GABRIEL FARRY Interviewer: Valmai Redhead

Abstracter: Jean Hawkes

FIRST INTERVIEW: 12 JANUARY 2011

TRACK 1

00:00 Recording Agreement

01:38 Purpose of Interview – GORE Lions Club

01:44 Grandparents – from LEBANON (MOUNT LEBANON or PHONECIA) 02:11 Father born in LEBANON – Mother born in NEW ZEALAND – both of Lebanese parentage.

02:26 Large Lebanese group arrived DUNEDIN c1920

02:40 Parents settled in DUNEDIN – End of World War 1 – Moved to GORE Chose NEW ZEALAND over AUSTRALIA.

03:31 Father farmer in LEBANON – Fruit trees and olives. Hawker in NEW ZEALAND – Described.

04:16 Self aged about 7 years when family moved to GORE.

04:25 [SCHOOLING]: St Francis Xavier in DUNEDIN – St Mary's School in GORE

04:51 Left School at 14 ½ years – To family business (FARRY'S LTD) 06 July 1942 – Staff called up for war.

05:37 Self managed business almost from day he started – Explained. LIONS CLUB – Mentioned.

05:59 Spent time after hours in shop – Feeling for buying – Buying limited – Explained.

06:37 Originally concentrated on working clothes – Fashion clothing after the war.

06:57 [JAYCEES then LIONS]: Joined JAYCEES when left school – Described. Interest in civic affairs

07:36 GORE needed changes – Self too young to implement on own – Kept thoughts to self

08:00 Age 40 upper age limit for JAYCEES – Joined LIONS on opening day 08:18 INVERCARGILL and DUNEDIN Lions started GORE [PUBLICITY]: Mostly hearsay – Newspapers

08:48 Charter member of GORE Lions – Self had no specific role. Most of setting-up done by INVERCARGILL – some help from DUNEDIN.

09:26 First meeting – Old Town Hall (burnt down) – Self attended. GRANT VICKERY – DICK GOODMAN – CYRIL WHITAKER – BERT HORRELL – MURRAY CARRAN – Mentioned

10:08 [MEMORIES of early years]: Enthusiasm – Membership for charter set at 33 Newspapers willing to report on Aims and Missions. Public awareness of formation

11:22 Meetings in old High School buildings – La Cresta Restaurant 12:20 Tea meetings fortnightly – Meal followed by meeting – Described

13:28 Club chartered in 1963 – Self appointed President 1964 Held many other positions – Detailed

14:21 District Governor 1968-1969 for Area 202D covered all of SOUTH ISLAND. Formed 12 new clubs in South Island – Special Award

14:56 Away from home and business a lot......

15:00 End of Track 1

TRACK 2

00:00 …... part of the job – Brother in shop

00:22 Message to other (Lions) clubs – Activities to improve GORE

00:50 Raised $350,000 in first 25 years – Car for PLUNKET SOCIETY Suggestion presented at club meeting to accept or decline any project

01:44 Self had no particular fund-raising role in early days – Explained.

02:25 Special mention – facilities for entertainment – GORE Festival Week – Miss Eastern Southland – Festival ball EAST GORE HALL – Mentioned

04:03 Relationship between Lions and Business life – Accepted responsibility – Ensure success – Described.

05:05 Effects on family life.

05:25 TROUT STATUE 1989 – Self mayor and Lions club member – Memories recalled.

05:57 GORE and DISTRICTS CIVIC THEATRE SOCIETY – JAMES CUMMING WING

06:32 Need for facilities in GORE – Late JAMES CUMMING'S desire for farmers' meeting place – funding – Terms of Will changed – Explained GORE BOROUGH COUNCIL – Mentioned

08:05 Wing a major facility – Debate over site – Hockey main user of Green Belt. Showgrounds major facility

08:50 JAMES CUMMING Wing most important and major project undertaken by Lions. Fund raising and use of monies – Explained.

09:30 Planned Giving – Explained – well received – other events

10:50 ST JAMES THEATRE TRUST – Kerridge Odeon – Operatic Society negotiations – Invitation to Kerridge Odeon to visit GORE Regent Theatre – Mentioned

13:06 Limited funds – Visitors taken on tour of GORE facilities – Described.

14:24 Offer accepted – Theatre bought – Lions still involved

14:53 Theatre well used – well supported. Now called.....

