Recorded: 14 December 2010

Interviewer: Joy Leitz

Abstracter: Jean Hawkes TRACK 1

00:00 Introduction

00:20 Interview identification

01:07 LESLIE JAMES REDDITT born in 1913

01:23 End of Track 1 TRACK 2

00:09 Recording Agreement

00:47 Born at MANSE BUSH ROAD – Youngest of five Father GEORGE REDDITT – Mother CATHERINE MARY (McBEAN)

01:24 [SIBLINGS]: BERTHA WATSON REDDITT – HANNAH LOUISA REDDITT – CHRISTINA WINIFRED REDDITT – GEORGE WILLIAM PARKER REDDITT Self only one still alive

01:50 Earliest memory of family life – Father worked for Forest Service TAPANUI Nursery – Described.

02:49 Work available on farms – State Forest – Sawmills out

03:39 [HOME]: Heating – Fuel – Domestic chores

04:25 Self no work round house – Worked where needed

04:52 [HOME]: Bedrooms – Made own fun – Described

05:43 16 acres of land (approximately 6.5 hectares) – Milking cows – Milk to dairy factory All involved with milking – Mother made butter

06:52 Vegetable garden – Orchard – No meat apart from rabbits – Shot 1 deer in own life

07:28 [RABBITS]: Trapped – Use of ferrets

07:45 Neighbours on either side – McKENZIE mentioned

08:09 [EDUCATION]: TAPANUI DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOL from age 5 years. Class sizes – Didn't enjoy school – Maths and English mentioned – Played rugby and tennis

09:40 Packed lunch for school – Described

10:00 [TEACHERS]: Discipline described – Reasons for discipline

11:09 Annual Test – Learning by rote – Poetry

11:57 Sport a 'play thing' – generally even numbers boys and girls

12:16 [TEACHERS]: Mr MACKIE headmaster – ALAN WINHEAD (?) – Mr BUCHAN – Miss RENNIE

12:57 Student numbers – Travel by SCHOOL CARTS – Described.

14:22 Travelling to school in winter – Described

15:00 Left school at 15 – Work at Forest Service at TAPANUI – Described

15:45 Father left forestry to drive school carts

16:10 Farm not named

16:18 Self at Forest Service 8 or 9 months – Depression – Helped on farms

17:33 Farming only interest

18:06 [DEPRESSION YEARS]: Job offer 15 shillings per week refused Many people without work – Described Respect what you've worked for – Bought only what you could pay for

19:20 [EVENINGS]: Listened to wireless – Electricity installed by SOUTHLAND ELECTRIC POWER BOARD 1920s (?) – Lighting – No fridges, washing machines, deep freezes.

20:16 [FOOD STORAGE]: Food safe – Described

21:29 [LAUNDRY]: Wash day – Described 22:00 [COOKING]: Coal range

22:08 [DEPRESSION YEARS]: Activities – Unemployment Registration conditions – Described ALAN RODGERS – HAAST HIGHWAY – Mr BUCHANAN – Mentioned

23:53 Letter to Commissioner of Forest ROTORUA – Results. Travel and conditions – Described GORE – TAPANUI – JIM MOFFATT – WYLIE'S GARAGE – RAES JUNCTION – WANAKA – Mentioned

25:39 Conditions, pay, work at ROTORUA – Described RADIATA PINE – DOUGLAS FIR – Mentioned 28:23 Weekends at ROTORUA – Chores – Tennis Stayed over a year

28:45 Returned south just after war broke out – Job with ALAN RODGER – TAPANUI – TYNEDALE – Mentioned

29:51 [HAAST PASS and MR RODGER]: Recap

30:14 BROOKSDALE – 74 acres (about 30 hectares) – Clearing and draining land – Described Worked with father – Brother in a North Island dairy factory (TE HORA) Milked cows – Ewes – Oats

32:08 Father got BROOKSDALE by ballot – Explained. GEORGE STEWART – Mentioned Land sub-divided – father allocated smallest one, 74 acres – fenced and split into paddocks

33:15 Half draught Clydesdale horses – tractor possibly 1960 – farmed with father until self married.

34:03 Met future wife at TAPANUI dance.

