Interview with Jim McLaughlin

Jim McLaughlin recalls family background, childhood in Westport, education, early work as message boy in Post and Telegraph Department in Westport, the postmaster W T Johnston, details of shifts, duties, salary, uniform and cleanliness, clearing post boxes, discipline, training in morse, layout of Westport Post Office, selling telephones to the farmers, peoples' reaction to telephones initially, operators listening to telephone calls, importance of wrist in sending morse, press telegrams, suicide of telegraphists, mentions work as radio inspector and signals officer in World War II, traits needed for good telegraphy.

Describes earthquakes, Murchison earthquake June 1929, damage, conditions in Nelson, effect of earthquake on communications, land and forestry, relieving work at Nelson Post Office as telegraph cadet, acquaintanceship with Keith and Norma Holyoake, Motueka, transfering to Wellington radio in 1931, Depression in 1930s, work as radio operator in Chatham Islands 1930s, describes place, the post office and the radio station, the spark transmitter, death and funeral of Tommy Solomon, the Moriori, the racing club, life of the Chatham Islanders, fishing, background to becoming radio inspector in Nelson from 1936-1943, work as radio inspector at Nelson in World War II, duties, training radio operators for the Hudson bombers, work as Maori interpreter at the Chatham Islands from 1932-1936.

Talks about work as senior radio inspector in Hamilton from 1943 to 1965, views on engineers, involvement in several Royal visits, reference to some notible Post Office events from 1930-1962, attitude of Head Office to his work, retirement.

Access Contact - See oral history librarian

Venue - Hamilton

Interviewer(s) - Hugo Manson

Venue - 60 Awatere Avenue, Hamilton

Accompanying material - Copies of the following included in printed abstract: Jim McLaughlin's curriculum vitae, typed, two pages; various radiograms to Jim McLaughlin; article from the Waikato times, 24 Mar 1958 entitled 'American satellite heard in Hamilton; 'Powerful signals picked up from Soviet satellite', Waikato times, 14 October 1957; various other articles about the same subject; a letter from Alan Frame from the Old Timers' Club to Jim McLaughlin; editorial by Leo Simpson entitled 'So you think you're an engineer, mate!', Electronics Australia, August 1984.

Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-001240 - OHC-001243

Quantity: 4 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 3.30 Hours and minutes Duration.

Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete AB 161.

Search dates: 1908 - 1985

Alternative form available: Digital copies of the recording and abstract are also available in the Library's Reading Room

No analogue listening copies available