Malcolm Graham (Mac) HOWDEN

Interviewer: Richard Savory

Dates: 7 and 16 August 2018

Abstracter: April Milligan

Track 1

00.00 Interview Identification

00.39 MALCOLM GRAHAM HOWDEN (MAC) older brother EDWARD (TED) (one brother died at birth) (a sister lived approx. 3 months). MAC became youngest of a family of 4. MAC’s parents were from large families, Mum from 9 and Dad 9. His Father grew up at LADBROOKS in CANTERBURY and moved to SOUTHLAND in 1913. His Mother (nee GRAHAM) grew up in BRIGHTON off the coast of DUNEDIN. They moved to MATAURA ISLAND in 1910.

04.08 Her Father had migrated from SCOTLAND. Her Mother was born in NEW ZEALAND. His HOWDEN Grandparent came out as a young man from SWANLINBAR, COUNTY CAVAN, NORTHERN IRELAND. His Grandparents met in NZ and married in CHRISTCHURCH. They were at LADBROOKS 10 miles out of CHRISTCHURCH.

06.21 His Father went to LADBROOK and BELFAST Schools. Grandfather had leased a property to farm and when it expired (lease) they moved by train, including the cattle. MAC’S Father and his eldest brother looked after the cattle and the draught horses for the 2 day journey from CHRISTCHURCH to EDENDALE (food - chaff & water). Then drove them 10 miles to MATAURA ISLAND.

07.15 They yoked the horse up into the dray and drove the cattle, needing to make inquiries as to where MATAURA ISLAND was. Father was about in his late teens MAC recalls. The journey was about 12 miles. (This was 1913 and the following year the War broke out.) They got to the Grocer shop and MR KIRKLAND (Grocer) was asked, “Where is OAKLANDS?”(Property name) and they were directed to the property.

10.19 MAC’s Father was in his 20s when war broke out. His two youngest brother’s HAROLD & LEN enlisted and went to camp while their Father was on holiday in CHRISTCHURCH. He protested that HARRY was only a boy so got on the train back to the Military Camp in DUNEDIN to bring his 19 year old son home. (LEN being 21) Convinced to return home without them, he’d changed his mind, he would join up if he was their age. Both went to GALLIPOLI, HARRY being wounded and invalided back home in time for his 21st birthday. MAC’s Father and his older brother ROB went later. Father went direct to FRANCE and ROB went to PALESTINE with NZ troops. His Father served in FRANCE and was gassed but made a reasonable recovery with time in INVERCARGILL HOSPITAL in DEE STREET.

13.36 MAC’s Mother had 2 brothers in the war too (HUGH being killed). Both families were from MATAURA ISLAND. MAC’s parents met after the war. Coincidently 3 HOWDEN’s married 3 GRAHAM’s. TED, HARRY & a sister VERA.

TRACK 2

00.03 They were GRAHAM”S from the same district & family. MAC’s Father ALBERT married ISABELLA GRAHAM, his Uncle HARRY married Agnes GRAHAM and Aunty VERA married JIM GRAHAM.

01.33 MAC recalls his parents worked as a married couple at MATAURA ISLAND for JOHN CARMICHAEL. Then they managed a sheep farm with some cattle near FORTROSE for a Dr RODGERS from GORE. After they bought a farm at SEAWARD DOWNS in 1926. Then the slump [depression] settled in and many farmers couldn’t pay their mortgage and had to just walk off their farms. Mum and Dad managed to hang on Mac recalls.

03.40 They bought the farm off a MR CROSBIE without any concession and MAC’s father would kick him off the farm if he were to appear such was the ill feeling. His parents were very frugal. The depression went on for 2 years.

04.59 MAC was born in 1928 at EDENDALE MATERNITY HOME and his Mum was driven there by the SEAWARD DOWNS FACTORY Manager. His parents were able to buy their first car that year, a 1928 CHEVROLETTE. MR BAGRIE the Factory Manager met MAC’s Father in COLOGNE, GERMANY at the end of WW1, starting their friendship. MAC recalls them going duck shooting together. MAC worked under Mr BAGRIE in the Factory as a young man. He was Manager for over 25 years.

06.42 MAC worked on the home farm after leaving school as his brother had gone over to ITALY in the ARMY in 1944 during WW2.

07.05 MAC went to school at SEAWARD DOWNS which had 50-55 pupils and 2 Teachers (a Head Teacher and an Assistant) in 2 rooms. Later they shifted the building to another site adjacent to the SEAWARD DOWNS HALL. There had been no sizeable playground so it was shifted 300 metres along the road. There was a schoolhouse so the Assistant had to board within the district.

