Agriculture - New Zealand - Bay of Plenty Region

Date: [ca 1965]

By: Opotiki Young Farmers Club

Reference: qMS-1609

Description: Comprises brief historical survey of the Opotiki area; discussion on boundaries; transport; agriculture in general and specifically - wheat, flax; education; maize; crops; topdressing and settlement; disease in relation to farming; milling; geology and recreation Quantity: 1 volume(s) (5 leaves). 0.01 Linear Metres. Physical Description: Typescript (carbon) (34 cm; blue pamphlet case)

Date: 28 Mar 1983

From: Interviews about Rotorua by Don Stafford

By: Dibley, Alfred Douglas, 1896-1997

Reference: OHInt-0470/09

Description: Alfred (Doug) Dibley was born in June 1896. Discusses the land and early Pakeha settlers in the Ngongotaha area near the Mamaku Plateau. Talks about the Karl brothers, Charlie, Jack and Vincent, who came to the area in 1887. Describes how they were descendants of the original Puhoi settlers. Mentions that he married Susannah Karl and Charlie Karl was his father in law. Describes how the land was bought leasehold. Recalls going to World War I and fighting at Gallipoli, Palestine and France where he also contracted spinal meningitis. Describes being on a rehabilitation farm until 1928 when he moved to Oturoa Road. Comments that this was part of the Okoheriki or Patetere blocks. Talks about needing a bore for water. Recalls Stan, Percy and Charlie Robinson. Interviewer(s) - Don Stafford Quantity: 1 C60 cassette(s). 1 transcript(s). 1 interview(s). Finding Aids: Abstract Available - transcript(s) available OHA-2857.

Date: 23 Nov 1982

From: Interviews about Rotorua by Don Stafford

By: Turner, Charles Frederick, 1892-

Reference: OHInt-0470/20

Description: Fred Turner came to Te Pu near Rotorua in 1903 when his father took up land, having previously farmed near Christchurch and Bluff. Describes `bush sickness', a cobalt deficiency in the soil, which damaged the animals. Mentions he was living at Pongakawa breaking in land for his father Charley. Talks about his seven brothers and sisters. Describes leaving school before the age of twelve and cooking for a gang of roadmen working in the area in 1904. Describes walking off the Te Pu property in 1931 having been sued for uncontrollable ragwort. Discusses how it was not explained that the land was on a fifty two year lease and he could have bought it back. Describes how most farmers at Te Pu were given land as part of the World War I rehabilitation scheme. Notes that this was land that farmers had previously walked off. Describes unsuccessful attempts to get compensation from the Government for the land. Talks about land at Hamurana and settlers Jack Catley, Harry Ward and the Dittmers. Talks about marrying Miss Dittmer. Talks about breaking in land for Major Herald in Paradise Valley and then buying and farming land in the Valley. Discusses land at Kaharoa. Mentions that people from Te Pu attended school at Kaharoa. Recalls attending tangi at Awahou village. Comments that many Maori were on the gumfields during this period. Talks about Fred Leonard. Describes working for Walter Steele in the bush at Mamaku in 1908 and working for the Mountain Rimu Timber Company. Recalls a fairly large community at Mamaku and describes living conditions at the camp. Describes going to the pictures in Rotorua at Kings Theatre, which was owned by Duncan Steele. Describes being the first farmer in the area to make ensilage and have his herd tested. Comments on successful potato growing. Talks about farm animals, milking cows, separating milk from cream and the dairy factory at Ngongotaha. Talks about Charlie and Bill Karl. Describes difficulties getting water on his property and digging a well to the depth of one hundred and seventy five feet. Discusses a financial scheme local farmers paid into to see them through hard times and describes how the money for the scheme was taken by Walter Nash. Comments on having to give up on farming because of his legs and gangrene. Mentions Dick Garlick driving coaches. Describes working on the road gang near Pongakawa. Interviewer(s) - Don Stafford Quantity: 4 C60 cassette(s). 1 transcript(s). 1 interview(s). Finding Aids: Abstract Available - transcript(s) available OHA-2869.

Date: 18 Sep 1985

From: Interviews about Rotorua by Don Stafford

By: Hammond, Percy Greville, 1906-1997

Reference: OHInt-0470/13

Description: Percy Hammond recorded this tape himself. Recalls early days of his life in Rotorua. Describes how travellers caught the steamer to Tauranga and the all-day coach to Rotorua. Mentions there was a rail terminus at Tirau (Oxford). Describes a private hotel, Arawa House, run by his grandparents in Rotorua with the help of his parents. Mentions his parents moved to a section near Whakarewarewa and his father worked as a printer on the `Chronicle'. Recalls anti Catholic and anti German (during World War I) feeling as a child. Describes his play and activities as a child. Describes his family's move from Rotorua to his grandfather's farm at Tauranga. Recalls that the family lived in a tent for two or three years and comments on the difficulty of this for his mother. Talks about the many trees, killing pigs and making bacon, wine making, the maize crop and vegetable gardening. Describes his work on the farm, including milking cows, while still attending school. Mentions he attended high school for six months only. Recalls the town of Tauranga. Describes his wife Molly and her attitude to animals. Interviewer(s) - Don Stafford Accompanying material - Information (five pages) about Percy Hammond's grandparents, David and Martha Griffiths, who arrived in New Zealand in 1881 and about their descendants Quantity: 1 C60 cassette(s). 1 transcript(s). 1 interview(s). Finding Aids: Abstract Available - transcript(s) available OHA-2861.

