Detector dogs

Date: 13 Jun 2008

From: MAF Biosecurity New Zealand oral history project

By: Emery, Nicholas Francis, 1937-

Reference: OHInt-0975-10

Description: Interview with Nick (Nicholas) Emery, born in England in 1937. Refers to his family moving to Kenya after World War II, the Kenyan independence uprising, joining the Army when he left school, then doing farm work until he went to England to study at an agricultural college. Mentions returning to Kenya, marrying in 1961, and emigrating to New Zealand where he worked on a farm near Helensville and then in a sawmill. Comments on the quarantine risk of their household goods when they arrived in the country. Discusses joining the Port Agriculture Service in Auckland in 1963, the work manual and tools he was issued with, and on-the-job training. Mentions training courses he attended, and becoming an instructor later. Comments on inspecting mail at the mail centre and the reasons for searching all parcels from some countries. Talks about meeting cargo ships when they arrived in port, checking ship-board animals, sealing meat lockers, dealing with ship garbage, and inspecting cargo. Refers to inspecting Island trader ships and their produce, particularly for insect pests. Explains how goods from passenger ships were inspected. Refers to inspecting ships with ammunition on board at Kawakawa Bay, and to having trouble inspecting Japanese fishing boats. Discusses the introduction of containers for cargo, their quarantine risk and the need for publicity, and the introduction of off-wharf inspection areas. Refers to giant African snails arriving on the underside of containers from Pacific islands. Talks about fumigation work, gases used, and training. Recalls meeting aircraft, goods and baggage inspection, and spraying in aircraft for insects. Mentions the staff rosters for airport duty and the long hours worked after Mangere airport opened in 1966. Talks about changes to the system for meeting passengers as passenger numbers increased, and dealing with VIPs including diplomats, royalty and the Pope. Refers to learning words of welcome in different languages and the availability of interpreters. Mentions the fruit fly outbreak in Mt Roskill in 1996, the role of airlines in publicising quarantine regulations, and the introduction of beagle sniffer dogs and x-ray machines at airports. Talks about the development of residual disinfection of aircraft as passenger objections to direct spraying increased. Describes inspecting air cargo including animals. Refers to inspecting export produce at the city markets and in pack houses. Reflects on the Service having a very low staff turnover, and to the appointment of Mary Middleton as the first woman on staff in Auckland. Comments on moving into a management position, being rotated between the port and airport and the meetings involved. Mentions restructurings within the Department, Ministry and Service during his career. Recalls spending time in Tonga helping set up a training system for quarantine, a visit to Niue, and contact with the Australian Quarantine inspection Service on disinfection of aircraft. Recalls the work of Julian Brown, Sam Jamieson, Travis Flint, Ian Knox, Charlie Cooper, Brian Rose and others. Interviewer(s) - Megan Hutching Accompanying material - leaflet "The history of biosecurity border inspection in New Zealand" which includes a photo of Nick Emery in uniform with a dog (with printed abstract) Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHDL-002007 Quantity: 1 digital sound recording(s) digital sound recording(s). 2 Electronic document(s) (abstract, form). 2 digital photograph(s). 1 interview(s). 2.57 Hours and minutes Duration. Physical Description: Sound files - wave files; Textual files - Microsoft word; Image files - jpeg Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHDL-002008, OHA-7305. Photographs of: Nick Emery, his Quarantine Officer's bag containing his tool kit (both 13 June 2008) Search dates: 1937 - 2008

Date: 1 August 1987

From: Dominion Post (Newspaper): Photographic negatives and prints of the Evening Post and Dominion newspapers

Reference: EP/1987/3888-F

Description: Ace, a drug sniffer dog, is carried down a steep stairway on the ship, Union Rotorua, by his handler. Photographed by Evening Post staff photographer Phil Reid 1 August 1987. Quantity: 1 b&w original negative(s) 35mm negative strip comprising 3 images. Physical Description: Cellulose triacetate film negative, 35mm

