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Abstract of Jeffrey James GRANT (Jeff) , 2011

 Item — Box: 9
Identifier: H00640002

Abstract

JEFFREY JAMES GRANT

Interviewer: Valmai Redhead

Abstracter: Jean Hawkes

TRACK 1

00:00 Interview identification

00:35 JEFFREY JAMES GRANT born in 1958

00:45 Recording Agreement

01:30 GRANT FAMILY in BALFOUR over 100 years Great grandfather ROBERT GRANT arrived NEW ZEALAND 1876 to BALFOUR MACPHERSON – ARDLUSSA STATION – Mentioned

02:11 MACPHERSON opened pub (hotel) – ROBERT GRANT opened shop - BALFOUR Sod hut in ARDLUSSA area– Mentioned

02:43 Land purchased 1883 – ROBERT GRANT married 1886 COWIE (?) – Mentioned

03:00 Vegetation on 600 acres (243 hectares) – Described MATAGOURI (Wild Irishmen) – Mentioned

03:27 BORDER LEICESTER sheep

03:54 ROBERT died in 1928 – Son managed farm and shop

04:21 Uncle managed farm Grandfather ROBERT GRANT II – Shop – Transport business – Bee-keeper

04:42 Father took over farm in mid 1950s

04:54 Self born in AUCKLAND – Adopted by STUART and ELAINE STUART third of four children of ROBERT ELAINE eldest daughter of HORACE HULL of GORE

05:30 Parents married in 1953

05:36 Naming of farm “THE PLANTATIONS” – Explained WAIMEA PLAINS – Mentioned

06:55 Enjoyed childhood on farm – Not a farm boy per se Freedom in environment – Childhood activities Driving farm vehicles

07:49 Changes to farm over the years WAIMEA PLAINS – Diversity on all farms in district

08:28 Production of grasses – Coxfoot – Dogs tail – Fescue Hard grains – Oats – Barley – Wheat GORE – mentioned Integrated farming – 1960s-70s-80s – Sheep 1940s-50s-60s – Dairying

09:30 Dairy factories – Cream can at the gate

09:49 From 1980s – Deer – Hard crops – Sheep – Dairy grazing

10:33 [CLIMATE]: WAIMEA PLAINS halfway between ALEXANDRA and INVERCARGILL Annual Rainfall – Nor'westerly winds HOKONUI HILLS – HEDGEHOPE – Mentioned

11:36 Dry periods can be a problem – Average one drought per decade Evaporation due to winds

12:24 Diversification irrigation – Bulbs - Livestock SOUTHERN FLORA NZ – Christmas Asiatic Lilies

13:01 Memories of extreme weather conditions – 1996 – 1971 “TIGER PADDOCK” – Name explained Honeymoon AUSTRALIA 1985

14:14 Earliest memory – Rain in 1972 No creeks or streams on property BALFOUR RACECOURSE – Mentioned Lambing Beat

15:00 End of Track 1

TRACK 2

00:00 Appearance of rivers on property 1996 – 3 weeks of frosts

00:35 Climate – Described NEW YORK – Mentioned

01:06 1985 – ROGER DOUGLAS (Minister of Finance) – Meeting at LUMSDEN DAVID LANGE [Prime Minister] – Mentioned Subsidy removal – Deregulation

02:04 Other activities taking place – Described Collapse of exchange rate – Rise

02:39 Own first interest in activism outside farm gate ROGER DOUGLAS – Mentioned LUMSDEN MEMORIAL HALL – Public Meeting – 600 people Meeting – Described

03:27 Economic situation – Farmers' reactions to abruptness of effects Effects of subsidies – Explained

04:52 SOUTHLAND FEDERATED FARMERS boycott ALLIANCE FREEZING CO. Processing of lamb stock – Many debates Sheep slaughtered in INVERCARGILL

06:12 Frustration of farmers at lack of action

06:23 ALLIANCE purchase of WAITAKI ASSETS (Processing company)

06:34 1980s – 1990s demise of rural communities – SOUTHLAND most affected province CANTERBURY – OTAGO – TARANAKI – HAWKES BAY – Mentioned

07:34 Effects on businesses in DIPTON – WINTON

08:08 GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS – COPORATES – STATE OWNED ENTERPRISES (SOEs) Closing of POST OFFICES – Attitudes of communities

08:36 Disappearance of SHOPS – ENGINEERING FIRMS – BANKS

08:56 Effects on BALFOUR...

09:04 BNZ (Bank of New Zealand) – Building now at PIONEER PARK in GORE Businesses – Mentioned Sales of tractors by FORD AGENCY – 1960s

09:47 Closure of BALFOUR POST OFFICE – Family Post Box No 1 Shifted to store – Post Office hours compared with store hours 10:43 LABOUR GOVERNMENT – Mentioned Self stood for PARLIAMENT in 1987 – Past involvement in YOUNG NATIONALS

11:21 Father RURAL LIBERTARIAN – Attitude to self Self interested when at High School MULDOON – Mentioned

11:47 Met SIMON UPTON – Conference – CORONET PEAK Intellectual debate

12:17 First Past Post – WALLACE ELECTORATE Sir BRIAN TALLBOYS – Tall Gentleman NORA ENGLISH mother of BILL ENGLISH – Described

13:16 Self stood for AWARUA ELECTORATE REX AUSTEN retired Own father-in-law interested in politics – Influenced own decision to apply

13:51 Selection Process – Experience for WALLACE ELECTORATE Won on last ballot at midnight JOHN FALCONER – Chairman of ALLIANCE GROUP 14:41 Looking for younger people – Self felt it was a mistake

14:56 Stood against HEATHER SIMPSON...

