MARGARET ANNIE (META) LINDSAY

Interviewer: Janice Templeton

Abstracter: Jean Hawkes

TRACK 1

00.00 Interview identification

00.52 MARGARET ANNIE LINDSAY, known as Meta. Born in 1919 at a Nursing Home in INVERCARGILL.

01.36 Father – ALEXANDER JAMES GEORGE McLEOD (known as Al) a farmer from age of 15. His father was first teacher at WAIANIWA SCHOOL. Came from SCOTLAND to NEW ZEALAND in 1862. Boarded with Innes's grandparents, JAMES LINDSAY, at ARGYLE CORNER. [NOTE: INNES was to become Meta's husband - JH] Mother – her parents from SCOTLAND, lived at ASHBURTON. Her father was manager at TINWALD Sale Yards. Moved to SOUTHLAND to manage farm at FORTROSE. In 1903 bought farm at SPAR BUSH. They were also McLEOD – JAMES and ANNIE. ANNIE SMITH.

03.52 Meta's father born at SPAR BUSH. His grandparents lived at SPAR BUSH.

04.32 Interview stopped and restarted on next track.

End of Track 1

TRACK 2

00.19 Earliest memory – visiting Gran at OPORO FLAT.

01.02 Attended SPAR BUSH SCHOOL for a year or two. Walked through the paddocks. Wore boots or shoes. Teacher was Mr KELLY who boarded with SMITH across the road from school.

02.07 The house at SPAR BUSH was a wooden bungalow built by BLUE BUILDERS of WAIANIWA about time of 'big flood' [NOTE: No indication of time-frame - JH] Problems when the river swelled. House was built for Meta's grandparents. Grandparents sold up in 1935 and lived with Meta's parents for years.

03.34 Foods – Gran made bread for many years, cooked in coal oven. In latter years mother got an electric range. Parents lived in same house when father died mother took over, when she died boys (ACK and NEIL) bought the estate.

04.28 META eldest in family, then NORMAN, ACK (ALISTER), NARNIE (CATHERINE ELLEN), REGINALD NEIL (NEIL), ALMA.

05.21 Father about 59 when he died from heart condition, at home. Mother died about same age. Dr REEKIE from OTAUTAU travelled by motorbike in early days. Became friends. Mrs JOHNSON (?) midwife from ISLA BANK delivered ALMA at home. NEIL born at home. Meta's mother had a twin brother. HECTOR family, including twins, were born at home.

07.15 Grandparents mentioned are mother's parents. Meta did not know father's parents. Granny died when Meta was about 6 years old. They lived where ALISON BROWN is now.

07.34 Two sets of grandparents for a while. Thinks Grandad and Grandma (father's parents) died within three months of each other.

08.26 META only one of family not to have heart complaint.

08.39 Dressmaker used to stay for about six weeks to make clothes including boys' trousers. First coat, recycled – Explained ROSE FORDE from HEDDON BUSH was dressmaker. JOHNNY FARRY, aged about 16, used to bring fabrics and haberdashery to homes. He often stayed with Meta's parents and became a friend. He set up business in DUNEDIN. Johnny youngest in the FARRY family.

11.12 Childhood games – made huts and mud pies, played in wood heap and ran around farm.

11.35 Chores – carry coal in, dry dishes. NARNIE said META always tried to get out of drying dishes. Gran (Meta's mother's mother) made girdle scones and taught META. 12.31 Often had sixteen sitting around table at meal times – including old men who worked on farm and lived in huts. GUSSIE JOHNSON from SPAR BUSH worked for years for family. Her grandson's wife work at ROWENA JACKSON. Grandad did the vegetable garden – Described. 14.54 META'S responsibilities as eldest child – 'school up' siblings. Parents did ground work and applied discipline. Only NORMAN and META went to SPAR BUSH SCHOOL. Other children went to OTAHUTI SCHOOL. When OTAHUTI closed they went to ISLA BANK SCHOOL, by which time META was at high school. H & H BUS – Mentioned. Nearest neighbours FORDE with their children BILL and NANNIE. Catholic and daughter MARGUERITE became a nun. MARY FORDE from ISLA BANK worked at home. Attended a Catholic school.

16.58 META finished year in Standard 6 and went to SOUTHLAND GIRLS' HIGH SCHOOL for two years. Boarded in town with friends, also an uncle and aunty. Home in the weekends. NORMAN boarded with MATHESON at top end of HERBERT ST, went home at weekends. NEIL went to TECH. JOEY McGRATH school teacher [? Southland Boys' High School – JH] taught NORMAN and his father – called them both 'CURLY'.

18.20 META'S interests – tennis at ISLA BANK, badminton in ISLA BANK HALL. 18.52 Parents had a car 'Tin Lizzy' [Ford Model T – JH] with a canvas top. About 1936 change to a NASH car. House-to-house salesman.

