Abstract of Martin (Marty) KLEMICK, 2020
Item — Box: 28
Identifier: H01810002
Overview
Martin (Marty) Klemick
Interviewer: Jenny Campbell
Abstracter: Laura Davies
Interview: 28 June 2013
TRACK 1
00:00 Interview Identification
00:07 END OF TRACK 1
TRACK 2
00:00 Interview Identification
00:40 MARTIN KLEMICK born in 1935
00:50 Interview agreement
01:25 Born in the MATERNITY HOME in NIGHTCAPS – parents were PHIL KLEMICK and NELLY(?) KLEMICK – 14 people in his family; seven girls and seven boys – MARTIN is the youngest – two left: BROTHER in CHRISTCHURCH, GERARD KLEMICK and himself.
02:08 MOTHER’s maiden name was ELLEN WELSH(?) – Lived in NIGTHCAPS – four in the family, two girls and two boys.
02:24 FATHER (PHIL KLEMICK’s) was from WAIHOLA area – Father’s grandparents came from POLAND – two children in family.
03:00 Has NIECES and NEPHEWS all over New Zealand and a few in Australia
03:25 Recalls how his Mother dealt with all the children during his CHILDHOOD – never all in the home at once – most were married by the time Martin was born – family was close – Older girls spoilt the youngest girl – Brothers worked in Mines
05:01 Attended the convent ST PATRICKS in NIGHTCAPS for SCHOOL – then NIGHTCAPS DISTRICT HIGHSCHOOL – left school at 15.
05:26 Recalls working at the MINES in NIGHTCAPS – shift work – never went underground at the MINES until the age of 16
06:22 Recalls working for a year at the MOSSBANK MINES in OHAI – entrance in gully – had to pull the coal under the OHAI NIGHTCAPS ROAD – Mine closed while her worked there – Details
07:41 Recalls working at LINTON COAL MINE – Miners mostly lived locally - Depth of Mine – lowered down in a trolley and then walked – shovel was left where they worked – Describes
09:53 SAFETY REQUIREMENTS – had breathing masks in later years – knew it was a risky job – VENTILATION - DUST – FUMES off the explosives – Details
11:20 EXPLOSIVES – fumes – everybody had their own ammunition, carried it down in the tin everyday – Details
12:20 Recalls the physical aspect to MINING – Had to produce 10 tonnes of coal with shovel – 20 boxes – had put up SAFETY props – Details
13:10 Went to work in the PIE CART – left NIGHTCAPS at ten past seven, arrived back just after three – took own LUNCH and TEA – Recalls cans of tea then to flasks – negotiated with UNIONS in regards to tea
13:55 Had to be in the MINERS UNION – Recalls the UNION inspectors
14:30 Recalls MINE MANAGERS – ANDY COLLAGHEN(?), local – considered one of the best managers in the district – worked at the mines for a number of years
15:00 END OF TRACK 2
TRACK 3
00:00 MINE MANAGERS continued – change of managers caused issues
00:45 Where the COAL went – Freezing Works – Dunedin – 5 to 6 steam trains would leave NIGHTCAPS – coal sold in large quantities – never thought they would be sold in bags – coal sheds
01:44 WAGES for the coal miners – slightly better than the average wage – would occasionally help local farmers
02:45 Lived with his father when he started working – his FAMILY HOME is one of the oldest in NIGHTCAPS – Describes location – his father [PHIL KLEMICK] built the house – Describes house
04:00 Describes living with father and some of his siblings – moved then to flats – never married
04:56 Recalls SOCIAL ACTIVITES – tennis – rugby – swimming – SPORTS in OHAI and NIGHTCAPS - Recalls DANCING and MOVIES in OHAI and NIGHTCAPS
06:35 SHOPPING in NIGHTCAPS – Recalls thirteen shops – butchers – confectioners – grocers – drapers – billiard room
7:30 SCHOOL– ST PATRICK’S had forty to fifty pupils – teachers were nuns - built new schools – recalls class sizes
09:10 Current state of the COAL MINES in NIGHTCAPS – previously worked in three mines LINTON MINE, WAIRAKI MINE – caught fire – MORLEY MINE – Recalls MINING at MORLEY MINE and describes the mine – MORLEY was a gassy mine – had gas lamps, would read the flame – there were later modern battery additions – deep mine 11:32 END OF TRACK 3
TRACK 4
00:00 WORKING at MORLEY MINE – continued – problems with working at depths – government owned mine – STATE COAL – worked there circa 1950 – worked for approximately 38 years
01:55 Describes the change if MINING over the years – worked with pick and shovel
02:27 Describes LINTON MINE
02:50 Recalls working at MORLEY MINE – mined length and width of football field in one area – approximately four men worked on the area at one time – could hear the roof bolts fail and knew it was time to get out - Describes the underground MINES like a township with different passages going off in different directions
05:12 Worked with different men while MINING – pillars always had to have two men
05:45 RETIREMENT and REDUNDANCY from the UNION and STATE COAL – also worked for a time in the Railway due to HEALTH ISSUES
06:45 Recalls life working in the MINES – kept you fit – did not think about the RISKS – ACCIDENTS that happened – strong UNION
08:50 – FRIENDSHIP and binding from working in the MINES in OHAI and NIGHTCAPS – the NIGHTCAPS and OHAI RUGBY match was always the biggest in the district
10:11 END OF TRACK 4
Interviewer: Jenny Campbell
Abstracter: Laura Davies
Interview: 28 June 2013
TRACK 1
00:00 Interview Identification
00:07 END OF TRACK 1
TRACK 2
00:00 Interview Identification
00:40 MARTIN KLEMICK born in 1935
00:50 Interview agreement
01:25 Born in the MATERNITY HOME in NIGHTCAPS – parents were PHIL KLEMICK and NELLY(?) KLEMICK – 14 people in his family; seven girls and seven boys – MARTIN is the youngest – two left: BROTHER in CHRISTCHURCH, GERARD KLEMICK and himself.
