Episode Playlist
Manawatu Conversations Episode 346 - Grant Smith pt1( 0:28:26)
Episode Information
One of twin boys. Mother was very ill so cared for by Plunket in Whanganui and returned to his mother six months later.
Went to West End School New Plymouth and was told that his interests lay outside the classroom.
Went to New Plymouth Boys High School. Did history, maths and accounting. Played rugby, Enjoyed school.
Worked in the magistrates court in New Plymouth for four years then transferred to supreme court in Auckland as a clerk. Became registrar of Feilding magistrates court.
Two sons born in Feilding.
Promoted to registrar of the court at Oamaru and was warden of the mining court. Spent four years there and had two more sons.
Promoted to Hawera where he was responsible for the Hawera and Patea courts.
Ran a hotel for four months.
Promoted to Invercargill court as registrar. Responsible for the high court.
Spent seven years in Invercargill then promoted as registrar in Wellington district court for ten years.
Was made redundant in 1996 after 35 years in the job.
Got a job as a bursar in a school in the Hutt Valley for six months.
Went to Australia initially for six months but got a job with the New Zealand passport and citizenship office in Sydney for six years then worked in legal aid.
Returned to New Zealand when he was sixty and worked in Work and Income collecting debt for three years.
Published: 7/01/2025 3:00:00 p.m.
Manawatu Conversations Episode 345 - Kate Alpin pt2( 0:30:20)
Episode Information
About 480 registered social organisations in the Manawatu and Horowhenua. They need to work more collaboratively.
Councils need to make decisions about what they will continue to fund.
Food security is important in Palmerston North but in Horowhenua youth engagement is important. Manawatu has hobby organisations.
135 ethnicities in the region.
Volunteering is a good way for migrants or refugees to connect with the community.
Volunteer Central works with Red Cross to support refugee families.
Volunteer hospital workers such as ‘friends of the emergency department’ who assist people who are anxious.
Kathryn has been a volunteer community worker for many years. She went inti nursing in the field of mental health. Involved with public health.
Volunteer Central provides volunteers only to organisations not individuals.
Volunteers are not paid. They do it because they want to.
About 1.4 billion dollars per year is put into the New Zealand economy through volunteering.
Churches are active with pastoral care.
It takes a community to grow a community.
A lot of volunteers are recruited from migrants
Published: 31/12/2024 3:00:00 p.m.
Manawatu Conversations Episode 344 - Kate Alpin pt1( 0:28:21)
Episode Information
Manager of Whatunga Tūao, Volunteer Central previously called Manawatu Volunteer Resource Centre.
It is a charity which covers Tararua, Horowhenua, Manawatu and Palmerston North.
Improves community connections, safety and vibrancy through volunteering.
First set up in Auckland about 2002 by Norelle Ward.
Business communities pay their employees to do community work, usually one day a year but sometimes more or less.
Has helped families with food parcels and other necessities during Covid lockdown.
Volunteering New Zealand was set up to be a support service for volunteer centres.
People register as a volunteer.
A website lists organisations requiring volunteers for particular tasks and Volunteer Central matches volunteers with available jobs.
Successful matches currently about 84%.
There is a problem getting people for the governance committee particularly treasurers.
Organisations are having problems with less funding available and fewer volunteers.
Volunteers in Palmerston North tend to be younger than the national average.
Published: 24/12/2024 3:00:00 p.m.
Manawatu Conversations Episode 341 - Micki Tyler pt1( 0:28:33)
Episode Information
Medical museum is no longer at Palmerston North Public Hospital because the building had to make way for a new mental health block.
A lot of memorabilia is in storage.
Some items on display still on display in hospital corridors.
The museum originally set up in 1980 by Dr David Warnock, a retired ophthalmologist.
It was combined with a collection from Dr Neil Little.
Originally set up in the hospital basement but a disused mental health building was made available in 2007 and the museum opened to the public
The building was vacated in June 2023
The museum has an iron lung which was used to save the lives of polio victims.
Some discussion about polio and Covid.
The museum contained an orthopedic section and a mock operating theatre.
Micki Tyler worked as a dental nurse with treadle drills in the 1950s through to high-speed drills.
The advent of fluoride in drinking water made a difference to dental health.
There is a problem now with sugar drinks affecting dental health.
Mobile dental units went to high schools from 1993.
Dentists became dental hygienists and/or therapists.
Published: 3/12/2024 3:00:00 p.m.
Manawatu Conversations Episode 338 - Ian Boddy pt1( 0:28:13)
Episode Information
Ian went to Anglican church until age of 19 when friends started a young adults group at Methodist Church.
They met in people’s homes.
Five or six churches joined to become Trinity Church on Cuba Street and St Pauls on Broadway.
Trinity Church was an earthquake risk so joined with St Pauls to become Wesley Broadway.
Ian was a schoolteacher, a public servant in the housing corporation for 17 years, owned a comic shop then became a Methodist lay preacher.
He became a minister in Blenheim, Levin and became a full-time minister for the Manawatu Rangitikei parish at age of 58.
Achieved a Diploma in Practical Theology. Wrote about the social services in Whanganui.
Methodist Church has been very active with social services in Palmerston North.
The Methodist Church building became an earthquake risk and was closed.
St Pauls was demolished in 2020 and used Terracehaven funeral directors chapel and lounge.
Generally church congregations have been shrinking since 1950/60s but the Methodist Church has grown because of Pacifica.
New property is shared with Pacifica and in 2025 there will be a joint ministry.
Young people not going to church so much these days although the Tonga church is doing better.
