Kenneth James Hargest

Interviewer: Lloyd Esler

Abstracter: Jean Hawkes

00.0 Track 1

Interviewer identification.

00.46 KENNETH JAMES WILKIE HARGEST born 1920 in INVERCARGILL. Home as always been at RAKAUHAUKA (NOTE: pronounced Rakahook or Rakahooka Difficult for Europeans to pronounce correctly). Translation is White Forest.

[NOTE: Abstracter has used RAKAHOOK throughout this interview – JH]

Interview recommenced...

03.20 KENNETH JAMES WILKIE HARGEST born 1920 in INVERCARGILL. Name of farm – originally spelled RAKAHOUKA but pronounced Rakahook or Rakahooka. Parents went to WAITANGI in 1942. Property had been purchased by the Crown by LORD BLEDSLOE and presented to people of NEW ZEALAND. Mother had spent much of early life among Maori people, interested to know what name meant. As written had no meaning – nearest RAKAUHAUKA – White wood or forest.

07.20 Discussion among locals when mother used the different spelling. NZ Geographical Board not impressed with the change. New gateway erected on farm with amended spelling.

08.21 MISS MATTIE (MATILDA) FLEMING one of two survivors of the original people who came to the farm in 1866. She retired to GRACE STREET, INVERCARGILL with sister JANE. Many conversations regarding RAKAHOOK and stories relating to the property. Planting of first Tasmanian Blue Gum. Perfect example of variety. Asked her about property name. When they arrived in the springtime, edges of RAKAHOOK bushes clothed right around with white clematis. No longer on property – rabbits cleaned out bush.

10.54 In 1930s Ken and siblings played in the bush. Area described as kindergarten or playhouse. Features named e.g. 'Broken Dishes Stream'.

11.24 Rabbits – could see the rabbits in the bush. Forest floor of bush bare. One plant of clematis found on one tree in one remnant of bush. Justifies name of 'White Wood/s'.

12.17 Ken brought up on farm. Parents came to farm in July just prior to Ken's birth in 1920. 12.45 FLEMINGS on farm 1866-1911. Sold farm and property. Originally 200 acres expanded to 1600 acres. JAMES MILNE (?) from other side of LAKE WAKATIPU, next to WALTER PEAK, ELFIN BAY, took over property. He and partner farmed two properties until 1920 when Ken's parents took over 1800 acres.

14.11 Bush – Surviving remnant of original bush, about sixty acres. Typical clump of bush. SOUTHLAND plain did not have trees for several hundred years. Stripped by fires in earlier times. Road passed through bush when settlers came. Marked by surveyors.

15.00 End of Track 1

Track 2

00.01 To the west settled by a family of Irish farmers with wives and families in 1962 [think this should be 1862 – JH]

00.36 In 1920 Ken's parents purchased half of property from Mr MILNE and partner. Given opportunity, option of which one to take. Father home from war, with his wife, living at MANDEVILLE on family farm with brother HAROLD, brother-in-law HENRY HORRELL. Choice of property – Described. Transport by horse and dray.

02.23 Consultation with mother regarding house. It was the original, not present one, remained as farm house until 1938. Settlers' house, two levels – Described Present house built in 1938 when original had outlasted it general convenience. Old house taken down.

04.08 Old house interesting feature of farm. Used as shearers' accommodation. It lacked facilities – hygiene and so on passed by. Dismantled in 1955. Replaced by a cottage for shearer – Described. . Shearers and transport – Described.

06.40 Road transport and farm machinery changes. In days of FLEMINGS – lesser numbers of sheep and cattle. No great use of fertilisers. Lime not really recognised until early years of twentieth century. Shell lime, trucked in, shovelled from drays onto fields. Effects of lime on soil – Described. Phosphate, Potash and Nitrogen – Mentioned.

08.53 MORTON MAINS DISEASE (cobalt deficiency). Occurred in Ken's young teens. Discovered by SANDYS WUNSCH. Came from ENGLAND with his wife. Director of EDNEDALE SUGAR OF MILK (lactose) WORKS. Effects of cobalt deficiency on stock, especially lambs – Described. Cobalt supplies came from Central Africa (ZIMBABWE), may still do so. Disease also known as BUSH SICKNESS in NELSON, around MOUTEKA. 12.50 Schooling – ROSLYN BUSH. Small school. Started when six years old. PARK SCHOOL next to INVERCARGILL MUSEUM. Remembers an older boy playing a Jew's harp – Described. 15.00 End of Track 2.

