Abstract of Ken and Catherine HILL, 2006
Item — Box: 39
Identifier: H01030002
Abstract
KEN and CATHERINE HILL
Interviewer: Lynne Grove
Abstracter: Jean Hawkes
TRACK 1
00:01 KEN and CATHERINE HILL – common grandfather a Ditch Digger
00:16 Need for ditches on low lying land – Explained
00:54 Grandfather dug ditches by hand – Described
01:43 ERNIE COSTER (grandfather) worked in very deep soil – Explained.
02:05 Built drain plough for secondary drainage – Mole – Explained.
02:22 Jarrah beam from AUSTRALIA – Special cargo to BLUFF – to WAIKOURA STATION – Described.
03:07 Grandfather cut beam – made blade – Described Inherited father's farm.
03:39 Operation of drain plough – Explained Used 16 horse team or steam traction engine. MARSHALL – mentioned.
04:43 Call from LANDS & SURVEY DEPT regarding drain plough. SEAWARD MOSS, GORGE ROAD
05:05 Photo taken in 1920s – DHALENBURG'S farm APARIMA
05:30 JIM FLETT on family farm – Drains close to surface due to shrinkage. Shrinkage – Explained.
06:08 Drain plough best on clay ground. 06:37 Grandfather retired to COLAC BAY – Ditch dug – Described Catherine's problems with calf found in a ditch – Described
07:40 Siting of ditches – Explained.
08:05 Many ditches dug by hand prior to war – Use of dragline excavators
08:30 [DEPRESSION]: Government schemes employed people to straighten whole streams – Paid for distance covered – Described. WAIMUMU STREAM, near GORE – Mentioned.
09:32 Use of tiles in field – Types and Functions – Described. Effects of weather conditions – Explained
10:24 Use of manuka logs – Box drains – Described.
11:01 Reason for ditch failures – Explained.
11:39 Clearing of tile drains – Described. Blockages – Identified.
13:11 [MAINTENANCE]: Grandfather laid mostly open drains – Use of drain plough. Main ditches around fields. 13:44 Ditch work done mainly mainly autumn or November. Winter time to assess drainage needs.
14:30 SWAP BROTHERS – BILL and GORDON – Incident involving farm boy and shovel handles.
15:12 Different methods of ditch digging tried. CHECKETTS drain plough REID and GRAY – COOPERS – Mentioned.
15:54 BRUCE LEITH of KELSO/GORE – Ditching machine made by his father – Described.
17:04 Use of heavy single furrow plough – Described
17:40 Grandfather worked on other people's properties – Photo from scrapbook at museum APARIMA – Mentioned
18:35 Manual work essential to settlement of SOUTHLAND Later problem RABBITS
19:02 Ditching and drain ploughing only stopped during wars years – resumed 1946-47 Continued during depression years
19:40 Post war drains hand-dug – No clay tiles available – Concrete tiles not successful.
20:16 Effects of drainage on ground – Described.
20:40 Father at RINGWAY in 1942 – Wool clip from 350 ewes When self left – acreage of grain plus 1200 ewes
21:15 Improvement from drainage and fertilisers – Fencing and shelter needed. Shelter planting and drainage – Described.
22:15 Self's farmland base clay on lignite – Problems – Described.
22:40 Problems with dairy cows and drainage tiles – Explained.
23:09 Friend from FAIRFAX [GRAHAM] cave-in accident – Described. Similar accidents in past including fatalities
24:50 Self had to jump for life while working Incident at WAIKAKA VALLEY laying drain coil – Described
26:45 Use of man cages – Mentioned
27:10 Drain coils compared with drain tiles – Methods used manually – Described. Calculations required to assess needs.
27:55 'Gush' – Explained – 'Gusher' ends problem in area – Usually in gravel.
28:50 Experts at understanding lie of land – ROSS GERRARD (?) – DOUG SIMMONS of OTAUTAU
29:26 Use of Hymac on self's farm – Described.