15:00 End of Track 2

TRACK 3

00:02 SBS ST JAMES – SBS Funding – Fully refurbished

00:19 [WALKER TRUST COTTAGES]: Self and whole club involved – WALKER active member GORE Lions – Builder

00:51 [CARDBOARD RECYCLING]: Lions started venture – work load.

01:17 PAKEKE LIONS – older citizens – Took over recycling as project – Made lots of money. Collection procedure – Explained.

02:04 GORE HOST LIONS chartered WEST OTAGO (TAPANUI area) – ALEXANDRA – MATAURA – LIONESS

03:10 [AWARDS RECEIVED]: Life member – Melvin Jones Fellowship – Initially not award conscious – Self honoured to be nominated New Zealand Commemoration Medal – QSO (Queens Service Order)

04:11 Much Lions business done during daytime.

04:44 Not prepared to identify memorable members. All worked hard and well to do jobs given.

05:34 [MEMBERS]: Charter members mostly farmers Needed sub-classifications – Explained ROTARY – Mentioned

06:37 Many business and professional men involved in early days.

06:56 Present and future – long lasting – filling community needs – present membership low – new members being approached Blind Foundation – Mentioned

07:55 Club probably stronger now – Many requests received for help – Reputation grown

08:25 [SPECIFIC SUPPORT]: Special fund for MEDICAL ASSISTANCE – Conferences – Marching Teams etc IAN (?) CROSBIE LIVER TRANSPLANT APPEAL – Mentioned Many not mentioned by name

09:17 Reasons for believing on GORE community – Explained. Wife's attitude – Described.

10:03 People make community better than most others.

10:21 Self seldom felt being a 'lone voice' for Lions projects – Maybe JAMES CUMMING WING (some thought it too ambitious – now debt free and used

10:50 [SPECIAL MEMORIES]: Comradeship – Fellowship – Visits to other Clubs – Whole South Island when District Governor – NELSON to INVERCARGILL

11:35 [TRAVEL]: Mostly car – sometimes plane – Required to visit every club

11:59 [SPECIAL MEMORIES]: Comradeship and fellowship of other Lions in NEW ZEALAND.

12:37 [MOTTO]: 'We Serve” - Served Gore and further afield.

13:06 [FESTIVAL WEEK]: Concerts – Artists – Personality Contests – Explained

14:24 Bride of the Year

14:39 Self convenor of committee – Good committee

15:00 End of Track 3

TRACK 4

00:17 [JOHN MONEY WING]: Mr MONEY keen on art – Extensive collection left to GORE – Explained Local gallery too small – Lions successfully raised funding

02:19 Self read in paper he had been appointed convenor – Had been asked by curator if he would help 02:38 Chairman appointed by JIM GEDDES Art Gallery Curator

02:51 Money raised to build extensions to gallery – More than amount required for building

03:21 Able to purchase exhibits for gallery – JIM GEDDES – wont leave GORE

04:00 [AMBULANCE APPEAL]: St John Ambulance – replacement for original vehicle - sufficient funds raised for 2 vehicles. 04:42 [FUND RAISING]: 'Door-knocking' mostly businesses. Attention drawn to need for vehicle – Hospital not the best – Need for patients to travel – DUNEDIN – INVERCARGILL etc

05:12 [OTHER LIONS ACTIVITIES]: Gate at A & P Show – Young Farmers events at PUKERAU – Chip Caravan – Described

06:21 Raising awareness about Diabetes – Health.

06:45 Lot of money raised for many organisations in GORE – Helped in many ways.

06:53 Not part of DEEP COVE HOSTEL project – Interested

07:14 Self mostly involved with raising money – Funds needed for all projects

08:15 [MEMBERSHIP of OTHER ORGANISATIONS]: Honorary member ROTARY – Not able to be member of ROTARY and LIONS 08:42 SOUTHLAND COMMUNITY TRUST (SOUTHLAND SAVINGS BANK - Mentioned) – Explained Nothing to do with LIONS

09:38 [PROBUS]: Not part of LIONS – Self asked to be President – Social – No fund raising – Described. AUSTRALIA – Mentioned

11:52 Involvement with LIONS 48 years – Enjoyed every day of it

12:13 End of Track 4

TRACK 5

00:04 Enjoyed association with LIONS almost 50 years – Proud of involvement in benefiting GORE – No regrets – Like to be LION for rest of life.

00:26 End of Track 5

SECOND INTERVIEW: 29 MARCH 2011

Abstracter: Courtney Ellison

TRACK 1

00:00 Introductory statements

01:05 Childhood in DUNEDIN, walked to school each day. Father was a HAWKER. Eventually got a car and would be away for the week selling in countryside. Lived in Patrick Street, MORNINGTON.

