Abstract of Rowland James (Roly) MORE , 2024
Item — Box: 13
Identifier: H02880002
Abstract
H0288
ROWLAND MORE
20 October 1999
Interviewer: Lou Nuttall
Abstractor: Ngaire Bartley
00.0 Interviewer’s preamble and introduction.
00.45 Born 15 February 1916. Currently lives SOLENT STREET, RIVERTON. Travelled around the world but glad to come home to Riverton. Mentions overseas experience. SON living in BIRKENHEAD, near LIVERPOOL 02.38 1920 went to school ‘a bit of an outlaw’. Walked over the old bridge on top of the rail to school. Discusses school days, teachers BLAKE….? High school, MISS SOWERBY, primers. MISS McKAY, MARION S…..? FRED ASHLEY, MR. LING, MISS GALLOWAY AND MISS ROBERTSON. 1927 went to ‘tech’ in Invercargill. Three years then back in Riverton.
06.40 Went into family business, sawmilling. Got Proficiency first shot. Sent to Invercargill SILVER BEECH COMPANY for six months about 1932. Relates story about the first day at Silver Beech office.
09.46 Travelled in and out to INVERCARGILL on the TUATAPERE bus for six or eight months. HARRY ROWLAND’S driver. Received a good grounding in the timber industry.
10.35 Mentions personalities in Riverton in the early days. Early 1920s KOTARE STEAMER used to come in and berth at the wharf where the fish factory is, direct from DUNEDIN, with groceries. WILLETT had grocery store, JOHN PETCHELL was in where QS store is.
12.06 Mother used to get 100 lb flour, 70 lb sugar and 25 of oatmeal.
12.31 56 gallon hogshead of beer also discharged from boat. Describes how FRANK WEBB picked up the beer on horse and cart and delivered it to hotels.
13.30 Lists FISHING FLEET, BILL STIRLING, ‘MONOWAI’, BILLY LEADER, ‘KIWI’ , SAM BAILEY, ‘THE PALATINE’, RUDY OR NORMAN ‘THE WANDERER.’ NORMAN BEER had the boatshed just at the foot of where you corner out of BATES STREET. Built the ‘WAIRUNA’. Describes launching. Built ‘THE FOAM’ to do trips up the APARIMA.
15.17 REGATTA DAYS. Four or five long trains from INVERCARGILL brought out big crowds. Local band played up around the monument. NORMAN NUTTAL, cornet; WATTIE HANNAN, conductor, then BILL GREEN, then LOGIE took over conducting. TWO SMITH BOYS played, MICK HORAN, GEORGE LOCKETT played something like a sousaphone. OLLIE GILBERT SMITH played bass drum. Late 1920’s. Racing skiffs on the river at regatta.
18.14 RAILWAYS – mentions timetables and routes in detail.
22.30 Mentions CHARLIE STEWART, PRINCIPAL AT INVERCARGILL TECH.
24.35 BUILDING THE NEW BRIDGE IN RIVERTON. Describes in detail.
32.25 After leaving town worked in yards at LONGWOOD. Theory training in Invercargill, then production. Fair grounding in town, marketing, pricing and tallying. Aged 19 given charge at Longwood.
39.50 Living with brothers. Life at the mill.
42.42 ‘Finishing’ of timber, making cheese crates.
43.35 DISMANTLING THE OLD BRIDGE. Good hardwood, sold some rest cut into firewood. Dismantling completed about 1933. Once had a dredge to clean up the bar. Sold to PATEA in TARANAKI after using in Riverton.
Track two
00.04 Discusses River and the geology of the estuary and bar.
00.30 Mentions large number of fires in Riverton. Details of petrol stations in Riverton.
07.50 Discusses in depth cars owned by family.
11.28 Mentions vehicles owned by local people. ? HILL, MR. BLACK, CHAIN DRIVEN TRUCK. BEN GEE – Secretary for TRAILS MILL.
