VICTOR JOHN KEEN

Interviewer: Nancy Burnett

Abstracter: Jean Hawkes

TRACK 1

00:33 VICTOR JOHN KEEN born in 1939

00:49 Recording Agreement

01:24 At time of 1984 Floods living at APARIMA on HUNDRED LINE

01:45 [FAMILY]: Self – wife and son at home Own occupation FARMER

02:02 [COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT]: Deputy District Governor of LIONS District 202F – Two zones = approximately 12 clubs OTAUTAU – STEWART ISLAND – INVERCARGILL – MAKAREWA – WINTON – NIGHTCPAS – OHAI – TUATAPERE – Mentioned

03:00 Duties as DEPTY DISTRICT GOVERNOR – OTAUTAU CLUB near 50years old GRAHAM PEARSON of WANAKA – Mentioned

03:47 Aware of amount of rain over summer – Realised seriousness AUSTRALIAN Youth Exchangees due to leave on morning of flood – Journey to INVERCARGILL Airport – Described APARIMA HALL – OPIO FLATS – DRUMMOND – WALLACETOWN – Mentioned

05:10 Daughter in INVERCARGILL – Return journey to home – Described Flooding of Airport WALLACETOWN – LORNEVILLE – MAKAREWA – SETTLERS' BRIDGE – WINTON – WREYS BUSH – WREYS BUSH BRIDGE – APARIMA – Mentioned

06:48 Too much water at WREYS BUSH – Back to ISLA BANK back way to OTAUTAU

07:03 Conditions in OTAUTAU – Described

07:12 Efforts to return to APARIMA – Described OTAUTAU – NIGHTCAPS – OPIO BRIDGE – MOSSBURN – HUNDRED LINE

07:52 Own home on high ground – Very minor flooding – One culvert washed out

08:16 Floods victims take into homes in area – Self had folk from HAMILTON (lady ex- NIGHTCAPS) – Explained NIGHTCAPS SCHOOL JUBILEE – Mentioned

09:33 Difference of amount of water flowing under bridges – Excess as flooding OTAUTAU – OPIO FLATS – APARIMA RIVER – WREYS BUSH BRIDGE – YELLOW BLUFF BRIDGE – BAYSWATER – Mentioned

10:35 All banks burst – Water into OTAUTAU – Described Problems in SCHOOL – Mentioned

11:02 Self asked by District Governor (LIONS) to offer assistance to (Area) Controller Delegated to work with WELFARE (CIVIL DEFENCE) – New experience Learned of effects on people – Described

12:10 Victims confusion over insurance policies – Contact with own insurance company People in INVERCARGILL not aware of extent of flooding in rural areas Help from northern companies – Allayed many fears

13:28 FLOOD RELIEF FUND for those without insurance – Most information relayed to Control Centre requesting persons be visited

13:56 Provided a 'listening ear' – Explained Visit to man sitting in a box in his garden – Described Assisted by kindness of others...

15:00 End of Track 1

TRACK 2

00:00 … Lot of sadness – Tremendous generosity – Described OTAUTAU population probably between 800 and 900 – possibly doubled during flood

00:37 Help given to town by sheep station owner from OHAI – Described Helicopter mishap – Mentioned

01:25 Contribution by RIVERTON LIONS for ladies of OTAUTAU – Described

01:57 TE ANAU hosted OTAUTAU children – Described

02:42 Acts of generosity will never be forgotten

02:58 Possibility of trauma related deaths mentioned at WELFARE meeting. Efforts to attend one funeral – Described

03:58 Damage to the main street – Described

04:24 [RECOVERY PROCESS]: Street repairs – Tennis courts – Swimming pool – Described

05:23 School closed for quite some time – Badly damage

05:38 Flood occurred week before school year due to start 06:12 Problems relating to replacing mattresses – Use of grain driers to treat mattresses – Described

07:12 Horrendous smell after the flood – Action taken by local weed-spraying contractor - Described

08:07 Blood pressure checks for the community – Problems for self – Explained RED CROSS – Mentioned 09:10 Mindful of Health and Welfare of headquarters staff when self appointed CIVIL DEFENCE OFFICER

09:29 [CIVIL DEFENCE]: Emergency declared by UNITED COUNCIL – Described OTAUTAU under INVERCARGILL

10:41 Own farming operation on hold – Self employed – Not really IN disaster

11:16 Learning curve for self – Reactions of people – No access to bank for money SOCIAL WELFARE – Mentioned

12:04 Food rotted in deep freezes – Inventories of contents done by volunteers

13:07 [AFTER FLOOD]: General conditions – Described

13:41 Neighbours talked more to each as result of flood experience Barriers broken down

14:22 Some people not able to cope Help from WELFARE – Ministers of religion – Police – Red Cross...



TRACK 3

00:00 … Invaluable help for many agencies that came to the town

00:27 Motto of LIONS is “We Serve” – Members there to do as much as possible

01:01 Self basically a sheltered life – Became aware of people's needs Help from local constable – Explained

02:02 Self took part after water receded

02:19 Incident of man leaving hotel with bottle of whisky – Recalled

02:51 [DAMAGE to FARMS]: Debris and fence damage Prior to 1984 floods in BALFOUR – OTAUTAU FEDERATED FARMS gave assistance BALFOUR FEDERATED FARMERS to OTAUTAU to help farmers

04:26 Experience gained during flood useful when self CIVIL DEFENCE OFFICER Re-actions of people

05:20 Request from council staff member for self to be CIVIL DEFENCE OFFICER Reason – Explained In early flood involved with COMMUNICATION

06:09 Met many very good people while CIVIL DEFENCE OFFICER Sold farm – Moved to OTAUTAU – Retained Civil defence position

07:05 Map tracing path of flood – Mentioned Dramatic change of population

07:36 End of Track 3