19.37 META went to Highland Dancing. All three girls went to SANDY SUTHERLAND. Danced in demonstration concerts. Used to take their lunch and have it near RED CROSS ROOMS on Saturdays. On one occasion NARNIE fell in OTEPUNI CREEK. Dancing classes in DON STREET. MADGE FLAUS (?) – Mentioned. Had kilts and Irish Jig and Sailor's Hornpipe costumes. Went to competitions at Sports Meetings at TOKANUI, BROWNS, DRUMMOND (on Christmas afternoon) and other places. META about 16 when she started to dance. NARNIE very good dancer won a trophy – SANDY SUTHERLAND'S TROPHY, he had won it fifty years before. Trophy – Described. OTAUTAU Sports on Labour weekend also to TUATAPERE to dance.

23.58 Boys played rugby.

24.00 INNES formed YOUNG FARMERS CLUB. META formed OTAHUTI COUNTRY GIRLS after she married and spent 10 years with the club. 24.33 How META met INNES. His family farmed at CENTRE BUSH on Hundred Line, in 1940 came to half of Uncle Charlie's farm. META'S family had the bottom half of LINDSAY'S farm. WAIMATUKU ROAD – Mentioned.

25.27 META 25 when married in 1945. She was about 20 when war broke out. Worked at home with mother. Milked 6 or 7 cows. Hand operated separator. Dairy factory at OTAHUTI. Three or four can of milk taken by horse and dray to factory. Kept pigs. Made own butter. Bread delivered unwrapped.

27.53 META left school at 16 returned to farm. Went to music for a long period. Lessons from GORDON LINDSAY in later years. 28.46 NORMAN went to war aged about 20. ALMA'S husband, OBBY (?) went to war. Used to send baking, packed and sewn in calico to send away. NORMAN was Batman to DONALD GRANT in ITALY. He volunteered. Evenings held in OTAHUTI, ISLA BANK, SPAR BUSH, WAIANIWA HALLS for soldiers leaving. Death rate for New Zealand seemed high when read in later years. Listened to news on radio at night. Family felt anxious all the time. Butter, cream, sugar rationed

32.08 Supplies from OTAHUTI STORE after the war. ISLA BANK, WAIANIWA – Mentioned. Grocer may have come from DRUMMOND.

32.54 Telephone at MAINS O' BLAIR at OTAHUTI. Had telephone and electric light installed in Meta's teenage years. Remembers having to light kerosene lamps and candles.

34.02 Parents anxious when NORMAN enlisted. Labour still employed on farm. ACK did not go to war, he was working. May not have been old enough to be called up. INNES wasn't fit, feet let him down. Joined HOME GUARD, as did others who didn't go to war. Trained at RIVERTON, WRIGHTS BUSH, OTAHUTI.

35.21 First got to know INNES in 1940 when he bought land. Lack of recognition for HOME GUARD. Always went to ANZAC Services.

36.22 Farewells included a dance, items, speeches may have been given a gift. Parcels sent overseas included tobacco, cigarettes, cakes, biscuits. Home baking. ALMA and ISLA BANK – Mentioned.

37.35 War situation part of life. Welcome Home functions for men returning after war. 38.13 Married by the time war ended and on train between AUCKLAND and NORTH AUCKLAND. Only white people on train, others were Maoris. Honeymoon was about six weeks visiting relatives in NORTH ISLAND. Travel restrictions relaxed.

39.04 INNES used to bike up to META'S home and get a free meal. He lived on his farm on his own and had to cook for himself. Courtship lasted four or five years. No one else considered. Proposal not recalled, taken for granted. META'S father sick in bed when INNES asked for permission to marry daughter.

40.34 Wedding plans – at ISLA BANK CHURCH. CLARKE'S from WINTON did the catering. Reception in old OTAHUTI HALL, up by the school. Wedding group included NARNIE, ALISTER (INNES' brother). Wore an ordinary nice frock and a black hat. Photographs lost in shifts. Wedding 11 April 1945 at 11 o'clock. Followed by a luncheon. Photographs taken in INVERCARGILL at a studio. INNES had a little MINI, AUSTIN 7. Dance at night in same hall as reception. Lady from DRUMMOND played piano, DIGGER McDONALD played accordion.

43.20 First night stayed with INNES' AUNTY SARAH in INVERCARGILL. Train to CHRISTCHURCH then toured North Island – Described. ALISTER looked after farm. WELLINGTON – Mentioned. 44.45 When Peace was declared – Message received while on train. Maori passengers celebrated. META'S cousins in far north. Farmers and retired farmers. Dairying. WHANGAREI – Mentioned. HAWKES BAY – Mentioned. Mother's brother manager of car yards in AUCKLAND.

46.07 Going away outfit – Described. First morning home, INNES woken early, arrival of threshing mill for oats that had been stooked. META not in own home on first night back. New house not quite finished. No steading [NOTE: this refers to out-buildings on a property – JH]. House built by BROWN and LEE (?). Feltex [NOTE: felted cover instead of carpet - JH] on floors. Later changed to carpet. Blue coal range – only one available in INVERCARGILL. Electric range several years later.

50.13 Trees had been planted. Garden established. Property – Described. House – Described.

51.59 Milked about six cows. Hand-milked until small milking machine installed. Supplied OTAHUTI DAIRY FACTORY. META made butter.

