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Date: 22 May 1984

From: NZOHA New Zealand Computer Society Silver Jubilee Oral History Project

By: Robinson, John Vernon, 1926-2015

Reference: OHInt-0093/11

Description: John Robinson was born 31 Dec 1926 at Geraldine. Describes family background, childhood in South Canterbury, education, farming, university scholarship to Canterbury University. Discusses National Research Scholarship at the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, PhD in Structural Engineering; work at the DSIR Dominion Physical Laboratory, part of the Concrete Research Section. Talks about secondment to Ministry of Works, Roxburgh, for practical experience; 1956 Foreign Student Summer Fellowship, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Discusses Ministry of Works, Central Experimental Laboratory, Gracefield, for practical engineering research using scale models. Describes first computer contact with the Whirlwind Computer at MIT, Ministry of Works close interest in the Treasury computer in 1959, involvement in development of government computing. Talks about advantages of computer for calculating and statistical work in traffic engineering, roading, other engineering applications. Recalls first programming course taken by IBM's Bruce Moon, computer as a tool in professional work. Speaks of first Treasury computer: how it worked, programming for it, shared use with other departments, need to use it profitably, long hours worked. Recalls 1963-1964 Harkness Fellowship at MIT to work on the application of computing to engineering, working with Charlie Miller. Returned to the new specialist Systems Section at the Ministry of Works, use of bureau machines, need to hire a complete machine and opposition to that. Talks about the New Zealand Computer Society, Gordon Oed, Errol Jones, first National Conference in Auckland, local manufacture of software and hardware, Progeni, competition between hardware suppliers. Explains different generations of computers, type of people suited to computing, computer industry and politicians, effects of computers on New Zealand society. Venue - Wellington Interviewer(s) - Hugo Manson Venue - Mr Robinson's home in Silverstream Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-001570b/001571/001572/001573a Quantity: 4 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 1 interview(s). 3 Hours Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-0245. Xeroxed photo in project report folder Search dates: 1926 - 1984

Date: 21 Jun 1984 - 1 Jul 1984 - 01 Jul 1984

From: NZOHA New Zealand Computer Society Silver Jubilee Oral History Project

By: Moon, Bruce Alex McGeorge, 1930-

Reference: OHInt-0093/10

Description: Bruce Moon was born 30 Jan 1930 at Christchurch. Describes in detail family background, Otago goldfields, childhood in Dunedin and Bluff, education at Southland Boys High School and Otago University. Talks about employment, first job at AMP, working at the Woomera Long Range Weapons Establishment, Australia. Discusses 2 years' study in England in 1952 at Farnborough and the Admiralty Signals and Radar Establishment, Portsmouth. Speaks of early analog computers applied to areas of weaponry, first digital computer at Cambridge laboratory (EDSAC), Telecommunication Research Establishment at Malvern working with a digital computer capable of arithmetical work. Refers to Australian work on AGWAC - Australian Guidance Weapons Analogue Computer. Describes return to England for further year of work at Malvern. Talks about return to New Zealand, job offer from IBM, programming training given to DSIR scientific staff and other government departments. Describes installations for Treasury, New Zealand Forest Products; proposals for Department of Statistics, Canterbury and Auckland universities. Discusses appointment to Senior Lecturer, Mathematics Department, Canterbury University, 1961. Summarises work with IBM. Talks about Christchurch Branch of New Zealand Computer Society, links between the society and the commercial world. Speaks of his book, "Computer Programming for Science and Engineering", published by Butterworth, 1966. Recalls IBM grant for 1968 study leave in New York and differences between computer work there and in New Zealand. Discusses computer developments at New Zealand Universities, including move to centralisation that was later rescinded. Speaks of becoming General Manager of Business Computers Ltd in 1981, a company aiming to supply total computer systems to chartered accountants, catchment boards and so on. Talks about pioneering days of computing, significant people, future directions. Venue - Wellington Interviewer(s) - Judith Fyfe Venue - Christchurch and Wellington Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-001566/001567/001568/001569 Quantity: 4 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 4 Hours Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-0244. Xeroxed photo in project report folder Search dates: 1930 - 1984

