Abstract of Sydney Paul McKAY, 2023
Item — Box: 15
Identifier: H02930002
Abstract
SYDNEY PAUL MCKAY
Interviewer: Gordon Duston
Abstracter: Judith Christie
Interview: 3 February 2017
TRACK One
00:00 Interview identification
01.30 Born 31 January 1935.
02.30 Born in LAUNCESTON, TASMANIA, came to New Zealand at age 3 years, arriving in BLUFF and lived in SOUTH INVERCARGILL. Depression years.
03.30 South Invercargill had large open spaces. KEW ROAD had only two houses. Self lived in NELSON STREET on a large section. FATHER’S OCCUPATION was WOOD MERCHANT – wood yard in the APPLEBY RAILWAY YARDS, wood obtained from FOREST HILL. Mother bagged wood, and father delivered by horse and dray.
05.20 In 1940, father bought a three tonne CHEVORLET TRUCK. DEFENCE DEPARTMENT took away the truck for war use, giving father USELESS WAR BONDS. WOOD BUSINESS FAILED, and father then went to the LINEN FLAX FACTORY at WOODLANDS and was head tractor driver. Family moved to woodlands at the end of 1941.
06.40 Older brother went to WWII and a younger brother and a sister. All SIBLINGS now deceased.
07.00 LINEN FLAX FACTORY was part of the WAR EFFORT describes process of flax making. Flax used to make a CANVAS type material for AEROPLANES.
08.50 Remained in Woodlands after the war, where father became a LABOURER. Self began his CAREER in 1950 in the Post office, working at WOODLANDS POST OFFICE, situated at the WOODLANDS RAILWAY STATION. Started as a TELEPHONE EXCHANGE SWITCHBOARD OPERATOR AND TOLL OPERATOR. Started on £160 p a year, increasing by £5 a year. Two years spent at Woodlands Exchange, then attended TELEGRAPH SCHOOL at TRENTHAM CAMP to learn MORSE CODE. All TELEGRAMS were processed in Morse Code. Mentions CREED MACHINES – not available in country areas.
011.20 Before Trentham attendance, had to be able to process 12 wpm, and needed to be able to process 22wpm to qualify as a CADET.
12.05 In Wellington, called to the Town Hall to process MOTOR REGISTRATIONS, which all had to be done by 30 June each year describes.
13.00 Self then moved to MATAURA. Busy town, with FREEZING WORKS, PAPER MILL and MOLASSES FACTORY. Tough Postmaster at Mataura. Every Monday morning, postmaster would tell every staff member what they had done wrong the previous week.
End of Track One
TRACK TWO
00.00 Self made sure he did everything to avoid chastisement from Postmaster describes
01.15 Moved to BALCLUTHA fourteen months later – compulsory move. Accommodation had not been arranged properly. Remained in Balclutha for fourteen months, boarding with a woman who could not cook, so lived on Belgium, sausages and savaloys. Staff shortages at Balclutha.
02.40 Applied for position at NIGHTCAPS, because self was so unhappy in Balclutha. Remained in Nightcaps for nine years, boarding with a coal miner who had been injured at work. Landlady was a fantastic cook.
04.00 Joined YOUNG FARMERS at Nightcaps – good experience.
04.15 Moved to OTAUTAU, where remained for nineteen years, turning down promotion twice, including promotion to Owaka. Wife was a registered nurse, and could have worked at the Hospital in Owaka. However, both sets of parents lived in Riverton at the time so passed promotion up.
05.15 Became a POSTMASTER in RIVERTON – enjoyable office to work in, with a view of the changing tides. Two years in Riverton, then became Postmaster in WINTON. During these years, specialised in the CONVERSION OF TELEPHONE EXCHANGES FROM MANUAL TO AUTOMATIC.
06.15 Lots of RELIEVING – TE ANAU, TUATAPERE, ORAWIA, ORAWIA BRIDGE, OREPUKE, RIVERTON, THORNBURY, EDENDALE.
06.45 In Otautau, co-ordinated changeover to DECIMAL CURRENCY for the District, which was met with some resistance.
07.30 WINTON TELEPHONE EXCHANGE automated, self then transferred to the ENGINEERING BRANCH in INVERCARGILL, just prior to the three way split into POSTBANK, NZ POST and TELECOM. Applied for a position in Telecom, and became MANAGER OF SERVICE OPERATIONS, remaining for four years until retirement.