30:18 Use of contractors
30:25 End of Track 1
Interviewer: Lynne Grove
Abstracter: Jean Hawkes
TRACK 1
00:01 KEN and CATHERINE HILL – common grandfather a Ditch Digger
00:16 Need for ditches on low lying land – Explained
00:54 Grandfather dug ditches by hand – Described
01:43 ERNIE COSTER (grandfather) worked in very deep soil – Explained.
02:05 Built drain plough for secondary drainage – Mole – Explained.
02:22 Jarrah beam from AUSTRALIA – Special cargo to BLUFF – to WAIKOURA STATION – Described.
03:07 Grandfather cut beam – made blade – Described Inherited father's farm.
03:39 Operation of drain plough – Explained Used 16 horse team or steam traction engine. MARSHALL – mentioned.
04:43 Call from LANDS & SURVEY DEPT regarding drain plough. SEAWARD MOSS, GORGE ROAD
05:05 Photo taken in 1920s – DHALENBURG'S farm APARIMA
05:30 JIM FLETT on family farm – Drains close to surface due to shrinkage. Shrinkage – Explained.
06:08 Drain plough best on clay ground. 06:37 Grandfather retired to COLAC BAY – Ditch dug – Described Catherine's problems with calf found in a ditch – Described
07:40 Siting of ditches – Explained.
08:05 Many ditches dug by hand prior to war – Use of dragline excavators
08:30 [DEPRESSION]: Government schemes employed people to straighten whole streams – Paid for distance covered – Described. WAIMUMU STREAM, near GORE – Mentioned.
09:32 Use of tiles in field – Types and Functions – Described. Effects of weather conditions – Explained
10:24 Use of manuka logs – Box drains – Described.
11:01 Reason for ditch failures – Explained.
11:39 Clearing of tile drains – Described. Blockages – Identified.
13:11 [MAINTENANCE]: Grandfather laid mostly open drains – Use of drain plough. Main ditches around fields. 13:44 Ditch work done mainly mainly autumn or November. Winter time to assess drainage needs.
14:30 SWAP BROTHERS – BILL and GORDON – Incident involving farm boy and shovel handles.
15:12 Different methods of ditch digging tried. CHECKETTS drain plough REID and GRAY – COOPERS – Mentioned.
15:54 BRUCE LEITH of KELSO/GORE – Ditching machine made by his father – Described.
17:04 Use of heavy single furrow plough – Described
17:40 Grandfather worked on other people's properties – Photo from scrapbook at museum APARIMA – Mentioned
18:35 Manual work essential to settlement of SOUTHLAND Later problem RABBITS
19:02 Ditching and drain ploughing only stopped during wars years – resumed 1946-47 Continued during depression years
19:40 Post war drains hand-dug – No clay tiles available – Concrete tiles not successful.
20:16 Effects of drainage on ground – Described.
20:40 Father at RINGWAY in 1942 – Wool clip from 350 ewes When self left – acreage of grain plus 1200 ewes
21:15 Improvement from drainage and fertilisers – Fencing and shelter needed. Shelter planting and drainage – Described.
22:15 Self's farmland base clay on lignite – Problems – Described.
22:40 Problems with dairy cows and drainage tiles – Explained.
23:09 Friend from FAIRFAX [GRAHAM] cave-in accident – Described. Similar accidents in past including fatalities
24:50 Self had to jump for life while working Incident at WAIKAKA VALLEY laying drain coil – Described
26:45 Use of man cages – Mentioned
27:10 Drain coils compared with drain tiles – Methods used manually – Described. Calculations required to assess needs.
27:55 'Gush' – Explained – 'Gusher' ends problem in area – Usually in gravel.
28:50 Experts at understanding lie of land – ROSS GERRARD (?) – DOUG SIMMONS of OTAUTAU
29:26 Use of Hymac on self's farm – Described.
30:18 Use of contractors
30:25 End of Track 1
Dates
- 2006
Conditions Governing Access
Access to oral history recordings is via the Archives Research Room only. We are unable to provide access to this material remotely. Where access agreements allow, abstracts, audio extracts and photographs will be accessible online.
Extent
From the Record Group: 1 folder(s)
Language of Materials
English
Creator
- From the Record Group: Grove, Lynne (Interviewer, Person)
Repository Details
Part of the Southland Oral History Project Repository