52.40 In first year of marriage involved with COUNTRY GIRLS' CLUB. Spent ten years on Dominion Executive. Travelled to WELLINGTON. Advisory member. No club at OTAHUTI. Clubs in other places. TUSSOCK CREEK may have had first club. Setting up of club – Described. Monthly meetings. Some events with YOUNG FARMERS' CLUB. Attended 70th Anniversary at GORE. Eventually YOUNG FARMERS and COUNTRY GIRLS combined. Club activities – Described. Duties as National Executive member – Explained. AILSA SALT secretary for years [NOTE: Deputy Clerk of House of Parliament - JH] National conference once a year at different venues. Involved with organising the conference held at DUNEDIN. About time of her resignation. OTAHUTI CLUB would have had ten or twelve members. COUNTRY GIRLS' BALL – Mentioned. Social events – Mentioned.

57.51 Church involvement – attended ISLA BANK CHURCH before marriage. Sunday school at McKENZIE'S for years at MAINS O'BLAIR. NGAIRE and MARGARET [unclear if these are McKENZIES – JH] married, META finished up with Sunday School at OTAHUTI HALL for about 25 years. About 20 children and two teachers at Sunday School. CHARLIE IRELAND'S wife, JEANETTE McDONALD helped also ROBIN McCROSTIE, ENA GRIEVE, DAPH CARTER. 59.24 Didn't have minister for wedding. ANDERSON RILEY had only been in area a week before wedding. Had JIM OLIVER from WALLACETOWN, friend of the LINDSAYS. There was a BIBLE CLASS, META never went. Couple regular churchgoers at ISLA BANK. Never a church at OTAHUTI.

1.00.23 OTAHUTI a one teacher school. Teachers – Mrs GIRVAN and others. About 20 children.

1.00.56 Farm sold in 1971. Moved to Riverton, built a home, lived there for thirty years. While on farm involved with most things. RON CARTER and META formed a Social Committee for events in the old hall. New hall built, used for School JUBILEE in 1956. Fund raising for new hall, community built – Described. Apparently only hall remaining in the area. HOWARD FOWLER'S send off – Mentioned.

1.04.32 People employed to help on farm. META prepared meals for them. Grew grain for a few years as well as having Romney and Southdown sheep. Grew linen flax. Showed lambs for a number of years. Prize Farm in 1962.

10.05.57 No family. Trips to North Island alternate years. Attended YOUNG FARMERS' conferences. MASONIC LODGE meetings. Interviewer travelled with META to ROTORUA. McKENZIES – Mentioned. ALISTER LINDSAY used to look after farm.

1.08.05 INNES set a price at which he would sell farm. Since been sold a couple of times for more than a million dollars. META'S father had bought a crib [bach – JH] in 1939. META bought it about 1970, pulled crib down and built a place. Family holidays at RIVERTON ROCKS when a child, in one of the houses opposite ROCKS CHURCH.

1.10.14 BOB HECTOR built house at RIVERTON. House designed around 'THE ROCK' Moved in in 1971. Attended THE ROCKS CHURCH. Catering done to raise funds to build a new church. Nurses from hospital used to help with Community Dinner. Crippled Children – Mentioned.

1.13.00 Organising Catering for events – Explained. Apple shortcake popular. Preparation by META, EDWINA set tables. MYRTLE BAKIE cooked vegetables. INNES, ERIC ROBINSON and other men peeled potatoes and carrots. RUTH, YVONNE BARKER, ISOBEL WILSON (went to GORE), DORIS and IAN GILBERTSON, GRAYS – Mentioned. Waitressing – High School girls, JOAN HOPCROFT (creamed sweets and made pavlova rolls).

1.16.53 Catering raised about $250,000. Mrs EMSLEY – Mentioned. Crockery bought by seperate group from ROSE and STEWART – Explained. FRED ALFETT built cupboards at back of church to store crockery. Nothing left at LEW and GRACE NUTTALL'S. 1.18.30 Special functions – 'First Lady'

1.19.44 Many changes of minister at the ROCKS CHURCH over the years. JIM McKINLEY, ALAN (?) SIMPSON, JOHN and ISABEL CLARK (daughter married while in RIVERTON), WARREN and RUTH BLUNDELL, NEIL COWIE, MARION and GEORGE EMSLEY. First Footing – Mentioned.

1.22.12 INNES became ill. Died in 1995. KELVIN still at WAIMATUKU – Mentioned [NOTE: think this may be interviewer's son - JH] 1.23.56 META'S sisters – ALMA lived at ISLA BANK, moved to BOGGY BURN. Mention of SARAH, SHONA'S death, CALLUM born before going to BOGGY BURN. Lot of time spent in CHRISTCHURCH. NARNIE lived at GORE, RIVERSDALE, BALFOUR. Brothers stayed on the farm in partnership and later sold it.

1.25.30 Nephews and nieces – GEORGE at GORE, SHIRLEY at DUNEDIN. RAEWYN at hotel in MOTUEKA, CALLUM at LEWIS STREET, INVERCARGILL. GWENDA, FIONA (getting married).

1.27.07 End of Track 2