34:14 [CLUBS]: No Young Farmers Club – RIFLE – RACING – RUGBY – GYMNASTICS – WRESTLING

35:04 [ANNUAL BALLS]: Run by... YOUNG PEOPLE – TAPANUI – KELSO – CROOKSTON – HERIOT – WAIKUI (WAIKOIKOI) – WAIKAKA – ODD FELLOWS – MASONIC – MAORI – FIRE BRIGADE. Live music, no singing – Supper plates

36:36 Courted – BRENDA SANDERS worked on family farm at POMAHAKA

37:22 [MARRIAGE]: St PAUL'S CATHEDRAL, DUNEDIN – Archdeacon STRONG - 1945

38:01 [FIRST CAR]: Self, father, brother bought second-hand FORD

38:37 [WEDDING]: Some 60 locals invited

38:55 [HONEYMOON]: North Island – Described

39:35 [FIRST HOME]: Lived with father in family home – Bought DAIRY FACTORY, house and 5 acres STATION ROAD – Mentioned

40:58 [CHILDREN]: Three children – GEORGE – JOHN – GAY

41:21 Bought 50 acres before GAY born – Lived in old house – New one built ANDERSON ROAD, MANSE BUSH – Mentioned

42:10 [LAND PRICE]: £1700 (17 hundred pounds) for 50 acres

42:35 Old house described – WILLIAM WRIGHT built new house – DUNEDIN architect designer

43:56 Cost of house about £6000 (6 thousand pounds)

44:12 Retained interests in RUGBY – Selector for school boys - ALEXANDRA – SOUTH OTAGO – TAIERI – Mentioned 45:09 Post war no dancing.

45:20 [WAR]: Called up – Didn't pass – Brother accepted – Sisters did not go. Brother buried in LIBYA – Memory of telegram being delivered – Mother not alive MIDDLE EAST – Mentioned

46:42 Mother died aged 59 – DUNEDIN HOSPITAL – Recollections

47:47 Parents buried TAPANUI CEMETERY – No other family there

47:59 One sister buried ROXBURGH – One at NELSON – One at ANDERSON'S BAY.

48:13 [FARMING]: Property named 'ARUNDEL' – Explained HAMPSHIRE – Mentioned

48:50 Father from PORTSMOUTH – Mother from EDINBURGH – Father to NZ aged 21 Maternal grandparents had died – Mother came to uncle and aunt in DUNEDIN Father's brother already in NZ 50:00 Involvement after marriage – School sports. Not involved with A & P Show – Only RACING CLUB

50:26 [DOGS]: Dog Trials at RANKLEBURN – Bred dogs

51:03 Pure bred SHORTHORNS – Sheep were crossbred – Lambing described

52:14 Harvesting a highlight – Oats or wheat

52:38 [OATS]: Milled – Duties of agents, explained CROWN MILLING in DUNEDIN – HARRAWAYS – FLEMINGS at GORE – Mentioned Transport – Described

54:09 [WHEAT]: Turned into flour – CROWN MILLS

54:24 Son GEORGE farm interest – Attitude to brother described

55:02 Son JOHN – wanted a good life.

55:21 Daughter GAY – went to university – Degree in Physical Education – Taught in CENTRAL OTAGO – to ASHBURTON – Met and married DOUGAL STRINGER – Settled at WHITECLIFFS

56:35 JOHN to university maybe two years – Lifestyle described. BOWLING GREEN HOTEL – Mentioned

57:05 GEORGE worked in KELSO for JIMMY SIMPSON – to MERIVALE – with I A E A (International Agricultural Exchange Association ) to CANADA and ENGLAND – Explained

58:15 JOHN – Worked with Forestry – to MUNICH Olympics – SELFRIDGES in LONDON – PLACEMAKERS at GORE – Own video business in AUCKLAND

59:26 GEORGE – Returned to NZ – Father had bought land … HERLIHY (?) - worked at home – about 180 acres – Took over both properties

60:53 [TRAVEL]: Self and BRENDA (wife) in 1974 – AMERICA – DISNEY LAND – LOS ANGELES – VANCOUVER – TORONTO – ENGLAND – EUROPE with JOHN – back to ENGLAND – Home via SINGAPORE GEORGE took care of farm

62:34 [TRAVEL]: 1984 to CHINA – MONGOLIA – RUSSIA – FINLAND – NORWAY – SWEDEN – EAST GERMANY – AUSTRIA – ITALY – SWITZERLAND – FRANCE – ENGLAND Changes not noticed apart from 'more people' Happy to return home.