Date: 30 Mar 1983

From: Interviews about Rotorua by Don Stafford

By: Clark, Arthur Lyonel, 1900-1986

Reference: OHInt-0470/07

Description: Lyonel Clark was born in 1900 and came to Rotorua in 1917 to work for Mr Penney on land at Kaharoa for a year. Describes his work milking, driving a horse team and clearing land. Mentions that Mr Penney was the first Town Clerk of Rotorua. Recalls getting a launchmaster's ticket and running a launch service to Waiheke Island. Describes how his father's objection to his working on a Sunday ended his part in this business and he went to work for the government at Tarawera. Mentions his wife Amy. Talks about head guide and thermal expert Mr Warbrick. Notes that the government ran six launches on Lake Tarawera at the time including the `Maroro', `Huia', `Patiti', `Reremoana' and `Irene'. Mentions a service he ran from Rotorua to Okere on the `Princess' and a launch service on Lake Okataina. Recalls ferrying the Governor Sir Charles Fergusson on Lake Okataina. Mentions operating the `Crusader' on Lake Rotoiti. Describes becoming a service driver in Rotorua and running the daily car service from Rotorua to Auckland. Mentions he drove a Hudson and recalls competition with another driver on the same route in a Willys Knight. Discusses getting work in Auckland during the Depression and running the `Tawa' for the Ferry Company. Recalls living on Pine Island in the harbour. Describes a venture on Lake Okataina with Cecil Hayward and Tom Clark operating a launch service and a fishing lodge. Recalls driving a bus out to Ruatahuna for the funeral of Rua Kenana. Mentions the Rotorua Bus Company, the Smiths, Hori Mau and others. Discusses other launch owners and bus drivers. Interviewer(s) - Don Stafford Quantity: 2 C60 cassette(s). 1 transcript(s). 1 interview(s). Finding Aids: Abstract Available - transcript(s) available OHA-2855.

Date: 30 Oct 1984

From: Interviews about Rotorua by Don Stafford

By: Benny, Doris, 1889-1988

Reference: OHInt-0470/04

Description: Recalls travelling from Blenheim to Onehunga with her family at about the age of five, probably in 1895. Describes how the family went to Rotorua where her father, Mr Penney, became town clerk. Talks about how they drew a block of land for a farm at Hamurana. Mentions the coaching company of Carr and Walker which had three hundred horses and very big coaches. Recalls Sunday School picnics and the carnivals of 1903, 1904 and 1905. Describes how she worked at the Bathhouse and also became a dressmaker. Discusses the cobalt deficiency on their farm which eventually drove their family from the land during the Depression. Describes using a separator to separate cream from milk after milking. Describes how her uncle, Mr Brent, had a shop at Ohinemutu until the Tarawera eruption and then established Brent's Bathgate House. Mentions that her family stayed at her uncle's hotel many times. Recalls the marriage of her aunt, Laura Brent, to Mr Tripe on the death of her husband. Describes the visit of Edward, Prince of Wales, to Rotorua, his fear of the Maori challenge and going out the back door of the Grand Hotel to miss the crowds. Recalls meeting her husband, Wallace Benney, who got land at Kerepehi. Talks about their sons John and Stewart and her brothers and sisters Elsie, Olive, Dena, Vera, Dick and Jim. Recalls the Kusabs family and many other local identities. Interviewer(s) - Don Stafford Quantity: 2 C60 cassette(s). 1 transcript(s). 1 interview(s). Finding Aids: Abstract Available - transcript(s) available OHA-2852, Some yet to come.

Date: Feb 1953

From: Tourist and Publicity

By: Christensen, Edward Percival, 1907-1982

Reference: 1/2-039310-F

Description: Field of red clover growing at New Peka, Rotorua district, part of the Maori Land Development Scheme. Photograph taken for the National Publicity Studios by Edward Percival Christensen. Quantity: 1 b&w original negative(s). Physical Description: Film negative Processing information: Copyright and Access Restrictions updated December 2022.

Date: [192-?]

Reference: PAColl-8841

Description: Photograph of an unidentified Maori woman and child sitting in a potato field at Mataatua, Whakatane district, circa 1920s. Shows them by kete, and sacks, full of potatoes. Photographer unidentified. Source of title - Title supplied by Library Source of descriptive information - Notes on back of print. Quantity: 1 b&w original photographic print(s). Physical Description: Silver gelatin print 8.3 x 14.1 cm