08.30 Promotion required being prepared to shift often, in a variety of jobs.
09.30 Two supervisors in WINTON of equal grading, required to rotate. In 1985/86 more specialized, particularly in the BANKING SECTOR and POST OFFICE LOANS. When self went to Winton, holdings in the bank was $25,000. as competing with Savings Bank, where interest was higher. Self worked on getting more business for Post Office bank and $1million was deposited within a year. Describes
11.50 RIVERTON was a very early settlement, and GENEALOGY was a big part of the Postmaster’s job. BIRTHS, DEATHS AND MARRIAGES not indexed, so self spent hours of work INDEXING RECORDS. Self also PERFORMED MARRIAGES describes. Tragedies occurred during self’s career - was involved in REGISTERING DEATHS.
End of Track Two
TRACK THREE
00.00 Describes a wedding reception as marriage celebrant. (59 second segment)
End of Track Three
TRACK FOUR
00.00 After RETIREMENT, interests included AWARUA COMMUNICATIONS MUSEUM. Museum started after a television programme on SOUTHLAND (MERCURY?) TELEVISION in 1999. BRENDON SPARKS asked on the programme for people with telephone equipment to get in touch.
01.20 Applied to become an INCORPORATED SOCIETY, and for some years looked for suitable buildings. Considered transferring a building from MORTON MAINS to Invercargill, and also looked at DONOVAN PARK as a venue, but not suitable.
02.30 Moved in to the back of a shop on ELLES ROAD SOUTH CITY, re-laid the floor of it, and opened on a small scale.
03.15 PAULA MCKENZIE from the AWARUA FARM TRUST suggested AWARUA RADIO STATION site, and offered a lease of one room in a building. A lot of work put in, extending to a second room, and the original room is now the theatre. First showroom was outside the theatre. Work and display benches put in.
05.00 Building became dilapidated, with a MALTHOID TAR ROOF which had perished (corrugated iron not able to be used because of radio signals.) Applied for funding and put on a coloured steel roof on part of building four years ago. Rebuilt and refitted the museum. Describes
07.15 Building is now owned by the Museum, donated by the MCKENZIE FAMILY TRUST. Land sold by the McKenzie Trust to the INVERCARGILL CITY COUNCIL, and the Museum rents off the Council at a set rate. Describes
09.10 Self very proud of efforts by VOLUNTEERS. Excellent work done by builders and contractors and graphic artists. Project cost $700,000. Lots of DONATED MATERIALS AND LABOUR. Now a wonderful facility.
10.40 SPACE CENTRE nearby, and museum shows the history of technology.
End of Track Four
Interviewer: Gordon Duston
Abstracter: Judith Christie
Interview: 3 February 2017
TRACK One
00:00 Interview identification
01.30 Born 31 January 1935.
02.30 Born in LAUNCESTON, TASMANIA, came to New Zealand at age 3 years, arriving in BLUFF and lived in SOUTH INVERCARGILL. Depression years.
03.30 South Invercargill had large open spaces. KEW ROAD had only two houses. Self lived in NELSON STREET on a large section. FATHER’S OCCUPATION was WOOD MERCHANT – wood yard in the APPLEBY RAILWAY YARDS, wood obtained from FOREST HILL. Mother bagged wood, and father delivered by horse and dray.
05.20 In 1940, father bought a three tonne CHEVORLET TRUCK. DEFENCE DEPARTMENT took away the truck for war use, giving father USELESS WAR BONDS. WOOD BUSINESS FAILED, and father then went to the LINEN FLAX FACTORY at WOODLANDS and was head tractor driver. Family moved to woodlands at the end of 1941.
06.40 Older brother went to WWII and a younger brother and a sister. All SIBLINGS now deceased.
07.00 LINEN FLAX FACTORY was part of the WAR EFFORT describes process of flax making. Flax used to make a CANVAS type material for AEROPLANES.
08.50 Remained in Woodlands after the war, where father became a LABOURER. Self began his CAREER in 1950 in the Post office, working at WOODLANDS POST OFFICE, situated at the WOODLANDS RAILWAY STATION. Started as a TELEPHONE EXCHANGE SWITCHBOARD OPERATOR AND TOLL OPERATOR. Started on £160 p a year, increasing by £5 a year. Two years spent at Woodlands Exchange, then attended TELEGRAPH SCHOOL at TRENTHAM CAMP to learn MORSE CODE. All TELEGRAMS were processed in Morse Code. Mentions CREED MACHINES – not available in country areas.
011.20 Before Trentham attendance, had to be able to process 12 wpm, and needed to be able to process 22wpm to qualify as a CADET.
12.05 In Wellington, called to the Town Hall to process MOTOR REGISTRATIONS, which all had to be done by 30 June each year describes.
13.00 Self then moved to MATAURA. Busy town, with FREEZING WORKS, PAPER MILL and MOLASSES FACTORY. Tough Postmaster at Mataura. Every Monday morning, postmaster would tell every staff member what they had done wrong the previous week.