08.28 MAC mentions his most memorable teacher was MR TEMPLETON who had an older son and then twin sons in his class. One twin went on to become a RHODES SCHOLAR. MAC explains, ’Needless to say I was not a Dux of the school”. MAC went on to GORE HIGH SCHOOL for 3 years even though his brother had gone to SOUTHLAND BOY’S HIGH SCHOOL. It had been decided that with war restrictions the buses might not run from lack of petrol so MAC biked up to EDENDALE and caught the train to GORE where there was a Boarding Hostel.

10.11 There was a likelihood MAC would become a woodwork instructor and the RECTOR guaranteed a job after Teacher Training for him. However when MAC’s brother went off to War he was needed on the farm so turned to a farming career instead. His brother was 4 years older and there had been a sister in between who only lived for 3 months.

11.08 MAC was 16 when he started work on the farm. He describes the farm as mainly dairying with 55 dairy cows and about 200 breeding ewes. Milk was delivered by horse and cart to the SEAWARD DOWNS DAIRY FACTORY which adjoined the farm. The original factory was established in 1897 but they shifted it to a more central site. In 1940 it burnt down perhaps due to the boiler. A whole new Factory was built in 1940. There was a discharge into the OTERAMIKA STREAM which flowed nearby. MAC recalls some very big eels in that Stream which were very tempting to pull out.

12.51 When MAC was growing up they entertained themselves by playing Tennis, at school- Rugby, and weekends working on farm odd jobs. His Dad employed a man to help with the milking. After leaving school MAC worked in the milking shed. Draught horses were replaced with an old FORDSON tractor when MAC was at Primary School. His Dad bought a new tractor in 1938. In 1939 the first car was giving trouble so it was traded in for a brand new CHEVROLETTE the last new one until 1946 because of the war. Petrol was strictly rationed during the War and you used coupons about 4 gallons a month. Tractors burnt kerosene.

TRACK 3

00.15 There was some allocation for petrol for the tractor. 4 gallons didn’t go far.

00.26 MAC recalls there was a Grocery Shop at SEAWARD DOWNS with MR CROSBIE who delivered groceries to your home. He rang up once a week and Mum would have the order ready and later that day he would deliver them in his car. One end of the district one day and the other the following day. There were baking needs, baking powder, rice, flour which was put in a bin. Sugar and tea were both rationed, (tea was not a problem for the household).

02.21 MAC’s brother as a reinforcement soldier overseas sent regular letters from ITALY. As the War in Europe finished he was sent to JAPAN as the nucleus of the original J FORCE with other young single men. He spent 6 months in JAPAN before being replaced by men directly from NEW ZEALAND. He wasn’t back home till SEPTEMBER 1946. He talked about driving through HIROSHIMA where the ATOMIC BOMB blasted with still a certain amount of radiation. (Didn’t seem to cause harm then) He was appalled at the absolute devastation of that city even though it brought the war to an end. Letters did not say where he was or what he was doing. He was a driver and travelled 1,000’s of miles carting supplies up to the troops even as far as TRIESTE towards the end. MAC recalls it was a “CAPTAIN COOK TOUR”. HE was in EGYPT to begin with before ITALY by which time the war had ceased so he didn’t see direct action.

05.37 Dad was agreeable to him going but hoped he didn’t have to go through what he went through. In the trenches in FRANCE in 1917 was the wettest year recorded in EUROPE. MAC’s Dad recalled never being out of your clothes from one week to the next. The lice was unbelievable to live with.

06.36 MAC then went in 1946 from farm work to working in at the Dairy Factory after his brother’s return. His Uncle had a farm at MATAURA ISLAND (with a Share Milker) and one at PINE BUSH (where he lived and the Government were acquiring surplus farms for Returned Servicemen and Uncle knew that the MATAURA ISLAND farm would be taken off him so my brother took over the PINE BUSH farm with some financial assistance from his Dad. That meant that MAC could take over his parents’ farm.