16.46 Relates story about BOB THOMSON mill worker.
17.33 Mentions BILL FREW carrier. Wood for KEW HOSPITAL.
18.00 Discusses first load of timber tallied out.
20.00 FREW FAMILY discussion.
21.20 Details of businesses in Riverton. GEORGE ROBERTSON, Draper – bought clothes there. Staff who worked there. Building became a fish shop owned by HOKEY ANDERSON. Boat and shop called THE GREY SEAL. Discusses H & J SMITH shop in Riverton. JOE HUNTER, boot shop, BILLY COBURN, hawker, sold wares from the drapery shop around the country. DAN KELLY, Tailor, MCMURTREE was the last tailor in Riverton. BERT MCNEE, draper’s shop, finished up sawmilling in Hokonui. 28.00 Mentions LARGE FIRE IN RIVERTON. Loss of many businesses. Last big fire EMPIRE THEATRE built by More’s for the benefit of the town. Describes.
30.52 Mentions ANDY HELM and LENNY PETCHEL, Workers at MORE’S PAY OFFICE.
32.35 Mentions TOMMY BORELAND’S shop, FRANK HILL’S shop, JOE ROBERTSON’S SHOP and two shops opposite - MCNEE’S and BILL SMYTHE, draper. PHYLLIS BURLEY, BILLY MCGILL and MR. SYCAMORE all had shops. Mentions other businesses.
37.23 Mentions GOODWILLIES HOUSE on the hill. Mentions very old house in DALLAS STREET belonging to BILL ASHLEY. Daughter RUTH used to play the violin for the silent pictures. Talks about music at the picture theatre. 40.55 Mentions DR. TROTTER
Track three Second tape recorded on 20 October 1999
Family history preamble
00.30 Reads obituary notice for GRANDFATHER JAMES MORE in the SOUTHLAND TIMES 3rd September 1918. Born MOTHERWELL, SCOTLAND 1836 . Left for New Zealand 1862 CHEVIOT sailing ship. Employed as an engineer SS EXPERT, Dunedin. 1863 went to gold diggings in DUNSTAN. Not a favourable outcome. GRANDMOTHER from PAISLEY in Scotland.
07.20 Extended reading from (unnamed book). Describes exploring LONGWOODS with Son as potential millsite at the turn of the century and development of tramway and mill. Purchase of first locomotive made by JOHNSON’S OF INVERCARGILL 1900. Suggests economy of Riverton tied up with More’s.
18.45 Donation of EMPIRE THEATRE to community 1912. Mentions Black pine flooring and operation of cinema. Mentions STAN STENTON, ED FINNEY JACK LESLIE, BILL LAMB, JACK HARRIE (last operator)
22.50 Mentions local dentist JASPER WALDEN? Pulled out all his teeth. Dentist’s wife MABEL, COMMISSIONER FOR GIRL GUIDES.
26.26 DOCTOR TROTTER story (from Lou Nuttal, Interviewer) Opening day for rowing season.
28.38 DOCTOR GORDON’S CAR – STRAKER SQUIRE story. Lou Nuttall and Roly More tell stories about cars.
32.00 FINISHING FACTORY. Mentions end use of timber that had a use but not at the factory. Lists products and use. Skilled craftsmen from CHRISTCHURCH - …? SHAW, Manager, EDEN SMITH, LES BRYANT, ALF LINDSAY.
45.42 Beginning of cardboard use 1957/58 saw changes to use of Beech. Relates story of taking up the slack by NEW ZEALAND SHIPPING COMPANY.
Track four
00.05 Discusses personalities working in the factory. Local people, lifelong employment – father, sons, grandsons. Working conditions. Mentions FRANK WILKINSON, siblings and family.
09.16 HODGES FAMILY employees.
10.01 Ballots of land in the Longwood area.
13.32 Accidents he had with wood. Fatal accident mentioned.
14.10 Mentions long-term workers at LONGWOOD. BERT SIMPSON, BILLY MASON, WATTIE HODGES.
REGENERATION AND CONSERVATION OF TREES discussion between LOU AND ROLY.
