Interview with James (Jim) Hodges

James Carroll Hodges, born at Invercargill in 1929. Backgrounds family history of immigrant great grandparents, grandparents and parents, their occupations, education, accidents and familial connection to local Maori Ngati Mamoe tribe at Colac Bay, Southland. Tells of muttonbirding season activities on the islands, personal links to Maori community, and childhood memories of his mother and maternal grandmother and siblings. Talks about family routines at home in his childhood, games and adventures with siblings and lack of material wealth. Recalls schooling with his Commonwealth medallist headmaster Jim Leckie, and impact of World War Two in the classroom and on local men, plus the family move to Invercargill where he was apprenticed for five years as a cabinetmaker. Talks about working on an Oamaru sheep farm and in Pukeuri freezing works before going to Wellington to take a ship to Australia at the time of the 1951 waterfront lock out. Describes voyage and initial experiences on arrival in Newcastle, working in Sydney as an egg checker and moving north to Leeton, New South Wales. Talks of work life there on a fruit farm, rice farm and at the Letona cannery. Recounts various adventures in the sun, heat, dust storms and flies of the harsh Australian outback climate. Comments on his first impression of Aboriginal people and attitudes of Australians to aborigines and immigrants. He reflects on his desire to assimilate as an average Australian, and his lack of homesickness and communication with home. Talks of seeking work in Broken Hill and Whyalla, where he worked as an engine fireman, life in boarding houses, and his first aeroplane trip to Adelaide and Melbourne. Describes his return to work in the Letona cannery where he met his wife and future brother-in-law. Talks about his wedding and the move to New Zealand in 1952, and how he missed his Australian mates. Describes pressure of renovating their home at the same time as working at a building firm and sheep station, thus missing the birth of his first child. Tells of their trips back to Australia and encouraging Australian friends to emigrate to New Zealand. Talks about his work as a builder and joiner until his lung condition forced him to take a job as a school groundsman and maintence man. Describes his life after retirement at 60, the end of his marriage, selling his home and living in a motor camp. Reflects on the importance in his life of his travel to Australia and the close friendships he made there.

Interviewer(s) - Linda Hepburn

Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHDL-001604

Quantity: 1 digital sound recording(s) digital sound recording(s). 2 Electronic document(s) - abstract. 1 printed abstract(s). 1 digital photograph(s). 1 electronic scan(s) of original black and white photographic print(s). 1 interview(s). 6.10 Hours and minutes Duration.

Physical Description: Sound files - wave files; Textual files - Microsoft word; Image files - Tiff

Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-7448, OHDL-001605.

Scanned B&W photograph of Jim Hodges in Australia in the 1950s; photograph of Jim Hodges taken at the time of his interview in March 2011

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

Alternative form available: Both printed and digital versions of the abstract are available