08.12 MAC lost his Mother in 1948 and his Dad retired to INVERCARGILL so he leased the farm for 2 years before taking over in 1953, building a new home for his marriage to VIOLET that year. The old home was very old and full of borer so he went cap in hand to the Bank to borrow some money. After the War the economy seemed to pick up in the 50’s. The new home, 3 bedroom, brick and roughcast was built for 3,000 pounds. At the time a new car would cost about 400 pound. A local builder and friend ARTHUR MCNEILL had married his neighbour’s daughter and had been to a Rehab school after the War decided with his mate BOB CUPPLES (ex-Navy and Rehab school) to form a partnership and they built the house on a cost + 10% basis. There was no tradesman so they asked MAC to find them a brickie [Brick Layer] so he went to GORE knowing that a school friend BRIGGS Father was a brickie. He recommended DICK GORDIAN at MATAURA who was hesitant but found the framing already done the best he had seen and so undertook the job starting a long friendship between the builders. MAC’s neighbour had a truck and they went to the GORE BRICKWORKS and carted them back to points around the building site. MAC and his brother helped on site e.g.: lifting up framework built on site. Red Pine timber came up from HALDANE from the saw-mill there. It was stacked at the farm. TNG flooring too.

14.08 Farming prices were good so MAC was able to put down a fair deposit. Dairy cheques came in each month. The house was paid off in 2 years.

TRACK 4

00.15 MAC recalls social activities. His interest went to PINE BUSH where he met his future bride. His Father knew the BEATTIE family from before WW1 with PINE BUSH and SEAWARD BUSH being about 10 miles apart. In the 1950s there would be a dance every weekend between MATAURA ISLAND, WAIMAHAKA, SEAWARD DOWNS or EDENDALE. Mates took turns asking a Dad to borrow a car and get petrol.

02.34 MAC bought a second hand 36 AUSTIN 10 car (new cars were hard to come by). MAC had his name in at WATTS & GRIEVE (INVERCARGILL) for a MORRIS MINOR and one day a salesman friend MR TANNOCK rang that his name was top of the list but THE WATERFRONT STRIKE was on (1951) assembled in AUCKLAND. MAC recalls the cows were dried off so his mate from BIBLE CLASS and him went to AUCKLAND to pick it up. They travelled by train to CHRISTCHURCH then the ferry to WELLINGTON then train to AUCKLAND. They picked up the car and travelled back down the NORTH ISLAND but because of the strike there was trouble to get over the (COOK) STRAIGHT. MAC’s close friend was in the Police Force in WELLINGTON. He sent MAC to walk onto the boat and he drove the car down to the wharf. So CONSTABLE BAGRIE drove it onto the wharf and said “load this car” and at LYTTLETON MAC just drove it off. The car was loaded by using a sling and swung over to the boat deck. You drove onto a wooden platform with chains up from it that hooked to a wire rope to a crane that lifted the car up and swung it around to the deck of the boat. Then one of the boat crew would take it to store in the hold before the crane swung back for the next car. (Years later they had drive on ferries)

05.56 MAC went to BIBLE CLASS and the MEMORIAL Church (erected after WW1) at SEAWARD DOWNS. The Minister was at EDENDALE but served BRYDONE, EDENDALE, SEAWARD DOWNS and MATAURA ISLAND with 3 Services every Sunday. Local Ladies in the District ran the Bible Class (MAC recalls a School Teacher).

07.45 MAC continued on the farm taking milk to the factory. His first job (1947-1948) at the Factory MAC was on the stage receiving the milk. There was 2 weighing machines with 40 odd farmers bringing their milk which was tipped out of the cans into the weighing machine. There was 10 gallons in each and a can weighed 100lb plus the weight of the can. The machine weighed up to 10 cans about 100 gallons. Some farmers had 25 cans arriving by truck or horse and cart.

10.03 After that they packed the cheese, 2 x 80lb cheese in each crate. 8 battens were put around to secure the cheese in the crate then top and bottom a light lacing wire was used to secure it with staples. Cheese was destined for ENGLAND. When making the cheddar cheese in the hoops there was a scrim that acted as a rind to protect it as an outer layer. In ENGLAND they would cut that outer layer off.

12.51 The Manager took me to my wedding. MAC recalls it was traditional to give a toast to the Bride’s and Bride Groom’s parents. MR BAGRIE the Factory Manager being friends of my Family (his son was also the Best Man) proposed the toast to the HOWDEN family saying, ‘He had the pleasure of taking the Bride Groom to the Maternity Home and to get Married”.

13.38 After marriage MAC recalls that farming was going well. He had a problem working with the cows and getting exzema badly. The skin Specialist said that if he continued it would get worse and he would end up with asthma.

