Linen industry

Date: 19 Aug 1998

From: Southland oral history project

By: Dawson, Ailsa, active 1998; McMillan, Mary Ferguson, 1908-

Reference: OHInt-0464/15

Description: Mary McMillan was born in Invercargill in 1908 along with her twin brother Andrew. Describes her family and memories of living at Moa Flat where her father managed Howell's Estate. Describes the death of Mr Howell in a buggy accident and purchase of a farm near Waituna. Mentions cobalt deficiency and sheep deaths. Notes her father died from pernicious anaemia caused by the lack of cobalt. Recalls attending school at Waituna, childhood games (rounders and marbles), walking to school, first motor cars she saw, a diphtheria epidemic and attending Technical College in Invercargill. Recalls the house her father built of red pine with a superheater and a wash-house. Describes how her parents died when she was twenty and she and her sister brought up the younger children. Recalls bachelor and spinster balls, dances, card evenings, tennis games and the opening of the hall. Mentions knitting for soldiers in World War II. Talks about washing day and cooking for fifteen threshing mill workers for three meals a day for a week. Describes the dairy factory at Oteramika and the making of Stilton cheese by Mr Saxelby at Woodlands. Mentions a rabbit canning factory and linen flax factory. Notes the use of linen flax during the war. Describes marrying neighbour Alexander McMillan and moving to Waituna. Interviewer(s) - Ailsa Dawson Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-008618 Quantity: 1 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 1 interview(s). 1 Hours Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-2692. Photos of Mary McMillan in 1963 and 1998

Date: 1970

From: [Ephemera of octavo size relating to agriculture, farms and farming]

By: Linen Flax Corporation of New Zealand

Reference: Eph-A-FARM-1970-01

Description: A pamphlet explaining what linen flax is, how it is grown and harvested, and predictions for the future industry. Quantity: 1 b&w photo-mechanical print(s). Physical Description: Pamphlet sheet 230 x 203 mm, folded to 230 x 101 mm. Provenance: Donated in 2007.

Date: 1939-1945

From: New Zealand. Department of Internal Affairs. War History Branch :Photographs relating to World War 1914-1918, World War 1939-1945, occupation of Japan, Korean War, and Malayan Emergency

Reference: PAColl-4161-01-022-03

Description: War effort on the home front. Manufacturing weapons, plane parts, transport vehicles, vessels, medical equipment, tin hats, enamel wash basins, and army water bottles. Production of linen flax. Arrangement: This collection is made up of photographic prints with captions. They were scattered throughout the wax boxes in which the War History collection had been housed for the last eight years. In giving the collection a general order they have been sorted into their series groups. This collection has been called the "War Effort" series. They have not been arranged in numerical sequence as yet (though some might be so arranged). They do not seem to be associated with any negatives. (Feb 1995) Quantity: 1 container(s) (box).

Date: 2 Jun 1943

From: Pascoe, John Dobree, 1908-1972 :Photographic albums, prints and negatives

Reference: 1/4-000956-F

Description: Woman stacking linen flax in Geraldine. Photograph taken by John Pascoe in 1943. Original caption reads: "Then, linen flax is a war industry in which women are needed. The worker on the stack tells her own story." Quantity: 1 b&w original negative(s). Physical Description: Film negative

Date: 1939-1945

From: New Zealand. Department of Internal Affairs. War History Branch :Photographs relating to World War 1914-1918, World War 1939-1945, occupation of Japan, Korean War, and Malayan Emergency

Reference: PA1-q-291

Description: Photographs of military activities and war work in New Zealand during World War 2, 1939-1945, taken by various photographers and compiled for official use. Views show the manufacture of various military weapons, machinery and vehicles and the men and women involved in the work. They include munitions (manufacture of hand grenades); Bren gun carriers, airframes, building navy trawlers and mine sweepers in Auckland; airplane construction at Rongotai, at the De Havilland Aircraft Factory; making caterpillar tracks; making sten guns; and constructing army huts. People from various military and civilian groups are shown working as fitters, flight riggers, flight mechanics; aircraft maintenance; welders, camouflage nets (made by Girl Guides). Activities include army exercises (p 106-110); river crossing exercises; preparation for a dawn departure of a New Zealand Bomber Reconnaissance Squadron; army training (p 76-97); and the New Zealand Air Training Corps for elementary instruction for youths aged 16 to 18 1/2. RNZAF training includes blind flying practice, Hawker Hind training planes, aircraft maintenance, flight mechanics, and Airspeed Oxford training planes. Other activities include the planting and growing of linen flax, used in the manufacture of planes, tires, gun covers and fighting equipment; agricultural and horticural work, including using bullock teams for breaking in new ground; army manouvres (in part in Franklin area, and in winter conditions in the South Island near the Southern Alps); territorial manoeuvres; coastal defence; Home Guard training; a remedial physical education training camp for recruits suffering from foot troubles, painful backs etc.; the making of a new raft designed in NZ which could be constructed in a few minutes and was easily transported; training despatch riders on motor bikes in the snow. Women, in different organisations including Women's National Service Corps, Women's Auxiliary Air Force and the Lady Galway Guild, were engaged in driving and maintaining military vehicles; driving for Red Cross vehicles; digging trenches; on parade; as signallers; in clerical work; hospital duties; cooking and other branches of essential war work. Pages 63-75 show the arrival in New Zealand of the American forces; and pages 111-121 portray a visit to New Zealand of Australian and Netherlands personnel from the hospital ship Oranje when the NZ Government, as a mark of appreciation for their efforts in bringing Australian and New Zealand wounded troops, placed a special train at their disposal and took them to Chateau Tongariro for rest and relaxation. Quantity: 1 album(s) Album(s). Physical Description: Album with dark blue cloth cover, black corners and spine; 34.5 x 22.0 cm