Abstract of John Thomas HALL, 2024
Item — Box: 32
Identifier: H02340002
Abstract
H0234
JOHN THOMAS HALL
Interviewer: Seona Craig
Abstracter: Judith Christie
Interview: 16 August 2015
TRACK One
00:00 Interview identification
00:45 Self born 14 August 1929.
01.20 Started at the POST OFFICE 6 September 1946. Didn’t know much about telephone cables or telephones. Not so many phones around. Started on cables on NORTH ROAD, when cables got wet.
02.30 Sent to a course at BURNHAM MILITARY CAMP for two months. Post Office had a lot of line gangs from all over New Zealand. Lot of line gangs working on lines between TIMARU and CHRISTCHURCH.
03.00 After two months at the school there, returned to DEPOT IN INVERCARGILL and worked on INTERPHONE SYSTEMS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES for a year. Then went back to line construction in WINTON.
04.00 Was taken in Winton to a long line of trees with an axe and a saw to trim them. Worked hard at trimming them, and blocked off the road off so gang had to clear branches.
05.40 After a year, went to GORE to lay cables in MATAURA, GORE and WYNDHAM, staying in a hotel in Mataura during the week. As a single man was there for two years and got to know Gore area well.
06.40 ARMY conscripted trucks and other vehicles during the war, so self started job with few vehicles available.
07.20 Self’s team looked after the whole of Southland wherever there were exchanges. Worked throughout Southland with colleague called EWAN PARSONS(?) for a number of years, staying in hotels.
08.25 After the war, people worked at DRAINING FARMLAND and developing farms, so hard to get staff. Not everyone who started work at the Post Office stayed for the required two years.
09.20 Some lines were BUREAU LINES. Because of staff shortages, got the farmers to do the work on installing poles and lines under Post Office supervision. Good job done.
10.40 MINISTER OF POST OFFICES once came down to open an exchange at HEDGEHOPE. Day of celebration at the Hall, hired LICENSING TRUST BARMAN for drinks and a banquet held. Buses took people out to Hedgehope. Exchange still working today.
12.00 Similar work carried out on exchange on STEWART ISLAND in 1954. Bureau line run from a phone box to Invercargill via ORETI BEACH. New Post Office on Stewart Island. FISHERMEN were to supply labour for new system, but didn’t turn up until pressed to do so. When cables laid, used Bedford truck and tractor.
End of Track One
TRACK TWO
00.00 Describes laying of cable on STEWART ISLAND. Spent three months on the island, installing phones in houses.
01.15 Started to install cable in the sea to prepare for new telephone exchange on Stewart Island. Describes process. Shortage of staff. Worked ten hour shifts. Someone had to watch the cables to make sure water didn’t get into them. Exchange opened 1959.
03.20 Also worked shifts during the night, because of staff shortages.
04.10 Process of working with cables, and their components described.
05.30 Extensive network of cables throughout New Zealand.
06.40 Celebration of opening of Exchange held in Invercargill at ST MARY’S HALL on 13 November 1959.
08.00 Easier to get staff in latter years. Need for CABLES to be repaired, sometimes working around the clock. Working machinery after storms and floods would damage cables. Overtime paid.
09.15 Training schools run in Christchurch and Wellington to train staff. Self attended courses there.
10.15 Self went to Gore for a few weeks to train people when exchange put in at TAPANUI. Stayed with them on the job until they became competent.
10.50 Exchanges put in all over Southland. Describes
11.25 Self attended a course in CHRISTCHURCH to learn about new styles of telephones.
12.10 Travelled to different places in Southland in trucks and vans on gravel roads.
13.15 Self went into the PLANNING part of the cabling network, including planning for the RUGBY WORLD CUP in 1986. Also did planning for Stewart Island to go automatic. Was CITY OVERSEER.
End of Track Two
TRACK THREE
00.12 Self worked for 42 years, finishing on 30 September 1988.
00.30 After retirement, volunteered to help set up the COMMUNICATIONS MUSEUM after being asked by BRENDAN SPARKS. Committees formed and meetings held. Long process. Describes
01.45 Tents set up at events, e.g. EDENDALE CRANKUP DAYS, to publicise cause. Lots of stuff stored around the place, including SCOTTISH HALL and people’s garages. Started up in an OLD BUTCHER’S SHOP. Many years of hard work.
03.15 Colossal job done to get to Awarua communications museum to where it is now.
03.45 Describes the old way of using the phone system, including the toll system. Lots of technological changes during self’s lifetime.