22.11 STEAM ENGINES. Mentions JOHNSONS STEAM ENGINEES, INVERCARGILL.
26.48 Reads in-depth details of construction and capability and operation of steam trains No 1, No 2 and No3 locos at MORE’S. Lists drivers in MORE’S EMPLOY BOOK
ROWLAND MORE
20 October 1999
Interviewer: Lou Nuttall
Abstractor: Ngaire Bartley
00.0 Interviewer’s preamble and introduction.
00.45 Born 15 February 1916. Currently lives SOLENT STREET, RIVERTON. Travelled around the world but glad to come home to Riverton. Mentions overseas experience. SON living in BIRKENHEAD, near LIVERPOOL 02.38 1920 went to school ‘a bit of an outlaw’. Walked over the old bridge on top of the rail to school. Discusses school days, teachers BLAKE….? High school, MISS SOWERBY, primers. MISS McKAY, MARION S…..? FRED ASHLEY, MR. LING, MISS GALLOWAY AND MISS ROBERTSON. 1927 went to ‘tech’ in Invercargill. Three years then back in Riverton.
06.40 Went into family business, sawmilling. Got Proficiency first shot. Sent to Invercargill SILVER BEECH COMPANY for six months about 1932. Relates story about the first day at Silver Beech office.
09.46 Travelled in and out to INVERCARGILL on the TUATAPERE bus for six or eight months. HARRY ROWLAND’S driver. Received a good grounding in the timber industry.
10.35 Mentions personalities in Riverton in the early days. Early 1920s KOTARE STEAMER used to come in and berth at the wharf where the fish factory is, direct from DUNEDIN, with groceries. WILLETT had grocery store, JOHN PETCHELL was in where QS store is.
12.06 Mother used to get 100 lb flour, 70 lb sugar and 25 of oatmeal.
12.31 56 gallon hogshead of beer also discharged from boat. Describes how FRANK WEBB picked up the beer on horse and cart and delivered it to hotels.
13.30 Lists FISHING FLEET, BILL STIRLING, ‘MONOWAI’, BILLY LEADER, ‘KIWI’ , SAM BAILEY, ‘THE PALATINE’, RUDY OR NORMAN ‘THE WANDERER.’ NORMAN BEER had the boatshed just at the foot of where you corner out of BATES STREET. Built the ‘WAIRUNA’. Describes launching. Built ‘THE FOAM’ to do trips up the APARIMA.
15.17 REGATTA DAYS. Four or five long trains from INVERCARGILL brought out big crowds. Local band played up around the monument. NORMAN NUTTAL, cornet; WATTIE HANNAN, conductor, then BILL GREEN, then LOGIE took over conducting. TWO SMITH BOYS played, MICK HORAN, GEORGE LOCKETT played something like a sousaphone. OLLIE GILBERT SMITH played bass drum. Late 1920’s. Racing skiffs on the river at regatta.
18.14 RAILWAYS – mentions timetables and routes in detail.
22.30 Mentions CHARLIE STEWART, PRINCIPAL AT INVERCARGILL TECH.
24.35 BUILDING THE NEW BRIDGE IN RIVERTON. Describes in detail.
32.25 After leaving town worked in yards at LONGWOOD. Theory training in Invercargill, then production. Fair grounding in town, marketing, pricing and tallying. Aged 19 given charge at Longwood.
39.50 Living with brothers. Life at the mill.
42.42 ‘Finishing’ of timber, making cheese crates.
43.35 DISMANTLING THE OLD BRIDGE. Good hardwood, sold some rest cut into firewood. Dismantling completed about 1933. Once had a dredge to clean up the bar. Sold to PATEA in TARANAKI after using in Riverton.
Track two
00.04 Discusses River and the geology of the estuary and bar.
00.30 Mentions large number of fires in Riverton. Details of petrol stations in Riverton.
07.50 Discusses in depth cars owned by family.
11.28 Mentions vehicles owned by local people. ? HILL, MR. BLACK, CHAIN DRIVEN TRUCK. BEN GEE – Secretary for TRAILS MILL.