TRACK 5

00.07 The cow shed needed replaced but instead of a cowshed we built a woolshed. Reluctantly MAC had to sell the cows and switch the farm over to a sheep farm. MAC was also able to buy [? Recording ends mid sentence]

TRACK 6

00.40 The Specialist assured MAC he would not get exzema from sheep. A decision was made to also grow grain. Every year one paddock went into wheat to harvest and Hereford calves were bought in to carry through for 12 months before going to the Freezing Works. So there was sheep, grain and beef cattle to replace the dairying. With dairying, MAC had always run 200 ewes with the cows but instead of Southdown Rams switched to Romney rams and bred his own replacements giving an added interest.

03.14 Some grain was already being grown around the District and it was a good area for it. At first MAC relied on a Contractor for Harvesting but that meant sometimes waiting and then the weather deteriorated and wheat could become not good milling quality. MAC and his neighbour JOHN HILLIS bought a small Header to harvest our own crops and be ready when the crop was ready. It was a MCCORMICK DEERING HEADER. Each farm used their own tractor on their farm. They had a bin on their trucks to take the grain off into a silo. When they got word that it was to be shipped to AUCKLAND they worked together to cart the grain down to the silos in BLUFF before being shipped to AUCKLAND. It was mostly used for milling for bread, turning into flour. It was sold through the Mercantile Firm SOUTHLAND FARMERS CO-OP who arranged the shipping.

05.39 MAC recalls they built a silo in the shed. There was a big fan and a diesel operated burner. The fan drew the heat from the burner into the perforated floor of the silo and blew it up through the grain to reduce the moisture. For shipping, grain had to be of a low moisture content. The silo was made of upright corrugated iron with a frame around the outside to withhold the pressure when the grain was added. Otherwise the silo would start to expand dangerously. Timber work was 3x2s right round bolted to each other with timber at different heights to make it very secure. There was no top because it was in the shed. It held nearly 40 tonne of grain. The truck bin took about 8 tonne.

08.08 When transporting to BLUFF the neighbour helped and 2 trucks would work together. Loading up at night and first thing in the morning we would take the first load. A big day with 2 more trips after that along with many other trucks on the road. He was pulled up by a Traffic Cop near GREENHILLS for exceeding the 40mph speed limit who heard the trucks and estimated they were speeding. The truck was a BEDFORD 5 Tonne truck (new in 1956). They had their own bins so as not to rely on contractors. Some years they grew barley (for local feed) as well as wheat using 10-12 acres (5-6 hectares). It depended on the climate as to the yield each season,” with SEAWARD DOWNS the ground was heavy so the yield gave heavy crops. “

11.42 Several Farmers grew grain in the area. Having our own header allowed him to harvest at optimum times at about 16% moisture and then reduce the moisture with the dryer. MAC worked with grain from 1955 until his son converted into dairying without sheep or grain.

14.24 SEAWARD DOWNS DAIRY FACTORY amalgamated with MATAURA ISLAND after many Farmers switched over to sheep with the wool boom to have a more relaxed lifestyle.

TRACK 7

00.12 The milk came through to SEAWARD DOWNS and MATAURA ISLAND was closed. Eventually all the factories closed down, amalgamated and milk went to EDENDALE even from the Western District. By that stage MAC wasn’t involved. Mac had been a SEAWARD DOWNS FACTORY employee, supplier and Director. The first factory was burnt down in 1940 when MAC was in High School. The fire cause was rumoured to be sabotage but MAC had a view that the dross for heating ignited. (Pre Fire Brigades) After the fire all the milk (except from 2 cows owned by the local Grocer) was diverted to EDENDALE, MORTON MAINS, GORGE ROAD, MATAURA ISLAND and MENZIES FERRY and they were able to absorb the extra milk. Staff were dispensed round those Factories to work.

03.06 The Manager was a methodical man and got HERBERTS TRANSPORT from EDENDALE to go around the farms and Farmer’s put a dab of paint on the milk cans to identify each Farm’s supply. Later some bought trucks to cart it themselves. MAC’s neighbour MR DUNLOP made an agreement with his Dad to take their milk for the year before the new Factory was opened.

03.52 MR BAGRIE the MANAGER drew up plans and AIRS and BAIN were contracted to build the new Factory. It was in production the following year. The concrete walls took a lot of manpower. All done during WW2, they got cement and reinforcing to rebuild.

