Interview with Tony Batley

Tony Batley outlines his family history going back to 1863 when his grandfather joined the crew of the `Royal Bride` which sailed to New Zealand and anchored off the coast at Napier (Paytoney) where a local gale blew the vessel over. Local Maori formed a living chain and saved the crew - Grandfather was thirteen years old with no possessions. Was hired for a couple of years by Sir Donald McLean who had a sheep station at Marae Kakako. Evenually in 1882, after several jobs, grandfather returned to Moawhango and opened a store with his brother Thomas Snelling and in 1883 opened a post office. He acted as interpreter for the Maori Land Court held in Moawhango in 1894.

Discusses his life in Taihape, apart from 4 years in the Airforce, which included a course in firearms in Levin and Ohakea camp before duty in the Solomon Islands, arriving in Guadacannal on his 21st birthday. Recalls the RNZ Airforce camp called `Bloody Knoll on Ridge' had been a scene of heavy fighting in 1942. Describes the tension. Refers to Ventura bombers, the S Brauning Machine guns and depth charges. Describes the impact of returning to Moawhango and the Taihape district and how it re-awakened his interest in the history of the area and in 1946 he began to abstract his grandfather's diaries and relates extracts from them.

Describes many interests. He was on the Council of the Polynesian Society; was a Board Member of the New Zealand Historic Places Trust; Chairman of the Kaimanawa Kaueha Forest Park Advisory Committe; President of the New Zealand Archaeological Society and currently on the New Zealand Historic Places Trust Regional Committee, Wanganui.

Discusses the peopling of inland Patea by Tamtea and his descendants. Notes that Ngati Hotu were the original iwi. Discusses Winiata marae and the Moawhango and Orua Matua carved houses. Tells the story of Ngatarua and land given to Ngati Hinemanu.

Abstracted by - Susan Hawes

Interviewer(s) - Susan Hawes

Recorded by - Susan Hawes

Venue - The Homested, Moawhango

Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-006749-006755; OHLCD-1295-1300

Quantity: 7 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 6.30 Hours and minutes Duration.

Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-1530.

5 photographs

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

Alternative form available: A digital copy of the recording is available in the Library's Reading Room.Listening copies are available at OHLCD-1294 to OHLCD-1300. Copies also held at Whanganui Regional Museum