Mobile Unit. Ngaruawahia farming

Rights Information
Year
1947
Reference
5124
Media type
Audio
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Rights Information
Year
1947
Reference
5124
Media type
Audio
Series
Mobile Unit - NZ oral history, 1946-1948
Categories
Interviews (Sound recordings)
Oral histories
Sound recordings
Duration
00:30:42
Credits
RNZ Collection
Little, Jack, Interviewee
New Zealand Broadcasting Service. Mobile Recording Unit, Broadcaster

Jack Little recalls memories of Ngaruawahia and dairy farming.

The farm has belonged to the Little family since the end of the wars in 1864. It passed to Jack Little when his father died in 1917. His father originally came from Belfast, he spent some time gold digging in Australia and Otago before joining the army at the time of the New Zealand Wars. His father fought in the 4th Waikato Regiment under Cameron, then settled in Ngaruawahia after the war. The farm is mostly dairy, with some sheep.

Mr Little speaks about transporting milk from the farm up the river on a launch, and the processing of the milk at the factory. Winter and poor weather brought difficulties with transportation. Mr Little recalls the first day his father took milk to the factory, in a cart – an accident broke the cart shaft, and the milk was spilled. He then speaks about road conditions, and the layout of early Ngaruawahia.

Mr Little recalls the first regatta and canoe racing in Ngaruawahia. He has attended every regatta since. He also recalls the 1907 flood, and the depth of the water covering the farms on the flats – a steamer could cross the paddocks. There is discussion on steamers and transport of goods up the river. The amusements at the time were mostly dances, and travelling theatricals would come to Ngaruawahia, including one with the first gramophone in the area. Sports such as football were also popular. He used to do a lot of shooting, especially of birds – ducks and pigeon. Sometimes he would go pig hunting, and also for pheasants and rabbits.

He recalls swimming his horse across the river when visiting his wife in their courting days. He then speaks about industries in Ngaruawahia – the timber mill, flax mill, the butter factory, and also a flour mill in the very early times. Part 2 concludes with Mr Little saying he believes “Ngaruawahia” means “meeting of the waters”.

His father used to grow potatoes, and often had too many to sell. Local Māori dug and sorted them, then stored them in a pit ready for when his father got an order. Mr Little recalls his mother making cream into butter for the local store, before the days of the factory processing. She would churn it by hand, and it was very good quality. The cost of living was a lot cheaper than at the time of recording - a four pound loaf of bread cost sixpence, and a bottle of whisky was ten shillings. Pubs would open at 6am, and close at 10pm. Mr Little also recalls the first picture-house in the area, where the films were run via a dynamo as electricity wasn’t available. There wasn’t any electric street lighting then either.

Mr Little then talks about bridges across the Waipa River – the first collapsed with cattle going over it, and he recalls the construction of the second one and tolls charged to use it. A punt across the river was used to cross prior to the bridges.

Actual recording date unknown.