TRACK 3

00:00 … Knew her brother BOB – Architect in INVERCARGILL DOUGAL SOPER – Labour Party HEATHER (SIMPSON) – Described WELLINGTON – OTAGO UNIVERSITY – Mentioned

00:59 Political party not individuality NORMAN JONES – INVERCARGILL – Mentioned

01:23 HEATHER formidable candidate

01:35 Own rural background big bearing – Social rather than economic conscience LABOUR PARTY changes – Mentioned

02:03 Best education being parliamentarian for six years Exciting in terms of policies

02:18 If unable to convince friends – neighbours – local community – How can you convince Nation

03:03 Economic upheaval – People living on minimum wage BLUFF – INVERCARGILL – Mentioned

03:40 Did not see self as being MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE – Desire to see other things in life

03:54 One year in DIPLOMA of AGRICULTURE – Mentioned

04:15 Constituency Clinics – Really enjoyed Examples given of help needed

04:52 Country boy gone to town WELLINGTON – AUSTRALIA – Mentioned

05:12 Not aware of parliamentary pay

05:21 Allocation of secretary – Miss JONES – Introduction Use of dictaphone – Described

06:15 Criticism of own attire – Described

06:47 MIKE MOORE – MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS “Think of yourself as the waiter”

07:21 COLIN MOYLE – MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE for LABOUR PARTY

07:48 BUTCHER – ASSOCIATE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE JIM SUTTON – MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE

08:03 JOHN FALLOON – WAIRARAPA KEITH HOLYOAKE – Mentioned

08:14 Self more interested in SOCIAL REFORM ACC – SOCIAL WELFARE – SUPERANNUATION – Mentioned

08:46 No desire to MINISTER OF HEALTH or MINISTER OF SOCIAL WELFARE

08:54 Appointed SENIOR WHIP in second term JENNY SHIPLEY – JOHN LUXTON – WYATT CREECH – Mentioned

09:18 JOHN CARTER – Mentioned

09:26 1990 Elections – Largest caucus – 65 members of parliament Usual path for appointing SENIOR WHIP – Explained JIM BOLGER – PRIME MINISTER – Mentioned JOHN CARTER – JUNIOR WHIP

10:26 Responsibilities of SENIOR and JUNIOR WHIPS BILL BIRCH – WARREN COOPER – Mentioned

11:21 Farm situation when self elected to parliament JULIA (wife) worked at Veterinary Service – resigned to be on farm Farm manager appointed 12:29 Own travel schedule – Detailed

12:43 Monday and Friday afternoon in electorate – when house sitting Events on Saturdays

13:47 Living outside electorate not a common practice STEWART ISLAND – BALFOUR – EDENDALE – Mentioned Never turned down requests to attend functions

14:31 A & P SHOWS WINTON – INVERCARGILL – GORE …

15:00 End of Track 3

TRACK 4

00:00 … WYNDHAM – TAPANUI – WEST OTAGO – Mentioned

00:15 Need for A & P SHOWS and their environment need to adapt WANAKA – CHRISTCHURCH – Mentioned

00:35 Left High School – Worked at TARRAS – A & P SHOW very different then INVERCARGILL – GORE – Mentioned

00:51 (Shows) Important for town understanding country Some areas have adapted to suit the mix – GORE – Mentioned INVERCARGILL – Mentioned

01:14 Final year of first term in parliament 1990 – 1993 SENIOR WHIP Self announced intention not to stand again BOLGER – Mentioned Arthritis – Family – Influenced decision

03:02 Governance roles predominantly agriculture FARMERS FOR CHANGE – Producer Boards – WOOL BOARD – MEAT BOARD Self stood for MEAT BOARD in 1994 – RESEARCH and DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL DAVID FRITH – Mentioned

05:23 PHILIP BURDON – MINISTER OF SOEs Requested to be DIRECTOR of LANDCORP

06:19 Opportunity to understand Governance – Management ALISON PATERSON – LANDCORP BOARD BRONWYN MONOPOLI – Mentioned

06:45 Enjoyed involvement with variety of organisations 07:12 No other SOUTHLAND people on most of the Boards DEER INDUSTRY – DAIRY INDUSTRY – BALLANCE – RAVENSDOWNE FERTILISER COMPANY – ALLIANCE – SILVER FERNS – FONTERRA – Mentioned

07:48 Belief that farmers are not good directors in governance sense – Self objects to that Skills necessary in governance roles – Detailed