05.01 They made butter once a week, the rest was cheese. The whey was separated to get the butter fat for the pale but good butter for local consumption and export to ENGLAND too. There was rivalry between the Factories for pay-out and in theory EDENDALE should have been best as it was beside the Railway but SEAWARD DOWNS (Manager was efficient) paid out a little more causing resentment, with EDENDALE Farmers getting less. The Managers cheese was graded finest, first grade.

07.21 MR BAGRIE, Manager for 25 years had retired (to INVERCARGILL) by the time we went out of Dairying and the Manager was MR SYMON who was very disappointed. MACs Health dictated the decision. Contact was kept with MR BAGRIE after his long association with the Family.

08.48 MAC describes how VIOLET’s Mother wasn’t very well and in order to look after her VIOLET’s parents had a RICHARDSON’s prefab house built and put next to theirs. This became a happy time for the Grandmother who could see the little ones growing up as they popped next door for pleasurable visits for 5 years for VIOLET’s Mum but 18 for her Dad.

10.15 MAC describes there was a good tennis court across from the Hall and Recreation Ground. There was 2 tennis courts with players being responsible for redoing the markings each season. There was a Hall Committee to see to maintenance and the running. Once the School was shifted the courts were disbanded and new courts were built alongside the School after a big Community effort. They came with concrete mixers and wheelbarrows and it was well constructed from voluntary effort.

11.41 MAC was in the WYNDAM PIPE BAND for 25 years, mostly as a bass drummer or sometimes on the tenor drum. When he joined many of the Pipe Band Members had been in a band in the Middle East during WW2. JOHNNY BATES and BOB HENRY had both been through GREECE, CRETE and along the Desert. Also SANDY MACMILLAN was wounded on the Desert and sent back home. TOM HISLOP was another Returned Man.

13.14 CRT became FARMLANDS (Farm Company). MAC was involved from early days when TOM GILL (Returned Serviceman and friend) and JIM CARSWELL started with a nucleus meeting at MAC’s house. Then JOHN JOHNSTON and ALLAN GALT from FEDERATED FARMERS merged and became THE SOUTHLAND RURAL ECONOMIC SOCIETY about 1958. MAC went to the first Annual Meeting,

TRACK 8

00.01 Discussion about forming a Society ensued and JIM CARSWELL an ex- employee of NATIONAL MORTGAGE could see a trading Association could provide big reductions in chemicals, vaccines, drenches and a big profit to be made for a 20 Pound joining fee. All the SEAWARD DOWNS Farmers at the meeting were keen to join up.

01.35 An inaugural meeting in INVERCARGILL involving other Districts officially established the go ahead for a Trading Society. The following year MAC was elected as a Director. There was close liaison with the OTAGO TRADING SOCIETY attending their Annual Meeting each year. Advice was shared on expansion plans leading to the formation of CRT (Combined Rural Traders) merging all the Societies under one umbrella. This gave far more purchasing power with big Suppliers to encourage discounts (2,000 farmers). Initially there was a 331/3 % discount on vaccines and 20% on sprays which was a big saving. Neighbours were soon joining for the benefits. Mercantile Firms had been taking excessive profit off the Farmers. MAC recalls a Mercantile comment, “The Farmer farms the land and we farm the Farmer”.

04.45 MAC recalls the OTERAMIKA STREAM flowed through his farm from headwaters in BRYDON coming down through EDENDALE, SEAWARD DOWNS and into the MATAURA RIVER below. It drained the terrace from BRYDON to the EDENDALE Flat. At SEAWARD DOWNS it was free draining land so MAC didn’t have to put tiles in on his farm, the largest area in NEW ZEALAND not needing tiles. It was said, “As long as it stops raining it will soon soak away”. Under the clay at 3-4 metres you’re into lovely sandy coloured gravel (used to provide gravel for MAC’s house foundations, making excellent concrete – just add cement and water).

07.08 The quarry was filled with dirt when it was finished with. The gravel for the tennis courts came from near the MATAURA RIVER where it goes through SEAWARD DOWNS. MAC recalls the farm being on both sides of the OTERAMIKA STREAM with a bridge over it. During the Depression in the late 1930’s (MAC was about 5 years but remembers them walking up and down the bank during the digging using horse and dray) the Government used unemployed workers to straighten the STREAM prior to which it meandered through all the farms. A complete new channel was dug making the flow direct. That increased the flow load to the MATAURA RIVER during a flood. The diggers might have come out by bus from INVERCARGILL. It made it easier to manage stock on the pasture and later when the land was cropped.

10.54 Interviewer thanks Mac and concludes the interview

INTERVIEW ENDS