Track 3

00.01 ROSLYN BUSH SCHOOL now used as a Playcentre. Family association with the school. St Thomas's Catholic Church – mentioned. Attended ROSLYN BUSH SCHOOL until Standard 6 when he passed Proficiency. SOUTHLAND BOYS' HIGH SCHOOL for four years. University Entrance gained. Ambition to go to LINCOLN COLLEGE to study modern agriculture. 02.20 Sport – one or two games with BOYS' HIGH Second Fifteen (Rugby). Good runner. Won Quarter Mile as a junior. School Athletic Team three out of four years. Gymnastic team for four years. 03.17 LINCOLN COLLEGE – one year only. Scholarship for two year Diploma Course granted by SOUTHLAND FROZEN MEAT COMPANY. Father went to WW2. Ken was expected to take over farm. Expected to return to LINCOLN when war was over. Didn't happen. Learned farming the 'hard way'. Missed opportunities – Explained. 06.56 Father's military interest between WW1 and WW2 – Described. Father was 48 when WW2 declared. All of FREYBERG'S Brigadiers were of similar age. Ken and mother went to WELLINGTON to see his father off to war on board “EMPRESS OF BRITAIN” – one of four ships in convoy for troops.

11.14 Ken went on board “EMPRESS OF BRITAIN” – Described. Ships had been refurbished for Royal Visit to Canada. BRIGADIER ROW, as Colonel had been one of six on ARMY COUNCIL in support of Major General. Ken and father to PALMERSTON NORTH met Maori Battalion – Described. 15.00 End of Track 3

Track 4

00.17 Father addressed the Maori Battalion. Explained position of Maoris in WW1. Ken probably first civilian to hear Maori Battalion Marching Song performed. 01.56 Depression in 1930s – affects on lifestyles. Young brother (9 years younger than Ken), PETER, GEORGE and IVY ELLIOTT lived with HARGEST family in their house. Incident when PETER aged about two swallowed a penny – Described and mentioned in INVERCARGILL newspapers. Father member of Parliament for INVERCARGILL. 04.41 Mr COOK teacher at ROSLYN BUSH SCHOOL and incident involving Work Scheme people during depression – Described. Payment ten shillings per week. Worked 8 till 5 under direction of foreman. Working with pick and shovel to clean and widen channels on farms. Light-hearted attitude of workers – Mentioned.

07.00 Farm conditions during slump. Wool worth about two pence per pound. Invitation of neighbours to see through the new house when it had been built. Six or eight farmers discussing situation – generally agree that (despite conditions) if they had their lives over they would still go farming. 09.23 Post war – Ken 23 when war finished. Mother, sister (HELEN), and young PETER Brother (GEOFFREY – eighteen months younger than Ken) GEOFFREY lost life at CASINO, father lost his life four months later. Ken more-or-less 'Man of the Family' from age 10 as father went into politics in 1931. Father's journeys to WELLINGTON – described. Some parliamentary duties – Explained.

11.59 Farm workers used as property was 800 acres, 1 ½ miles long and ¾ mile wide. Mobility slow on the land. Not much machinery available. No post hole diggers. No front-end loaders. Some tractors suitable to times and conditions. No chain-saws. FORDSON or MASSEY-HARRIS tractor – Mentioned. Produced thirty acres of swedes. Land for cropping. Two tractor drivers, one shepherd.

15.00 End of Track 4

Track 5

00.03 First memory of aircraft – glider associated with the district in 1930s. Built by JOHNSON who farmed between FOREST HILL and WINTON – Described. Flights (at Rakahook) – Described. Parked on (Hargest) farm under a pine tree for four or five years. BILL DENHOLM – Mentioned Local political situation – Described. FORD MOTOR COMPANY in INVERCARGILL – Mentioned. SMITH of SOUTHLAND AERO CLUB from MYROSS BUSH – Mentioned.