Date: 11, 12 July 2011 - 11 Jul 2011 - 12 Jul 2011

From: Wildlife Service oral history project

By: O'Brien, James Francis, 1941-

Reference: OHInt-0988-04

Description: Interview with Jim O'Brien, born in Wellington in 1941. Outlines his family background, schooling, sport and fishing. Refers to wanting "something outdoorsy" when he left school, initially getting a clerical cadetship in the Wildlife Service, and later becoming a Wildlife Service trainee. Mentions Kai Westerskov, Brian Bell and Don Merton. Describes living in the field, raising trout at Turangi, and the game farm at Bulls where partridges were raised. Mentions working on offshore islands and the risks from illness and serious accidents. Comments on the long hours worked in the field and the dedication needed for predator control. Discusses field equipment and how it has improved over the years. Talks about the range of skills he taught trainees. Refers to learning from an old timer Harry Tanfield, the contributions of volunteers to conservation work, and valuable schemes using the unemployed. Discusses the contributions of the Navy to transporting equipment and personnel to Macauley Island for exterminating goats. Refers to other pest control projects from the 1960s - cats on Little Barrier Island, rats on Big South Cape Island, and possums on Codfish Island to prepare it for kakapo. Mentions the need to relocate saddlebacks, snipe and wren to offshore islands and the assistance from the Navy. Refers to having a dog for finding birds for relocation, and other dogs being trained for predator control on islands. Talks about instances when endangered birds transferred to islands were lost when rats returned to the islands. Comments that the public were ahead of politicians in seeing the needs but management of wildlife was spread across departments. Mentions there are now Ministers for Conservation and the Environment but funding is still a struggle. Refers to the importance of conservation centres and sanctuaries such as Zealandia for promoting the work to the public and the media. Talks about the social isolation for staff and trainees in the field, and deciding to reduce his fieldwork when he married. Outlines working as a writer in Information Services, being a training officer, doing law enforcement work, and being Assistant Director 1976-1984, then Deputy Director 1985-1987. Comments on the contributions made by women once they were allowed to join the Service. Talks about the formation of the Department of Conservation (DOC) and the pace of change in 1987. Refers to not transferring to DOC in 1987 and outlines his subsequent career including working as a trainer for Marriage Guidance NZ. Discusses his continuing interest in fishing. Reminisces about former colleagues from the Wildlife Service. Interviewer(s) - Julia Brooke-White Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHDL-001688 Quantity: 1 digital sound recording(s). 6 Electronic document(s) - abstract. 1 printed abstract(s). 1 digital photograph(s). 1 electronic scan(s) of original colour photographic print(s). 1 interview(s). 4.15 Hours and minutes Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHDL-001686, OHA-7500. Search dates: 1941 - 2011

Date: 12 January 1989

From: Dominion Post (Newspaper): Photographic negatives and prints of the Evening Post and Dominion newspapers

By: Hunter, Martin, active 1980s

Reference: EP/1989/0138-F

Description: Department of Conservation technician, Rogan Colbourne, and the sniffer dog, Tess, who he has trained to locate Kiwis in the wild. Photographed by Evening Post staff photographer Martin Hunter 12 January 1989. Tess was the second labrador to be trained by the Department of Conservation, to sniff out kiwi from their forest floor burrows. Quantity: 1 b&w original negative(s) strip with 3 images. Physical Description: Cellulose triacetate negative, 35mm

Date: 2013

From: Smith, Ashley W, 1948- :[Digital cartoons published in the Shipping Gazette, MG Business, or Presto]

By: New Zealand shipping gazette (Periodical)

Reference: DCDL-0026298

Description: Cartoon shows a very excited sniffer dog dragging its handler to the ground as it jumps onto a package carousel labelled 'imports' to hump a box. A voice out of frame says 'Looks like Buster has found another shipment of those pills'. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).