Interview with Grant Milne

Grant Milne describes family background, immigration of family to New Zealand, father's attitude to alcohol, childhood in Thames pre 1920, industry in Thames, his primary education, the influenza epidemic, his first interest in radio.

Details being employed by Post Office as an engineering trainee while at Auckland University, importance of morse to the Post Office installing telegraph and telephone systems, carrier systems, opening of the Marton Exchange in 1931, long working hours, Arthur Gibbs - Chief Engineer Auckland, salary, installing telephone systems in Dannevirke, special problems with New Zealand telephone system. Discusses rural party lines and New Zealand developments in this field, O'Leary and introduction of the 'Phantom System', relationship with Head Office, investigations in United Kingdom into distant dialling in 1944 (New Zealand already ahead in trunk dialling), costs of equipment, telephone developments in New Zealand, the newness of New Zealand equipment, Post Office exams, laboratory testing in Wellington in 1933, the Murray Multiplex System, and new equipment in Auckland in 1935.

Discusses effects on family of moves within Post Office, belief that Post Office had low priority in Cabinet, various Postmasters General - Sir Joseph Ward, Sir James Parr, W Nosworthy, J B Donald, Adam Hamilton, Fred Jones, P C Webb, Fred Hackett, W J Broadfoot, Tom Shand, Mike Moohan, T L Hayman, A E Kinsella, and Directors General - A T Markman, George McNamara, J G Young, H M Patrict, Phil Cryer, Charles McFarlane, Dawson Donaldson, over the years with various anecdotes, effect of World War II on Post Office staff, the rural automatic service, broadcasting service, shortages of engineers, the distant toll dialling, the future of the Post Office.

Venue - Wellington

Interviewer(s) - Judith Fyfe

Venue - Clark Street, Khandallah, Wellington

Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-000754 - OHC-000757; OHC-000759; OHC-000770

Quantity: 6 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 5.52 Hours and minutes Duration.

Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete AB 121.

Black and white photographs as follows:. Grant Milne, ca 1961. Grant Milne, 1970

Search dates: 1904 - 1985

Alternative form available:

Listening copies available OHLC-000549 - OHLC-000554