Collection: James Mollison Pirie Collection

Processing Information

This collection is awaiting arrangement and description. It contains correspondence and documents relating to the proposed large scale mining of lignite in and around Morton Mains and Waituna, Southland, during the 1980s.

Please contact Archives staff for details of collection content.

Dates

Majority of material found within 1979 - 1989

Biographical / Historical

James Mollison Pirie [1928 - 2016] grew up in Southland and farmed at 355 Waituna Morton Mains Road. He followed the proposed large scale mining of lignite by the Liquid Fuels Trust Board in his role as secretary of Morton Mains Federated Farmers. He believed it was important to keep the land fertile and productive for farming, and to guard it against unnecessary scarring that would endure for centuries.

He was involved with several organisations during his lifetime, including the QEII Trust, New Zealand Sheep Breeders Association, Royal Agricultural Society - Southern District, Provincial Federated Farmers Meat and Wool, and the Wyndham and Southland A&P Societies.

His community work included supervising collecting for the blind, voluntary work for Birthright, and with Civil Defence during the 1984 floods.