08:52 'BALFOUR PUB TEST' – Explained

09:29 SOUTHLAND about 3% of population – about 17% of total economy in export terms Increase in DAIRY – Amount taken out of province about equal for SHEEP and DAIRY

10:12 RURAL and URBAN VIEWS – Need to be aware of past family connections to farms – Responsibilities of 'stewards of the land' AUCKLAND – BOMBAY HILLS – Mentioned

11:26 Environmental debates – Personal views described

12:08 SOUTHLAND SHEEP COUNCIL – FOCUS FARMS in 1990 BALFOUR – ROBIN CAMPBELL of TUSSOCK CREEK – Mentioned Farmer Discussion Groups – Described

13:16 Activities of FOCUS FARMS – Described

13:39 MEAT BOARD – Self Head of Research – Set-up similar to FOCUS FARMS up locally then nationally Name change to MONITOR FARMS – Number of farms and farmers involved Still exists

14:25 SHEEP COUNCIL evolved over time – Built on models from SOUTHLAND

14:37 BEEF COUNCILS established

14:43 Amalgamation of SHEEP and BEEF COUNCILS Drive sciences at AG-RESEARCH...

15:00 End of Track 4

TRACK 5

00:00 … work done for Sheep and Beef Industry

00:06 Personal views regarding DAIRY FARMING a commodity cycle

01:18 Money made SHEEP FARMING KOREAN WAR – Mentioned

01:26 Recent cycle – EDENDALE FACTORY only one in SOUTHLAND Number of farming properties in SOUTHLAND – About 5,500 farming properties in SOUTHLAND – includes 700 DAIRY

01:49 Sites of dairy farms – Described Important investment for next 2 to 3 decades

02:28 Continuing growth in DAIRY – Care needed for environmental sustainability Social aspect – Ethnic change in rural communities Immigrants - PHILIPPINES – SOMALIANS – KENYANS – EASTERN EUROPEANS – SWISS – ROMANIAN etc Effects on local communities especially children

04:12 Balance in diversification of land use

04:31 Non-Rural companies self involved in – Interest in co-operatives and mutuals SOUTHLAND BUILDING SOCIETY (SBS BANK) – Described Take-over attempts WESTPAC [bank] – INVERCARGILL – HAMILTON – Mentioned

06:19 MILFORD DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY – Described REAL JOURNEYS – SKEGGS GROUP – SOUTHLAND DISTRICT COUNCIL – Mentioned

07: 07 Local authorities – SHARED SERVICES MECHANISM – Described INVERCARGILL – GORE – SOUTHLAND – ENVIRONMENT SOUTHLAND – Mentioned

08:04 Acknowledgment of past and present learning experiences for self – Explained

09:09 Attractions of being involved in things in SOUTHLAND – Attitudes of people Typical Southlander – Described AUCKLAND – Mentioned

10:25 Level of violence and crime significantly less (in Southland) WYNDHAM – AUCKLAND – Mentioned

10:42 Personal values probably envied by other countries Local lifestyle compared with other places AUCKLAND – WELLINGTON – Mentioned

11:14 Self had considered shifting (away) – Described Chief Executive position applied for – Missed out Children's reaction to possibility of leaving farm WELLINGTON – Mentioned several times OHARIU VALLEY – Mentioned

13:20 Lack of cellphone coverage deciding factor for children

13:50 Self only GRANT left farming – Done least farming in physical sense

14:11 Explanations to visitors – Scenic attractions BLUFF – Mentioned...

15:00 End of Track 5

TRACK 6

00:00 … STIRLING POINT – STEWART ISLAND – INVERCARGILL'S wide streets – MUSEUM – LINDSAY [HAZLEY] – BLUFF OYSTERS – CATLINS – FIORDLAND – MANAPOURI – TE ANAU

03:12 MANDEVILLE – AIRCRAFT FACTORY – Described

03:57 SMELTER (Ti Wai Point) – No longer the icon it was EDENDALE DAIRY FACTORY – Difference between 1984 and present time TUATAPERE – RIVERTON – WINTON – TE ANAU – WYNDHAM – Mentioned

04:50 Southland traits typical – Unlike other provinces – Homogenous people

05:24 [DINING OUT]: LICENSING TRUSTS (MATAURA and INVERCARGILL) BUSTER CRAB – HOWL at the MOON – KING'S RESTAURANT – COPPER KETTLE – CHEESE ROLLS – Mentioned WAITAKI ROVER – Mentioned

07:07 Self attached to the land – Children to choose whatever they want to do Property probably stay in family – Own commitment

08:15 Self in a great place to be

08:58 End of Track 6

Dates

  • 2011

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The contents of Southland Oral History Project collections are subject to the conditions of the Copyright Act 1994. Please note that in accordance with agreements held with interviewees additional conditions regarding the reproduction [copying] and use of items in the Southland Oral History Project collections may apply. Please contact the Southland Oral History Project Coordinator for further information at sohp@ilibrary.co.nz.

Extent

From the Record Group: 1 folder(s)

Language of Materials

From the Record Group: English

Immediate Source of Acquisition

OHB84

Creator

Repository Details

Part of the Southland Oral History Project Repository