06.34 Post war – Parents never spoke of 'What I did' rather encompass support of others they used 'we'. When Ken 18, before going to LINCOLN asked to be secretary of the ANGLICAN CHURCH at WOODLANDS (St BARNABAS off-shoot of St John's, Invercargill). Returned from LINCOLN to find position waiting for him again. Position held for about 25 years. Remained on St John's vestry. AUSTRALIAN WELLS FOUNDATION (?) – Mentioned Dispersal of interest of ST BARNABAS CHURCH. Difficult to support with four parishioners over 80 and a family or two. Church no longer used.

11.55 Catholic Church still used. Friendships retained with Catholic churchgoers.

12.26 Loss of catholic church roof in high wind – Mentioned. Church's Centennial Magazine – Mentioned.

13.44 Modern farming – childhood memories of horses in eight stall stable – Described. Horses used in all his years. Times much harder. 15.00 End of Track 5

Track 6

00.05 Father came across country from MANDEVILLE, 30 miles, with horses and some equipment. Mother came by car round the roads. Today would use a tractor. Use of Teamsters and their duties – Described. 02.03 Ken as 14 or 15 year old using two horses to scuffle swedes at far end of farm. Supplied with bottle of tea and sandwiches. Horses' working life could be 12 or 14 years. Feet were a problem. Saddle horses lived longer. Father's original pony lived to be some 40 years old. Sixty-eight year old LONDON cab horse – Mentioned.

04.10 Dairying – had been about 114 dairy factories sited in each district. Churches in GREECE and SCOTLAND – Mentioned. GROVE BUSH, two miles away, made thirty tons of cheese. MABEL BUSH three miles further produced about the same amount. DACRE – Mentioned. Dairy factories at KENNINGTON, RIMU, WOODLANDS, MORTON MAINS, EDENDALE and BRYDONE. OTA CREEK – Mentioned. Sizes of farms of say 20 to 40 cows – Explained. Dairy factory would have a manager and one assistant as chemical processes not in use.

08.25 Modern huge and intense dairy farms – Ken's view – Discussed. Amount of water required for each cow – Mentioned. MURRAY RIVER in NEW SOUTH WALES – Mentioned Future dairying wont upset those who choose to stay with sheep, beef cattle and crops – Explained. Dry young stock onto Ken's farm as calves and raised. Returned to owners at a time for them to calve. MOSSBURN – Mentioned.

12.51 End of Track 6

Track 7

00.23 Pig Farming – people objecting to sow stalls. Kept one pig on farm and incident involving cousin (JUNE) from GORE. GORE HIGH SCHOOL – Mentioned. Ken boarded near the family of HAROLD HALLIGAN at Thames Street (?) when he was at High School. Harold became a lifetime friend. 02.32 Mother a trained nurse. Injury to Ken's foot in wooden pig sty – Described. Later concrete sty built using hand mixer. 04.04 Very strong feelings towards media coverage of farming matters particularly regarding piggeries. 06.24 WOODLANDS Pig Farm, close to railway station. Terrible conditions – Described. 07.00 Sheep breeds – Earliest sheep into New Zealand were merinos. Bred well in 1860s. Move to rocky drier areas – reasons explained. Lower country sheep – Border Leicester from Britain. Romney, slight changes to breed for wool requirements. Twinning increased by breeding. For SOUTHLAND, Southdown ram (meat ram) dominant on low coastal plains. Dorset Downs and Suffolks introduced. Cross-breeding produced South Suffolk ram.

10.20 Hargest farm grows own Romneys, cross-bred. Suits climate. Breed – Described. Twinning rate increased from 120% to around 160% or more. Some French breeds produces greater percentages. Disadvantage when triplets or quadruplets occur as sheep only have two teats. 12.08 Son did five years at WAITAKI BOYS' HIGH SCHOOL. Two brothers also students. Sixty pounds per term. Reasons for boarding school – Explained. Ken's brother Peter attend TIMARU BOYS' HIGH SCHOOL.

14.27 JAMES did well at school. Won junior quarter mile. Long time interest in sport. Three years at LINCOLN gained a degree Bachelor in Agricultural Commerce. WAITANE NEWS BUS – Mentioned.

15.00 End of Track 7

Track 8

00.05 JAMES understands the basis of agriculture, basis of statistics, accountancy and the requirements of effective farming and business management. Comparisons between the needs of farming in Ken's earlier years and those of present time – GST (Goods and Services Tax), Computers. Computers for farm use came in while son at LINCOLN about 1969.

01.30 End of Track 8