Manawatū Conversations

Well known in Palmerston North music scene.

Raised in Whanganui. Interested in drama but had a speech impediment so took up piano.

Didn’t have a piano at home so practiced on other people’s pianos.

Started piano lessons when at intermediate school. Eventually got a piano.

Went to Whanganui Collegiate as a day boy and met a piano teacher, Maurice Collier.

Piano teaching was not part of school curriculum so parents had to pay. Was a duck out of water because most boys played sport.

Spent most of the first term in hospital with peritonitis.

Was school prefect during his last year at school and was required to cane other boys which he didn’t like.

Went to Canterbury University where Maurice Till was a piano tutor.

Focused on doing a BA in English. Music was part of BA. Sang in university choir. Also had to do chamber music.

While performing at the Ngaio Marsh Theatre the piano caught in the rising curtain and lifted it off the floor.

He owns an electronic keyboard but won’t use it for performances. The acoustic piano offers a greater range of colour and variety of sound. He prefers a grand piano.

Group discussion, Easter and Christmas

Suggested that Easter is a bigger Christian festival than Christmas.

Easter chocolates, hot cross buns, Sunday roast lamb.

Some people have no meat on Good Friday. Fish is ok.

Easter not mentioned in schools because of diverse religious groups.

A big change in Easter shopping hours in recent years.

Christmas – a trend towards a more easily prepared Christmas lunch so everyone can participate in pre-lunch socialising. Barbeques and salads.

In years gone by – Christmas pudding with coins in it.

Christmas cake. Carols. Crackers.

In northern hemisphere, Christmas breaks up the monotony of long, cold days.

Brass bands travelling around the neighbourhood on the back of trucks playing Christmas carols.

Christmas lights in London. Snow on English roads melted by spreading salt which caused rust in cars.

Presents from parents for children in pillow cases when they woke on Christmas Day but other presents under the Christmas tree for opening later.

Sunday roast dinners.

No refrigerators. Perishable food was kept in safes with air flow.

Roast chicken only for special occasions.

Difference between European and Asian styles of eating and food of different ethnicities.

Ingredients difficult to get during war years.

Milk delivered early in the morning by a milkman. Billies no bottles.

Milk at schools for health reasons. Problem with keeping it out of the sun.

Milk puddings.

Britain used to have school dinners. Some New Zealand schools now serve lunch.

Discussion about children’s footwear.

Children now encouraged to grow their own produce.

An oral history interview looking at the past and present of Palmerston North and the Manawatū, produced by Manawatū People's Radio with the support of New Zealand On Air.

An oral history interview looking at the past and present of Palmerston North and the Manawatū, produced by Manawatū People's Radio with the support of New Zealand On Air.

Neill Haggarty part 2 of 2. Explains difference between endemic, native, introduced and vagrant birds.

Endemic bird population is reducing because of loss of habitat caused by humans.

Efforts are being made to develop reserves and eliminate predators.

Tuis have adapted to urban environment because of planting of nectar trees.

Tuis move out of town to bush areas such as Turitea Valley and lower Ruahines at night.

He talks about migratory birds.

Manawatu Estuary a world heritage site.

Photography useful to help with identification.

New Zealand considered seabird capital of the world.

Blue duck (Whio) is rare (endemic) and found nowhere else in the world

Neill Haggarty part 1 of 2. Involved with New Zealand Bird Atlas probably largest citizen science project undertaken in NZ. In conjunction with Cornell University ornithology laboratory. Part of a worldwide project.

Running over five years – ending May 2024 – to determine distribution and abundance of every bird species seen.

Observations recorded digitally using GPS.

New Zealand divided into squares and each observation placed in a square. May be different environments in the same square.

Reviewers check observations and may ask for more information.

www.ebird.org

In early days social life at Taikorea included outdoor bowls and indoor bowls. Bowling green on Keith’s farm.

Indoor bowling involved other rural communities. Also table tennis.

Neighbours helped each other e.g hay making and machinery.

Active church and Sunday school

Keith’s grandfather, Ted Print, was farming in the area since 1908.

Pakehas, no Maori.Has contact with distant relations in England. Family history goes back to pre 1840s.

Family reunion in 1990. 450 Hunt family attended.

Interest in travel started in 1963 with holiday in Australia. Worked in England. Large arable farms and class system.

Travelled to USA. 90 day Greyhound bus pass. Went to Canada then Wales and Scotland.

Returned to NZ married Raewyn in 1976 and purchased farm from his father in 1978 and built house 1980

Born in Palmerston North. Grew up on family farm at Taikorea, Manawatu.

Father had two farms one of which was leased. Changed from dairy farming to sheep 1960 – 1965 then switched back to dairy. About 80 cows. Supplied cream to Rongotea dairy factory.

Very profitable. Whole family went to Australia for a holiday which whetted his appetite for travel. Has travelled extensively including tramping to base camp in Himalayas.

Father married Nancy Print.

Keith attended Palmerston North Boys High School and left at age 15.

Married Raewyn Edwards from New Plymouth, a teacher, in 1976.

Leased then bought a farm from his father and ran beef.

Enjoyed buying and selling cattle. A good relationship with stock agents. A lot of business conducted by phone which was difficult with a party line.

Established Sanson Transport in 1989.

Groceries delivered from Rongotea.

More corporate farms these days but still some family farms. Dairy herds and farms now much larger. Rural population declining. Schools, churches and communities closing.

Ngaire Finkle, Part 2 of 2. Involvement with Soroptimist International for 24 years from the 1980s. Working with a group in Thailand to counter trafficking of women and children. Also fundraising for clearing landmines. Travelling around NZ and for international conferences in Australia. Travel to Mongolia to see results of fundraising. Ger (yurt) tents. Poverty in Mongolia. Poor roads, traffic. Mongolian husbands going to Russia for work, not returning. On to Thailand for a conference, big contrast. Started with Zonta, then switched to Soroptimists and stayed. Monthly meetings. Numbers dropping off. Younger people not joining. Also for car clubs. Comparison with Zonta. Miniature Makers club, dolls’ houses, etc..

Ngaire Finkle, Part 1 of 2. Hostess on the Silver Fern in the early 1970s. Uniforms. Hours of work. Duties, types of passenger, behaviour. Alcohol and smoking on the train. Moved on to office work after 6½ years. Wanted to keep in touch with computers as important developments happening for work. Worked for a travel company, 6 week holiday in Australia. (Dog noises in the background.) Saw a very long train. Family background in railways. Moved to Palmerston North for husband’s railways work.