Spectrum was a long-running weekly radio documentary series which captured the essence of New Zealand from 1972 to 2016. Alwyn Owen and Jack Perkins produced the series for many years, creating a valuable library of New Zealand oral history.
In the Wairau Valley, south of Blenheim, lies the farm of Wacka Anderson. With his cob homestead, innumerable pet animals, peg-leg and warm heart, he is something of a Marlborough legend. Wacka Anderson talks with Jack Perkins and tours the farm in his London taxi.
62 year old Wacka (Weldon) Anderson has farmed at the foot of Mt Patriarch in the Wairau Valley since the end of the second World War. Wacka moved to the Wairau valley in 1950. He lives in a cob house and is a bachelor.
Perkins accompanies Wacka around his farm. Wacka keeps geese, lambs, goats, cats and dogs. He’s rescued some of the animals. He sometimes takes in people who are down on their luck for a few nights. Some people come to Wacka’s to dry out.
Wacka has a friend, George, who works at the rubbish dump in town and saves him good clothes, furniture and other bits and pieces; he gets bread for his pigs, and sometimes food for himself.
Wacka was involved in the black market at the end of World War II. He got caught selling wheat and was imprisoned for 18 months, but was released to serve in Egypt. Wacka escaped and returned to Italy. He continued to transport and sell wheat. After the war he spent time in a city called Biella where he transported material to the south. After the war people were left with only army uniforms so there was a big market for dress material. He was caught once again and sent to Egypt and then onwards to New Zealand. Back in New Zealand he spent some time in Mount Crawford Prison before being transferred to Wi Tako Prison. A friend of Wacka’s met with Sidney Holland who released eight prisoners, including Wacka.
Wacka lives in a cob house. Its is made out of mud, tussock and salt. The house has walls that are 2 feet think and have been whitewashed. It was built 1906. Cows lick the walls because they like the salt, but it can erode the walls. Wacka has taken to smearing sump oil on the walls to deter them, and has concreted another wall. He has put a fence around the house which has helped. Inside Wacka’s house, the hens have laid eggs on his bed, and we meet his special cat. We hear about his collection of suits, some have come from overseas, some from the dump. Wacka shows Perkins his new chainsaw which he’ll use for butchery.
Wacka only has one leg but gets around on his tractor or in his Land Rover. He has a peg leg made from some pipe. He has a prosthetic leg with a shoe but it feels awkward. He lost his leg during a tractor accident 15 years ago.
Perkins observes that Wacka has London taxi cab. He takes it to town and runs around the farm in it.
Wacka has never married, but has no regrets. There are rumours that he’s a millionaire. He doesn’t have a lot of cash, but his farm is worth a lot. If he dies, says Wacka, the farm will go to Muldoon. He doesn’t have a will. And now in his 60’s he has cut down on his beer drinking and women.