02:08 MOTHER’s maiden name was ELLEN WELSH(?) – Lived in NIGTHCAPS – four in the family, two girls and two boys.
02:24 FATHER (PHIL KLEMICK’s) was from WAIHOLA area – Father’s grandparents came from POLAND – two children in family.
03:00 Has NIECES and NEPHEWS all over New Zealand and a few in Australia
03:25 Recalls how his Mother dealt with all the children during his CHILDHOOD – never all in the home at once – most were married by the time Martin was born – family was close – Older girls spoilt the youngest girl – Brothers worked in Mines
05:01 Attended the convent ST PATRICKS in NIGHTCAPS for SCHOOL – then NIGHTCAPS DISTRICT HIGHSCHOOL – left school at 15.
05:26 Recalls working at the MINES in NIGHTCAPS – shift work – never went underground at the MINES until the age of 16
06:22 Recalls working for a year at the MOSSBANK MINES in OHAI – entrance in gully – had to pull the coal under the OHAI NIGHTCAPS ROAD – Mine closed while her worked there – Details
07:41 Recalls working at LINTON COAL MINE – Miners mostly lived locally - Depth of Mine – lowered down in a trolley and then walked – shovel was left where they worked – Describes
09:53 SAFETY REQUIREMENTS – had breathing masks in later years – knew it was a risky job – VENTILATION - DUST – FUMES off the explosives – Details
11:20 EXPLOSIVES – fumes – everybody had their own ammunition, carried it down in the tin everyday – Details
12:20 Recalls the physical aspect to MINING – Had to produce 10 tonnes of coal with shovel – 20 boxes – had put up SAFETY props – Details
13:10 Went to work in the PIE CART – left NIGHTCAPS at ten past seven, arrived back just after three – took own LUNCH and TEA – Recalls cans of tea then to flasks – negotiated with UNIONS in regards to tea
13:55 Had to be in the MINERS UNION – Recalls the UNION inspectors
14:30 Recalls MINE MANAGERS – ANDY COLLAGHEN(?), local – considered one of the best managers in the district – worked at the mines for a number of years
15:00 END OF TRACK 2
TRACK 3
00:00 MINE MANAGERS continued – change of managers caused issues
00:45 Where the COAL went – Freezing Works – Dunedin – 5 to 6 steam trains would leave NIGHTCAPS – coal sold in large quantities – never thought they would be sold in bags – coal sheds
01:44 WAGES for the coal miners – slightly better than the average wage – would occasionally help local farmers
02:45 Lived with his father when he started working – his FAMILY HOME is one of the oldest in NIGHTCAPS – Describes location – his father [PHIL KLEMICK] built the house – Describes house
04:00 Describes living with father and some of his siblings – moved then to flats – never married
04:56 Recalls SOCIAL ACTIVITES – tennis – rugby – swimming – SPORTS in OHAI and NIGHTCAPS - Recalls DANCING and MOVIES in OHAI and NIGHTCAPS
06:35 SHOPPING in NIGHTCAPS – Recalls thirteen shops – butchers – confectioners – grocers – drapers – billiard room
7:30 SCHOOL– ST PATRICK’S had forty to fifty pupils – teachers were nuns - built new schools – recalls class sizes
09:10 Current state of the COAL MINES in NIGHTCAPS – previously worked in three mines LINTON MINE, WAIRAKI MINE – caught fire – MORLEY MINE – Recalls MINING at MORLEY MINE and describes the mine – MORLEY was a gassy mine – had gas lamps, would read the flame – there were later modern battery additions – deep mine 11:32 END OF TRACK 3
TRACK 4
00:00 WORKING at MORLEY MINE – continued – problems with working at depths – government owned mine – STATE COAL – worked there circa 1950 – worked for approximately 38 years
01:55 Describes the change if MINING over the years – worked with pick and shovel
02:27 Describes LINTON MINE
02:50 Recalls working at MORLEY MINE – mined length and width of football field in one area – approximately four men worked on the area at one time – could hear the roof bolts fail and knew it was time to get out - Describes the underground MINES like a township with different passages going off in different directions
05:12 Worked with different men while MINING – pillars always had to have two men
05:45 RETIREMENT and REDUNDANCY from the UNION and STATE COAL – also worked for a time in the Railway due to HEALTH ISSUES
06:45 Recalls life working in the MINES – kept you fit – did not think about the RISKS – ACCIDENTS that happened – strong UNION
08:50 – FRIENDSHIP and binding from working in the MINES in OHAI and NIGHTCAPS – the NIGHTCAPS and OHAI RUGBY match was always the biggest in the district
10:11 END OF TRACK 4
Dates
- 2020
Conditions Governing Access
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Extent
From the Record Group: 1 folder(s)
Language of Materials
From the Record Group: English
Creator
- From the Record Group: Campbell, Jenny (Interviewer, Person)
Repository Details
Part of the Southland Oral History Project Repository
