Abstract of Robert Bruce (Carter) ALLEN, 2020
Item — Box: 28
Identifier: H01830002
Abstract
Robert Bruce (Carter) ALLAN
Interviewer: Jenny Campbell
Abstractor: Barbara Gillam
TRACK 1
0.09 Recording agreement
0.43 DOB 26.05.1947 in NIGHTCAPS
1.57 Has 1 brother and 2 sisters
2.46 Went to OHAI PRIMARY SCHOOL. Roll of 180
2.56 Went to NIGHTCAPS DISTRICT HIGHSCHOOL
3.07 Father was engine driver at THE LINTON COAL COMPANY
3.40 Oldest Sister: DOLORES MAY married to KEITH HERON
4.00 He is second, then comes his second sister YVONNE, lives in Christchurch
4.24 Has a younger brother who is paraplegic after an accident.
5.10 Father's name was ROBERT ALLAN, as was his Grandfather.
5.17 Dad came from ORKNEY ISLES when he was 7
5.50 Family had a block of land that was passed down the family.
6.45 Mother was MARGERY DRYSDALE.
7.00 His mother was attending Ohai school when it collapsed due to underground mining.
8.00 Problems regarding mining under the town of OHAI
9.10 Lived at 13 Birchwood Road
10.45 Not many people living in the town now. Problems with SEWERAGE system.
11.30 Mining caused problems with many aspects of the town.
14.00 Many people injured due to mining accidents. Not many people in Ohai now work. Many on benefits.
END OF TRACK 1
TRACK 2
0.13 1987 MORELY MINE closed with 2m tons of good coal still there.
1.30 Mine reopened, new people employed.
3.00 Lost his best friend in PIKE RIVER MINE EXPLOSION.
3.30 Lot of Ohai mine workforce left to go to Australia and other parts of NZ.
4.10 Started work at the mines after school above ground. Went from 21 pounds to 40 pounds a fortnight when he went underground. He did 41 years underground. Saw 7 fatalities.
5.09 Main reasons accidents occurred.
6.00 Birchwood explosion.
6.20 He was President of The Miners Union. Union bought its own ambulance. Had a Medical Association with its own insurance. Insurance paid put when the mine closed.
7.40 Had their own doctor.
8.00 Reg Colligan's death at the mines. He was 35 and married at time.
9.30 Coal dust and effect on health.
11.30 Accident at Wairaki mine.
12.30 Advancing techniques in mining.
14.20 Not great experience with the Hydro going. Very wet.
END OF TRACK 2
TRACK 3
0.10 New area of mechanisation in 1980s.
1.00 Contract for CANDYBOY DAIRY.
1.46 Wairaki mine produced coal at $15.00 per ton.
3.00 Originally only mined for the domestic market, then ALLIANCE and Candyboy came onboard.
5.00 Worked at Linton Mine because his father worked there.
6.40 His wife's son entered the sheep shearing competition.
7.30 Miners were very social.
9.20 Sometimes they would stay after 6pm closing time.
10.10 Miners went on strike, possibly in sympathy with Auckland wharf workers.
12.37 Ohai Railway Board. He helped sent up trust for it.
END OF TRACK 3
TRACK 4
0.40 Railway board bought a mobility scooter, sent people to Olympics.
2.00 Feels the older people got the best out of Ohai.
2.50 Used to have a great community. Not sure who people in Ohai are.
3.34 House he lives in was the District Managers house. He bought the house.
4.47 At 20 he was making 4 POUND 10
8.15 Competition between Ohai and Nightcaps in coal and sports.
9.40 He would bike with his mother to milk cows.
10.20 He and his mother had a big veggie garden.
11.00 old house at 13 Birchwood had animals, mother made soap and preserved.