Date: 29 May 1984

From: NZOHA New Zealand Computer Society Silver Jubilee Oral History Project

By: Henley, Arthur John, 1929-

Reference: OHInt-0093/09

Description: Arthur Henley was born 18 May 1929 at Clevedon, Auckland. Describes family background, childhood, education, rugby, geography degree at Auckland University. Talks about employment as an executive trainee, Standard Vacuum Oil Company (later Mobil Oil), Wellington in 1951. Speaks about move to IBM in 1959, one of the first four employees taken on. Mentions Thomas Watson, founder of IBM; the first real computer, the IBM 650; early punchcard and mechanical accounting machines; competition in New Zealand between ICL and IBM. Discusses early data processing systems such as for Treasury, payroll for the Education Department and the Railways, Canterbury University. Recalls running IBM's Christchurch operation, selling punch card equipment to Gough, Gough and Hamer, IGA Grocery Wholesalers, the Mercantile Gazette, flour millers D H Brown. Speaks of Paul Walker of Treasury and Gordon Oed of the New Zealand Post Office. Talks about the kind of people entering computing, women employees, New Zealand Computer Society, development of IBM's business. Describes use of punch cards, early computers, sales incentives, staff turnover, pressures on staff, development of industry in the 1960s. Discusses move to establish computing at South British Insurance in 1968. Speaks of the future of the industry, legislation, changes in use of email and sending documents electronically, use of micro computers. Venue - Auckland Interviewer(s) - Hugo Manson Venue - NZ Insurance Company Office, Shortland Street, Auckland Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-001553b/001559/001560/001561 Quantity: 3 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 3 Hours Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-0242. Xeroxed photo in project report folder Search dates: 1929 - 1984

Date: 15 May 1984 - 16 May 1984

From: NZOHA New Zealand Computer Society Silver Jubilee Oral History Project

By: Peko, Lorin Matthew, 1922-2003; Peko, Edvige Anne, 1923-

Reference: OHInt-0093/01

Description: Lorin Peko was born 16 Oct 1922 at Dargaville. Describes in detail his family background - the son of a Dalmatian (Yugoslav) gumdigger and buyer father and a mother from an early settler family near Makara. Discusses life in the Dalmatian community in Dargaville in the 1920s and 1930s, education, WWII service as Paymaster with NZ Army in Egypt and with J Force. Recalls work with the Audit Department, Treasury, Wellington City Council, beginnings of electronic data processing, Power Samas, early electro-mechanical tabulating machines. Describes introduction and use of various IBM models, including 626, 650, 1401, 360. Talks about the reliability of punch card machines, prejudice against computers, women and computers, attitudes to computer programmers, developments in the computer industry, COBOL, training of programmers, cooperation and competition in the industry, own views on computers. Mentions Roy Clark, Jack Wills, Paul Walker, Databank. Edvige Peko describes Italian background, coping with husband's work, children, own involvement with computers. Venue - Wellington Interviewer(s) - Judith Fyfe Venue - Mr Peko's home in Wellington Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-001538/001539/001540/001541 Quantity: 4 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 4 Hours Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-0235.

Date: 15 May 1984

From: NZOHA New Zealand Computer Society Silver Jubilee Oral History Project

By: Harpham, Percy Wadsley, 1932-

Reference: OHInt-0093/07

Description: Percy Harpham was born 19 May 1932 at Tauranga. Describes family background, childhood, education, going to Auckland University, chemical engineering. Discusses employment at New Zealand Breweries, Dulux (NZ) Ltd. Details involvement with computers during time at Dulux, sales reporting, stock control, operations research, time spent at ICI (UK). Talks about computer technology, programmers and operators, Dulux career, computer disasters. Details establishment and development of Progeni (New Zealand) Ltd in 1968, a company providing software solutions. Recalls difficulty of providing a packet switching network to the New Zealand Post Office, import licensing restrictions on software, government departments' attitude to locally produced software, effect of computer industry on employment, role of computers in training, future of computer industry, Wanganui Computer Centre. Accompanying material - three page biography Venue - Upper Hutt Interviewer(s) - Hugo Manson Venue - Mr Harpham's home in Pinehaven Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-001556/001557/001558 Quantity: 3 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 3 Hours Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-0241. Search dates: 1932 - 1984