End of Track One
TRACK TWO
00.00 Self made sure he did everything to avoid chastisement from Postmaster describes
01.15 Moved to BALCLUTHA fourteen months later – compulsory move. Accommodation had not been arranged properly. Remained in Balclutha for fourteen months, boarding with a woman who could not cook, so lived on Belgium, sausages and savaloys. Staff shortages at Balclutha.
02.40 Applied for position at NIGHTCAPS, because self was so unhappy in Balclutha. Remained in Nightcaps for nine years, boarding with a coal miner who had been injured at work. Landlady was a fantastic cook.
04.00 Joined YOUNG FARMERS at Nightcaps – good experience.
04.15 Moved to OTAUTAU, where remained for nineteen years, turning down promotion twice, including promotion to Owaka. Wife was a registered nurse, and could have worked at the Hospital in Owaka. However, both sets of parents lived in Riverton at the time so passed promotion up.
05.15 Became a POSTMASTER in RIVERTON – enjoyable office to work in, with a view of the changing tides. Two years in Riverton, then became Postmaster in WINTON. During these years, specialised in the CONVERSION OF TELEPHONE EXCHANGES FROM MANUAL TO AUTOMATIC.
06.15 Lots of RELIEVING – TE ANAU, TUATAPERE, ORAWIA, ORAWIA BRIDGE, OREPUKE, RIVERTON, THORNBURY, EDENDALE.
06.45 In Otautau, co-ordinated changeover to DECIMAL CURRENCY for the District, which was met with some resistance.
07.30 WINTON TELEPHONE EXCHANGE automated, self then transferred to the ENGINEERING BRANCH in INVERCARGILL, just prior to the three way split into POSTBANK, NZ POST and TELECOM. Applied for a position in Telecom, and became MANAGER OF SERVICE OPERATIONS, remaining for four years until retirement.
08.30 Promotion required being prepared to shift often, in a variety of jobs.
09.30 Two supervisors in WINTON of equal grading, required to rotate. In 1985/86 more specialized, particularly in the BANKING SECTOR and POST OFFICE LOANS. When self went to Winton, holdings in the bank was $25,000. as competing with Savings Bank, where interest was higher. Self worked on getting more business for Post Office bank and $1million was deposited within a year. Describes
11.50 RIVERTON was a very early settlement, and GENEALOGY was a big part of the Postmaster’s job. BIRTHS, DEATHS AND MARRIAGES not indexed, so self spent hours of work INDEXING RECORDS. Self also PERFORMED MARRIAGES describes. Tragedies occurred during self’s career - was involved in REGISTERING DEATHS.
End of Track Two
TRACK THREE
00.00 Describes a wedding reception as marriage celebrant. (59 second segment)
End of Track Three
TRACK FOUR
00.00 After RETIREMENT, interests included AWARUA COMMUNICATIONS MUSEUM. Museum started after a television programme on SOUTHLAND (MERCURY?) TELEVISION in 1999. BRENDON SPARKS asked on the programme for people with telephone equipment to get in touch.
01.20 Applied to become an INCORPORATED SOCIETY, and for some years looked for suitable buildings. Considered transferring a building from MORTON MAINS to Invercargill, and also looked at DONOVAN PARK as a venue, but not suitable.
02.30 Moved in to the back of a shop on ELLES ROAD SOUTH CITY, re-laid the floor of it, and opened on a small scale.
03.15 PAULA MCKENZIE from the AWARUA FARM TRUST suggested AWARUA RADIO STATION site, and offered a lease of one room in a building. A lot of work put in, extending to a second room, and the original room is now the theatre. First showroom was outside the theatre. Work and display benches put in.
05.00 Building became dilapidated, with a MALTHOID TAR ROOF which had perished (corrugated iron not able to be used because of radio signals.) Applied for funding and put on a coloured steel roof on part of building four years ago. Rebuilt and refitted the museum. Describes
07.15 Building is now owned by the Museum, donated by the MCKENZIE FAMILY TRUST. Land sold by the McKenzie Trust to the INVERCARGILL CITY COUNCIL, and the Museum rents off the Council at a set rate. Describes
09.10 Self very proud of efforts by VOLUNTEERS. Excellent work done by builders and contractors and graphic artists. Project cost $700,000. Lots of DONATED MATERIALS AND LABOUR. Now a wonderful facility.
10.40 SPACE CENTRE nearby, and museum shows the history of technology.
End of Track Four
Dates
- 2023
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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: Duston, Gordon Thomas (Interviewer, Person)
Repository Details
Part of the Southland Oral History Project Repository
