. W. Dumper, Grocer etc Ponsonby Road.  And I hauled up a Sack of Bran that I got at Harpers store.  We all went down to meet the Steamer in the afternoon, she was not able to come alongside of the wharf so had to boat everything to and from the Steamer.  Minnie & Jane rode over to Mr Sims in the evening to the rehearsal.

Wednesday 21st   It was a fine day, but very windy.  I was pruning in the farm orchard in the morning.  I set a black hen in the fowl house on 13 Eggs of our own.  Jane helped me and we finished digging the piece of ground that was in maize last year.

Thursday 22nd   It was a fine day.    I was pruning in the farm orchard all day.  Mrs Heney and son came here for tea and spent the evening.

Friday 23rd   It was a fine day.    Willie staid at home and helped me in the E.R.  I stuck the row of Peas, Willie was flat hoeing some of the Potatoes and I moulded up a few rows.
Jane came home just before dinner and we got the Sheep in the pen  and took one home which we killed in the latter part of the pm.  I was digging in the flower garden after dinner.
There was a meeting of delegates up at the Library to arrange about building a Road Board Office and Library in the Village of Leigh.

Saturday 24th   It rained very heavy early in the morning.  I took the mutton out and then after an early dinner I rode up the hill, I called in at Mr Greenwoods to see him as he is laid up with a bad leg , I then went on to John Greenwood Jnr where I met Messrs H. Brown & D. Kempt and we went to inspect a road deviation contracted for by Mr Jas Greenwood, we did not pass it as it is not done according to specification.  We then all came down the hill and held a Road Board meeting in the Hall.  D. Kempt came up here for tea and we went down to the Village again, there was to have been a meeting of the Farmers & Fruitgrowers Association, but as only 5 members turned up there was no meeting.

Sunday 25th   It was a fine day.    Revd R. McKinney held service in the Hall in the morning.  Minnie, Jane & I went.  Mabel was here for dinner.  Jane & I rode over to Dacres Claim Hall where Revd R. McKinney preached, there was a very large congregation.
I went up to Mr Birdsalls for tea, returning home in the evening.

Monday 26th   It was a fine day.    I put in a new clothes post in the morning, afterwards went down to the saw pit and carried up some sawdust for packing eggs in.  In the afternoon I was pruning in the farm orchard.
Jane went to the rehearsal at Mr Sims in the evening.

Tuesday 27th   It was a fine day.    I got the bullocks up and hauled a box of Eggs down to the Steamer and hauled up a return egg box full of groceries, also a bag of gravel & a  fowl crate.
Annie Harper and Ernest Wyatt were here to spend the evening.

Wednesday 28th   It was a very fine day.    I finished pruning in the farm orchard.  Minnie was working in the flower garden all day.  Mrs Ellis Dyer & Jim Dunning came in the evening, they were going to the dance in the evening in this Hall, Jane went with them.

Thursday 29th   It was a fine day, but it looked threatening in the evening.  I was putting in posts to fix the wire netting to divide the flower garden from the vegetables.  There was a meeting of the confirmation class in the evening, there were 12 present.

Friday 30th   I finished putting in the posts of the fence near flower garden.  It rained all afternoon and evening

Memo’
The Fowls laid 936 Eggs during the month of September
=  78 Doz  Valued at £1 . 19 . 0