Interview with Wayman Roughan

Wayman Roughan was born in Lawrence in 1951. Traces his family's history in Lawrence back to 1861. Describes his father moving to their farm in 1945. Recalls schooling at Lawrence District High School. Notes the community was bigger in the 1950s as most farms had married couples. Describes the growth in tourism and the number of cribs (baches) in the town. Discusses the size and nature of the family farm in terms of economic downturn. Describes going to Telford Farm Training School after high school. Describes the involvement of both he and his father in St Johns Ambulance. Lists services in Lawrence.

Describes returning to work on the family farm after Telford. Mentions rabbit problems. Recalls his father's death and taking over the farm at the age of twenty one. Describes marrying Merle Roberts and talks about their three children and a decision to send them to boarding school. Discusses changes in farm economics and farm practices. Discusses his work on the Clutha District Council and changes since amalgamation the of local bodies. Mentions the time commitment with local body politics.

Describes the background history of the Tuapeka dam and the four schemes originally proposed in 1987. Recalls the announcement of the preferred option and anger at the public meeting at Beaumont. Comments that the Tuapeka Mouth meeting was totally different. Discusses the Joint Local Authority Liaison Group and advice based on experience with ECNZ during the building of the Clyde dam. Describes the attitude of locals to his membership of the joint committee. Explains reasons for the public support of the Community Board for the Tuapeka option. Refers to some personal abuse. Explains the main local concerns and his own reservations. Refers to a split between Friends of Beaumont (FOB) and Residents of Beaumont (ROB). Discusses the sale of land to ECNZ and ECNZ's poor public relations. Comments on media coverage of the issue. Describes meetings with ECNZ on behalf of the District Council and Residents of Beaumont. Mentions Keith Turner, John Rutherford, Sally Marx and Dianne Buchan. Discusses the acquisition of land by ECNZ and refers to the future of Beaumont if the dam does not proceed. Comments on the native bush on Birch Island. Refers to the Tuapeka Mouth punt and its anniversary celebrations.

Mentions lack of involvement by the District Council. Lists Community Board members and explains the split over the Tuapeka option. Mentions his role as Community Board chairman and refers to a role on the Planning Tribunal. Comments on the effect of Council on his life.

Interviewer(s) - Jerome Cvitanovich

Quantity: 2 C60 cassette(s). 1 interview(s). 2 Hours Duration.

Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-2633.

Photograph of Wayman Roughan

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

Alternative form available: Listening copies OHLC-004298 to OHLC-004299