03:55 School life described. Took a packed lunch to school. Lived about 2 miles from school. Mother didn’t drive. School uniform and raincoats.

05:28 LEBANESE background, mixed well with other kids. Taught by nuns, fair and strict. Wrote on slates initially, then on paper. Heating and games at school described.

08:10 Weekends would visit Grandmothers on both sides.

09:15 Household chores described, mainly chopping wood.

10:00 Money was short but weren’t aware of it. Always food on the table. Mother cooked both English and Lebanese food.

11:32 Celebrating CHRISTMAS and BIRTHDAYS described.

12:15 No children in the area to play with after school or holidays.

12:38 Discipline and values in home described. Being spoilt by Grandmother, but still punished when deserved.

TRACK 2

00:20 Didn’t play much with other Lebanese children. Sports days held and won a few races. Played cowboys and Indians. Siblings got on well, fought a bit more once shifted to GORE.

02:35 During DEPRESSION, remembers parents discussing money.

03:30 Father had a motor accident, visited him in hospital.

04:05 Family shifted to Gore and father worked in a shop. Shop started small, both parents worked in it. Housekeeper looked after them after school. Missed grandparents in Dunedin but met up with them regularly.

07:31 Starting new school in Gore, being new to town and Lebanese (with darker skin), there was some division and sometimes fights / teasing. Had friends at school and in neighbourhood. Didn’t have any specific Lebanese celebrations. Some differences because they were CATHOLIC and others were PROTESTANT.

11:10 Fathers brother also came to Gore. Built houses at either end of William Street. Used to climb onto Uncles roof and play. Often had houses next to orchards, so had lots of fruit. Grandmother lived with them for a while.

TRACK 3

00:00 Called grandmother ‘Big Mum’. Lived with them until she passed away. She had diabetes and lost her memory.

01:50 HOSPITALITY big part of Lebanese culture. Often had visitors for lunch or evening meal. Said grace at each meal even though visitors often weren’t Catholic.

03:20 Fathers shop first stocked men’s and womenswear, very fashionable clothing. Lots of other competition in Gore, maybe 10 other clothing stores. First customers were ones father called on as a hawker. 04:50 Left GORE HIGH SCHOOL while war was on, aged 14 and went to work in his fathers shop. Eventually all of the family worked in the shop. Weren’t many other workers as they usually got called up to go to war. Started off with 4 staff in shop.

07:20 Played lots of sports, football games against other schools. One of the employees in father shop taught boxing so they did that. Did athletics with Gore Athletic Club and then Pioneer Athletic Club.

11:10 Dating described. Taught facts of life by parents. First wife was Lebanese, she died of MOTOR NEURON [DISEASE] early in life. Then married Clare. No issues marrying someone who wasn’t Lebanese. Went to movies lots and to dances.

13:40 Dances in Gore at band hall and at ST MARYS HALL.

14:20 Met Rona at Lebanese wedding in Dunedin took her home. Went up to Dunedin a few times and took her out, then eventually married.

TRACK 4

00:00 Dating discussed. Tony (brother) had no problems with the girls, was good looking. Never discouraged from drinking alcohol. Father was much harder on the daughters about dating. Drinking alcohol discussed. Drank with father, mother didn’t drink.

04:00 Purchased a side line business with Tony, had a car as part of that. That was his first car. First car he bought was a ZEPHER.

05:50 Doing business with father discussed. Thrill of making a sale, building customer relationships.

08:04 Father died unexpectedly. Father was born in Lebanon, never went to school, but taught himself how to read, write and do maths. Treated everyone honestly and how they would like to be treated.

10:12 Father encouraged him to be DISTRICT GOVERNOR of LIONS. Could see there were social issues in Gore, and a war on. Had to provide things for young people to do. Two theatres, REGENT THEATRE and ST JAMES. Gabriel was responsible for buying the St James Theatre for the theatre people while Mayor.

14:30 Involvement in Gore District Council

TRACK 5

00:00 Involvement in Lions provided avenue into involvement in COUNCIL. The day left school was interested the borough affairs.

01:20 Farry’s closed when he retired in his 70s. Missed working in the shop and dressing up, even wore a suit to collect the mail because he missed it. Regretted finishing work for a while afterwards. Still Farrys shop in DUNEDIN, WELLINGTON and AUCKLAND, with sons in two of them.