12.00 Some people did not manage financially as they men of the family drank.
13.50 Details of how hard Linton mine workers had to work.
END OF TRACK 4
TRACK 5
0.03 TAYLORS built a pub in Ohai.
END OF TRACK 5
Interviewer: Jenny Campbell
Abstractor: Barbara Gillam
TRACK 1
0.09 Recording agreement
0.43 DOB 26.05.1947 in NIGHTCAPS
1.57 Has 1 brother and 2 sisters
2.46 Went to OHAI PRIMARY SCHOOL. Roll of 180
2.56 Went to NIGHTCAPS DISTRICT HIGHSCHOOL
3.07 Father was engine driver at THE LINTON COAL COMPANY
3.40 Oldest Sister: DOLORES MAY married to KEITH HERON
4.00 He is second, then comes his second sister YVONNE, lives in Christchurch
4.24 Has a younger brother who is paraplegic after an accident.
5.10 Father's name was ROBERT ALLAN, as was his Grandfather.
5.17 Dad came from ORKNEY ISLES when he was 7
5.50 Family had a block of land that was passed down the family.
6.45 Mother was MARGERY DRYSDALE.
7.00 His mother was attending Ohai school when it collapsed due to underground mining.
8.00 Problems regarding mining under the town of OHAI
9.10 Lived at 13 Birchwood Road
10.45 Not many people living in the town now. Problems with SEWERAGE system.
11.30 Mining caused problems with many aspects of the town.
14.00 Many people injured due to mining accidents. Not many people in Ohai now work. Many on benefits.
END OF TRACK 1
TRACK 2
0.13 1987 MORELY MINE closed with 2m tons of good coal still there.
1.30 Mine reopened, new people employed.
3.00 Lost his best friend in PIKE RIVER MINE EXPLOSION.
3.30 Lot of Ohai mine workforce left to go to Australia and other parts of NZ.
4.10 Started work at the mines after school above ground. Went from 21 pounds to 40 pounds a fortnight when he went underground. He did 41 years underground. Saw 7 fatalities.
5.09 Main reasons accidents occurred.
6.00 Birchwood explosion.
6.20 He was President of The Miners Union. Union bought its own ambulance. Had a Medical Association with its own insurance. Insurance paid put when the mine closed.
7.40 Had their own doctor.
8.00 Reg Colligan's death at the mines. He was 35 and married at time.
9.30 Coal dust and effect on health.
11.30 Accident at Wairaki mine.
12.30 Advancing techniques in mining.
14.20 Not great experience with the Hydro going. Very wet.
END OF TRACK 2
TRACK 3
0.10 New area of mechanisation in 1980s.
1.00 Contract for CANDYBOY DAIRY.
1.46 Wairaki mine produced coal at $15.00 per ton.
3.00 Originally only mined for the domestic market, then ALLIANCE and Candyboy came onboard.
5.00 Worked at Linton Mine because his father worked there.
6.40 His wife's son entered the sheep shearing competition.
7.30 Miners were very social.
9.20 Sometimes they would stay after 6pm closing time.
10.10 Miners went on strike, possibly in sympathy with Auckland wharf workers.
12.37 Ohai Railway Board. He helped sent up trust for it.
END OF TRACK 3
TRACK 4
0.40 Railway board bought a mobility scooter, sent people to Olympics.
2.00 Feels the older people got the best out of Ohai.
2.50 Used to have a great community. Not sure who people in Ohai are.
3.34 House he lives in was the District Managers house. He bought the house.
4.47 At 20 he was making 4 POUND 10
8.15 Competition between Ohai and Nightcaps in coal and sports.
9.40 He would bike with his mother to milk cows.
10.20 He and his mother had a big veggie garden.
11.00 old house at 13 Birchwood had animals, mother made soap and preserved.
12.00 Some people did not manage financially as they men of the family drank.
13.50 Details of how hard Linton mine workers had to work.
END OF TRACK 4
TRACK 5
0.03 TAYLORS built a pub in Ohai.
END OF TRACK 5
Dates
- 2020
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Extent
From the Record Group: 1 folder(s)
Language of Materials
English
Creator
- From the Record Group: Campbell, Jenny (Interviewer, Person)
Repository Details
Part of the Southland Oral History Project Repository
