Mattie’s family lived at Hakataramea until getting a balloted farm at Beaumont around 1915. Beaumont was a thriving community until the railway closed. Grocery, butchery and bakery deliveries were once a week. Mattie describes the effects of her mother breaking her leg, her father’s ill health and her brother Alister’s war service which lead to his death in the Solomon Islands. Mattie took charge of the Post Office and Telephone Exchange. After her marriage they moved to her husband’s family farm at Mokoreta where they farmed sheep and 10-20 cows which were milked by hand until electricity was installed. As a family they participated in community activities e.g. pipe band, Women’s Division, and the School Committee.