06.00 Description of travel in the past
End of Track Three
JOHN THOMAS HALL
Interviewer: Seona Craig
Abstracter: Judith Christie
Interview: 16 August 2015
TRACK One
00:00 Interview identification
00:45 Self born 14 August 1929.
01.20 Started at the POST OFFICE 6 September 1946. Didn’t know much about telephone cables or telephones. Not so many phones around. Started on cables on NORTH ROAD, when cables got wet.
02.30 Sent to a course at BURNHAM MILITARY CAMP for two months. Post Office had a lot of line gangs from all over New Zealand. Lot of line gangs working on lines between TIMARU and CHRISTCHURCH.
03.00 After two months at the school there, returned to DEPOT IN INVERCARGILL and worked on INTERPHONE SYSTEMS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES for a year. Then went back to line construction in WINTON.
04.00 Was taken in Winton to a long line of trees with an axe and a saw to trim them. Worked hard at trimming them, and blocked off the road off so gang had to clear branches.
05.40 After a year, went to GORE to lay cables in MATAURA, GORE and WYNDHAM, staying in a hotel in Mataura during the week. As a single man was there for two years and got to know Gore area well.
06.40 ARMY conscripted trucks and other vehicles during the war, so self started job with few vehicles available.
07.20 Self’s team looked after the whole of Southland wherever there were exchanges. Worked throughout Southland with colleague called EWAN PARSONS(?) for a number of years, staying in hotels.
08.25 After the war, people worked at DRAINING FARMLAND and developing farms, so hard to get staff. Not everyone who started work at the Post Office stayed for the required two years.
09.20 Some lines were BUREAU LINES. Because of staff shortages, got the farmers to do the work on installing poles and lines under Post Office supervision. Good job done.
10.40 MINISTER OF POST OFFICES once came down to open an exchange at HEDGEHOPE. Day of celebration at the Hall, hired LICENSING TRUST BARMAN for drinks and a banquet held. Buses took people out to Hedgehope. Exchange still working today.
12.00 Similar work carried out on exchange on STEWART ISLAND in 1954. Bureau line run from a phone box to Invercargill via ORETI BEACH. New Post Office on Stewart Island. FISHERMEN were to supply labour for new system, but didn’t turn up until pressed to do so. When cables laid, used Bedford truck and tractor.
End of Track One
TRACK TWO
00.00 Describes laying of cable on STEWART ISLAND. Spent three months on the island, installing phones in houses.
01.15 Started to install cable in the sea to prepare for new telephone exchange on Stewart Island. Describes process. Shortage of staff. Worked ten hour shifts. Someone had to watch the cables to make sure water didn’t get into them. Exchange opened 1959.
03.20 Also worked shifts during the night, because of staff shortages.
04.10 Process of working with cables, and their components described.
05.30 Extensive network of cables throughout New Zealand.
06.40 Celebration of opening of Exchange held in Invercargill at ST MARY’S HALL on 13 November 1959.
08.00 Easier to get staff in latter years. Need for CABLES to be repaired, sometimes working around the clock. Working machinery after storms and floods would damage cables. Overtime paid.
09.15 Training schools run in Christchurch and Wellington to train staff. Self attended courses there.
10.15 Self went to Gore for a few weeks to train people when exchange put in at TAPANUI. Stayed with them on the job until they became competent.
10.50 Exchanges put in all over Southland. Describes
11.25 Self attended a course in CHRISTCHURCH to learn about new styles of telephones.
12.10 Travelled to different places in Southland in trucks and vans on gravel roads.
13.15 Self went into the PLANNING part of the cabling network, including planning for the RUGBY WORLD CUP in 1986. Also did planning for Stewart Island to go automatic. Was CITY OVERSEER.
End of Track Two
TRACK THREE
00.12 Self worked for 42 years, finishing on 30 September 1988.
00.30 After retirement, volunteered to help set up the COMMUNICATIONS MUSEUM after being asked by BRENDAN SPARKS. Committees formed and meetings held. Long process. Describes
01.45 Tents set up at events, e.g. EDENDALE CRANKUP DAYS, to publicise cause. Lots of stuff stored around the place, including SCOTTISH HALL and people’s garages. Started up in an OLD BUTCHER’S SHOP. Many years of hard work.
03.15 Colossal job done to get to Awarua communications museum to where it is now.
03.45 Describes the old way of using the phone system, including the toll system. Lots of technological changes during self’s lifetime.
06.00 Description of travel in the past
End of Track Three
Dates
- 2024
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Extent
From the Record Group: 1 folder(s)
Language of Materials
English
Creator
- From the Record Group: Craig, Seona (Interviewer, Person)
Repository Details
Part of the Southland Oral History Project Repository
