Interview with John Hayes

John Hayes was born in Hastings in 1940. He spent his early years in Wellington returning to Hawkes Bay at the age of seven. Comments that he did not know his father who was overseas during World War II and then separated from his mother. Recalls living with his grandmother in Lower Hutt while his mother was matron at Wellesley College, Eastbourne. Recalls his mother remarrying in 1950.

Describes being a boarder at Napier Boys High School and leaving school at the age of sixteen to go shepherding. Recalls that his parents drew a farm block in the Waikato. Describes working on a station milking cows and making butter. Talks about his marriage in 1966 and becoming manager of a farm inland from Wairoa. Describes working on another property near Wairoa and comments on relationships amongst staff. Mentions violence. Describes managing a property between Gisborne and Wairoa. Recalls Maori shearing gangs and a thriving rural infrastructure. Talks about hunting in the Ureweras, buying an old home and developing the land, an increase in land values and buying a smaller property at Tongoio. Mentions his wife's death from cancer.

Recalls working with Elders Pastoral as goat co-ordinator, moving to Waipukurau as general agent and the devastation of Cyclone Bola. Recalls returning to Tongoio, community spirit, tennis matches and meeting his new partner. Describes moving to Havelock North and working for Mobil. Describes overseas travel and his family's activities. Discusses new developments in farming including the farming of ostriches, emus and llamas and reafforestation. Recalls the speed with which farming changed as a result of the removal of farm subsidies and deregulation.

Discusses parochialism and the issue of the location of Hawkes Bay hospital. Discusses Maori protestors. Talks about collecting things, garage sales, car boot sales and auctions. Discusses his stable where he keeps his collection of hill country machinery. Talks about tourism and the nationalities of tourists. Mentions his partner's Dutch origins and returning to Holland with her. Discusses clothing including the Swandri. Talks about buying and selling totara posts and batons. Recalls being part of the Hawkes Bay Hunt which hunts the hare. Comments on MMP. Mentions a son who has returned from his OE (overseas experience) and relationships as a result of the OE. Comments on the cost of tertiary education.

Interviewer(s) - Robert Paton

Interviewer(s) - Joyce Paton

Accompanying material - Newspaper cutting about his business Totata Antique Posts which he runs from Totara Stables.

Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-7924,7925,7926,7927; OHLC-4031,4032,4033,4034.

Quantity: 4 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 1 interview(s). 4 Hours Duration.

Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-2138.

Photograph of John Hayes in accompanying newspaper cutting

Search dates: 1940 - 1996

Original recordings not available for playback. Surrogate copies will be provided.

Alternative form available: Listening copies OHLC-004031 - OHLC-004034