Interview with Henry Buchanan

Henry Buchanan was born in Runanga in 1917. Recalls living in Ikamatua where his father trammed for the sawmiller A R Wallis. Mentions their shift to the Turnbull River in 1930 where his father cut timber for Mr Wallis, had a farm and built a sawmill at Okuru. Describes working for his family on a gold claim on the north Haast beach, growing vegetables, having dairy cows and making butter. Recalls other food eaten including wood pigeon, ducks and some beef.

Recalls rowing from Big Bay for a dance and riding by horse to Haast and Jackson's Bay. Mentions fording rivers and going by the tide. Talks about mail brought in by pack horse and a launch between Jackson's Bay and Okuru. Comments on the beginning of the aeroplane service and being able to get emergency service when needed. Notes that previously when people were sick it had taken three or four days to get them to Paringa by stretcher. Mentions accidents in the area. Comments on Dr Jean McLean flying down from Hokitika each fortnight. Describes post offices at Okuru, run by the Eggeling family, at Upper Okuru, by the Nolan family, at Haast, by the Cron family and at Huhuka by the Harris family. Mentions Betty Eggeling was the first woman to drive through Haast Pass.

Talks about marrying Mina McCrae at Greymouth and their honeymoon in Nelson. Describes life with radio and no television. Describes beginning a fishing venture about 1950, buying a freezer, starting whitebaiting and a `whitebait war' with the Nolans. Describes operating boats and an aeroplane while whitebaiting and crayfishing. Discusses fights about air space with Myrtle Cron, the airways agent at Haast. Mentions that Ivy Cron operated the ferry across the Haast. Notes that West Coast Airways began operating about 1930 and discusses weather problems and flying. Recalls deer stalking full time from 1955 to 1960, a venison factory built in Greymouth in the 1970s and a mussel farming venture in Marlborough. Discusses other work he has done including on the Haast aerodrome, goldmining, scrubcutting for W D Nolan in Cascade, droving cattle out to Whataroa, working on the road from Makarora and from Waiatoto to Okuru and being manpowered into the sawmill at Ikamatua. Notes that the Government gave subsidies for gold mining during the Depression. Talks about the Cowl and Harris families and mentions his mother remarried Joe Harris. Mentions camps at Jacksons Bay, Okuru and Haast and roadmen Joe Driscoll and Jack Farrell. Talks about brothers and sisters Ted, Bill and Myra Buchanan.

Interviewer(s) - Julia Bradshaw

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

Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-2897.

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

Alternative form available: Listening copies OHLC-007301 - OHLC-007302, OHLC-006213 - OHLC-006214