16.46 Relates story about BOB THOMSON mill worker.
17.33 Mentions BILL FREW carrier. Wood for KEW HOSPITAL.
18.00 Discusses first load of timber tallied out.
20.00 FREW FAMILY discussion.
21.20 Details of businesses in Riverton. GEORGE ROBERTSON, Draper – bought clothes there. Staff who worked there. Building became a fish shop owned by HOKEY ANDERSON. Boat and shop called THE GREY SEAL. Discusses H & J SMITH shop in Riverton. JOE HUNTER, boot shop, BILLY COBURN, hawker, sold wares from the drapery shop around the country. DAN KELLY, Tailor, MCMURTREE was the last tailor in Riverton. BERT MCNEE, draper’s shop, finished up sawmilling in Hokonui. 28.00 Mentions LARGE FIRE IN RIVERTON. Loss of many businesses. Last big fire EMPIRE THEATRE built by More’s for the benefit of the town. Describes.
30.52 Mentions ANDY HELM and LENNY PETCHEL, Workers at MORE’S PAY OFFICE.
32.35 Mentions TOMMY BORELAND’S shop, FRANK HILL’S shop, JOE ROBERTSON’S SHOP and two shops opposite - MCNEE’S and BILL SMYTHE, draper. PHYLLIS BURLEY, BILLY MCGILL and MR. SYCAMORE all had shops. Mentions other businesses.
37.23 Mentions GOODWILLIES HOUSE on the hill. Mentions very old house in DALLAS STREET belonging to BILL ASHLEY. Daughter RUTH used to play the violin for the silent pictures. Talks about music at the picture theatre. 40.55 Mentions DR. TROTTER
Track three Second tape recorded on 20 October 1999
Family history preamble
00.30 Reads obituary notice for GRANDFATHER JAMES MORE in the SOUTHLAND TIMES 3rd September 1918. Born MOTHERWELL, SCOTLAND 1836 . Left for New Zealand 1862 CHEVIOT sailing ship. Employed as an engineer SS EXPERT, Dunedin. 1863 went to gold diggings in DUNSTAN. Not a favourable outcome. GRANDMOTHER from PAISLEY in Scotland.
07.20 Extended reading from (unnamed book). Describes exploring LONGWOODS with Son as potential millsite at the turn of the century and development of tramway and mill. Purchase of first locomotive made by JOHNSON’S OF INVERCARGILL 1900. Suggests economy of Riverton tied up with More’s.
18.45 Donation of EMPIRE THEATRE to community 1912. Mentions Black pine flooring and operation of cinema. Mentions STAN STENTON, ED FINNEY JACK LESLIE, BILL LAMB, JACK HARRIE (last operator)
22.50 Mentions local dentist JASPER WALDEN? Pulled out all his teeth. Dentist’s wife MABEL, COMMISSIONER FOR GIRL GUIDES.
26.26 DOCTOR TROTTER story (from Lou Nuttal, Interviewer) Opening day for rowing season.
28.38 DOCTOR GORDON’S CAR – STRAKER SQUIRE story. Lou Nuttall and Roly More tell stories about cars.
32.00 FINISHING FACTORY. Mentions end use of timber that had a use but not at the factory. Lists products and use. Skilled craftsmen from CHRISTCHURCH - …? SHAW, Manager, EDEN SMITH, LES BRYANT, ALF LINDSAY.
45.42 Beginning of cardboard use 1957/58 saw changes to use of Beech. Relates story of taking up the slack by NEW ZEALAND SHIPPING COMPANY.
Track four
00.05 Discusses personalities working in the factory. Local people, lifelong employment – father, sons, grandsons. Working conditions. Mentions FRANK WILKINSON, siblings and family.
09.16 HODGES FAMILY employees.
10.01 Ballots of land in the Longwood area.
13.32 Accidents he had with wood. Fatal accident mentioned.
14.10 Mentions long-term workers at LONGWOOD. BERT SIMPSON, BILLY MASON, WATTIE HODGES.
REGENERATION AND CONSERVATION OF TREES discussion between LOU AND ROLY.
22.11 STEAM ENGINES. Mentions JOHNSONS STEAM ENGINEES, INVERCARGILL.
26.48 Reads in-depth details of construction and capability and operation of steam trains No 1, No 2 and No3 locos at MORE’S. Lists drivers in MORE’S EMPLOY BOOK
Dates
- 2024
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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: Nuttall, Louis Norman (Lou) (Interviewer, Person)
Repository Details
Part of the Southland Oral History Project Repository