63:59 MANSE BUSH scenery described – BLUE MOUNTAINS

64:21 Planting of trees – Purpose of planting, Explained

65:15 [SAWMILLS]: Only one remembered BARROW BOX COMPANY (GORDON BARROW) – Staff numbers

66:55 End of Track 2

TRACK 3

00:00 Interview identification

00:21 [FARMING CHANGES]: Farming more than 70 years – Carrying capacity – Labour content BROOKSDALE extended to BLACK GULLEY – Sheep numbers – Teamsters – Various other workers – Size of property – Grass production GEORGE STEWART – mentioned

02:13 Use of fertiliser – Explained

02:43 Rotation of crops – Described – Liming and fertilising Amount of grass grown

03:47 Weed control – Past and present Problem plants – Mentioned

04:52 Keeping up with changes to farming – Described Department of Agriculture – Mentioned 05:57 Changes to ways of selling stock – Described TAPANUI – HERIOT – WAIKAKA – Mentioned Sale yards – Described NATIONAL MORTGAGE – OTAGO FARMERS – WRIGHT STEPHENSON – DALGETY – LOAN and MERCANTILE – Mentioned 08:24 Early dairy farming – Number of suppliers to local factory KELSO – mentioned

09:12 Site of TAPANUI dairy factory – Original factory on different site – Described ISTED – McKENZIE – SID SINCLAIR – JENNINGS (?) – DAVEY KEIR – Mentioned

10:41 Reduced herds – Increase in sheep numbers – Aggregation of properties – Price of lamb and wool

11:27 At time of interview – Increased dairying

11:48 Quality of land in MANSE BUSH

12:18 No real regrets – Enjoyed own life 12:26 Advice to next generation young people – Explained Attitude of most young country people.

13:02 Advice give by own parents – Explained Father's attitude to self.

13:54 Today – Three children – Seven grandchildren – One great-grandchild

14:19 [SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENTS]: JENNY cause of pride (has handicap) – Equestrian life Two boys into computers etc.

15:15 Self not involved with 'computer age'

15:27 [TELEPHONE]: Party lines – Described. TAPANUI EXCHANGE

16:30 Usage of party line system – Described

17:10 [OTHER INTERESTS]: In a play at school or church TAPANUI – CLINTON – WAIKAKA – Mentioned

17:44 Member of ANGLICAN CHURCH – Baptism possibly at home Self a vestryman – Duties explained Rev EWART – Mentioned

18:57 [CHURCH ATTENDANCE]: Fluctuations in attendances – Church now closed – Young people involved in other things Rev JACQUIERY – Mentioned

20:01 Church was meeting place – Somewhere to discuss local events – Advent of cars made difference LIONS – JAYCEES – ROUND TABLE – Mentioned

21:06 [WAR YEARS]: Church attendance 22:01 [TELEGRAM]: Brother missing in action – No memorial service – No cemetery plaque

22:54 Anglican church chalice in memory of Anglicans lost in war – Still in TAPANUI

23:11 No RAILWAY now – Previous service – Described Use of trucks for stock – Described Delivery of Lime and Super(phosphate) – Described WAIPAHI – AWARUA – RAVENSDOWN – Mentioned

24:24 [PASSENGERS]: Carried by local train – Steam train – Schedule WAIPAHI – CONICAL HILLS – POMAHAKA – GLENKENICH – TAPANUI – KELSO – HERIOT – EDIEVALE – Mentioned Train crew based at EDIEVALE

25:52 Station Master at HERIOT – TAPANUI – WAIPAHI 'Flag Stations' – Described Reduction of service – Explained J B GORDON M.P – Minister of Railways – Local person

27:08 Self no real political association.

27:26 [ADVICE]: Be honest in your dealings

27:55 Happy to remain in own home with wife of 55 years Self in reasonable health

28:22 No particular retirement interests – Reading

29:05 Appreciation of BLUE MOUNTAINS never dimmed.

29:10 [CLOUD FORMATIONS]: Beaumont Express – Described

29:47 Self walked up the mountains Effects of fog on one trip – Described

31:11 End of Track 3