Newland, Keith
Production date
2005
Description
Oral history. Interview with Keith Newland, former stock agent with The Farmers Co-op. of Hawera. He talks of his early life growing up in Eltham and Inglewood and his early adult life as a stock clerk. A junior auctioneer in the late 1940's and then a senior auctioneer he recalls the 1950's wool boom and the effects on the community. He also remembers local identities and the sales held at the Hawera Sale Yards.
Interviewer Arthur Fryer.
Date: 14 February 2005
Abstraction: None
Restrictions: None
Object detail
Part 1
Research copy. 1 CD-R
Interviewer: Arthur Fryer
Abstraction: nil
Restrictions: None
Tape Number: 1 Side: 1
Talks of life as a school child in Eltham and Inglewood and then at Stratford High School for two years.
Joined the Farmers' Co-operative in 1942 as a stock clerk. Describes his first day at the Opunake Stock Sale. Spent 4 years as a stock clerk. Describes the clothing worn and the rates of pay.
Mentions playing rugby and socializing.
Junior Agent at Stratford, working the area east of Stratford including Kohuratahi, Douglas and Matau. Describes the movement of sale stock by rail.
Transferred back to Eltham for 2 years and describes the sheep sales east of Eltham.
Marries wife Joan at Eltham in 1948. Mentions his desire to be an auctioneer.
Back to Hawera as a junior auctioneer and fat stock buyer for various agencies. Describes the visit of Lord Vesty and his experience in drafting sheep.
(Pause in interview at 17 minutes)
Describes a typical day as an auctioneer and the challenges of selling stock.
Talks about changes in the transportation of stock and the hard life of stock agents cars.
Sheep farming and wool auctions.
Tape Number: 1 Side: 2
Sheep farming and wool auctions continued. Remembers the 1950 wool boom. Recalls the clearing sales in June of each year, relates experiences at the Scanlan Brothers sale at Taiparanui.
Swiss farming community in South Taranaki.
Talks about Doc McCarthy a prominent stock trader.
Recalls other colourful characters at sales.
Glover Road saleyards at Hawera and the drovers and droving the stock through the streets of Hawera.
Reflects on the changes in the way stock is sold.
Analog tape migrated to CD-R 60 min. 27 March 2005
Part 2
Master copy. 1 C60 audio tape.
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