Published: 12/11/2024 3:00:00 p.m.
Manawatu Conversations Episode 335 - Marise Clark pt4( 0:27:27)
Episode Information
Sir Mason Durie and Hapai Winiata spoke during Marise’s training and made her think how she could make a difference for all the Maori people she worked with.
Did curative and palliative work in the oncology ward in 1984 before there was a hospice.
Had to sit hospital exams before sitting state finals – medicine, surgery and obstetrics.
Low pass rate in Palmerston North she believed was political.
She was one of the first nurses to administer IV chemotherapy.
Maori were overrepresented in oncology.
Worked in maternity unit then after the birth of her baby she worked part time in different wards.
Started bachelor of nursing study at Massey University.
Qualified as a Plunket nurse and worked part time in the community.
After the second baby was five months old resumed working full time.
Became a hospital educator for new nurses from Polytech working alongside charge nurses.
Published: 22/10/2024 3:00:00 p.m.
Manawatu Conversations Episode 334 - Marise Clark pt3( 0:29:4)
Episode Information
Lived in the country and was not able to be sociable as a teenager.
Was reliant on other people for transport.
The only bicycle in the family was heavy with a wicker basket at the front.
Was young when New Zealand changed from imperial to metric measurements so can work easily between the two.
Several acquaintances died within a short time.
Left school after the seventh form and went to the Palmerston North School of Nursing in 1980 for three and a half years.
First experience was involved with dealing with dead patients.
Shirley Kinsella was a very good anatomy and physiology tutor
As Marise started nursing, Massey University started its undergraduate degree nursing courses for already registered nurses.
Polytech course has been going for over 40 years.
Hospital training allowed nurses to be trained at minimal cost to themselves.
Published: 15/10/2024 3:00:00 p.m.
Manawatu Conversations Episode 332 - Marise Clark pt2( 0:26:15)
Episode Information
Attended Newbury school which had a roll of about 50 children. Loved reading. Enjoyed having access to books and was encouraged by her teacher. Learned to write on a chalk board before she wrote on paper. Covered exercise books with wallpaper. Moved from Newbury school to Palmerston North Intermediate Normal School. First teacher there was Tom Kelliher. Caught a Rutherfords bus to school. Talks about department stores in Palmerston North in the 1960s. She visited PNINS recently and found it very similar to when she was there. Talks about different teachers she had at school. Developed an interest in Te Reo Māori. Went to Freyberg High School with a roll of over 1500. Couldn’t take Te Reo Māori there. Her parents wanted her in the domestic stream but she preferred, and went into the professional stream.
Published: 1/10/2024 3:00:00 p.m.
Manawatu Conversations Episode 332 - Marise Clark pt1( 0:27:32)
Episode Information
An oral history interview looking at the past and present of Palmerston North and the Manawatū, produced by Manawatū People's Radio with the support of New Zealand On Air.
Marise was born in Palmerston North and lived on rural properties in Manawatu near Alison Mildon’s family
Marise’s father was a farm worker not a farm owner and, at one stage, worked for Alison’s father.
She caught Weld Motors buses to school. If she missed the bus father would take her in the car.
Good community spirit. Help each other.
First vehicle an Austin A40 van. Only father drove.
Grandmother had an Austin A30 until she died. Grandfather didn’t drive because of a head injury.
Alison’s sister and brother-in-law had a feijoa farm.
Marise developed a liking for the violin.
Published: 24/09/2024 3:00:00 p.m.
Manawatu Conversations Episode 330 - Group Discussion - Mike Lawrence, Anne Weir, Alison Mildon, Stuart Birks( 0:27:55)
Episode Information
Group discussion, first child
Mike Lawrence, first child born in 1965 when husbands weren’t allowed in the delivery suite. Had to wait in waiting room for eight hours. He had to work full time but enjoyed feeding the baby and doing what he could.
Bottles sterilized in Milton Solution. Solid food was Farex.
Washable nappies not easy to dry in a Taumarunui winter. Wringer washing machine and a drying cabinet.
Anne Weir’s first child 1975. A big boy. Everything went well.
Husband not present but would have been allowed in the room.
Baby suffered from cholic but otherwise well behaved.
Alison Mildon didn’t have the experience of a baby of her own but did observe other people’s babies and the different way babies were cared for over the years.
Stuart Birks first child was born in 1981. Stuart was well involved in the birth process. The mother was Asian and there were some cultural differences.
General discussion about nappies, cradles and other equipment.
Prams have changed over the years and now parents go jogging with a baby in a pram.
Not the same concern about sun protection as there is now.
Published: 10/09/2024 3:00:00 p.m.
Manawatu Conversations Episode 329 - Alison Mildon 5 of 5( 0:27:36)
Episode Information
On returning from overseas was probably suffering chronic depression and lost all her confidence.
Worked in library at Victoria University, Wellington.
Struck up a friendship with a person who became her sister-in-law.
Returned to London and met her husband-to-be.
Both returned to New Zealand.
Got a job at Massey and was there for 17 years.
Took voluntary redundancy. Took course in IT at Polytech.
Husband has a stroke and dies.
Was involved in protesting against removal of Fitzherbert Avenue trees and construction of Turitea windfarm.
Worked at Somerset retirement village
Published: 3/09/2024 3:00:00 p.m.
Manawatu Conversations Episode 328 - Alison Mildon 4 of 5( 0:27:8)
Episode Information
Went to The Gambia by herself.
Very naïve. Couldn’t understand French and had no plans.
A person she met at the airport found accommodation for her.
Travelled to the capital, Banjul. Very primitive. People lived in compounds.
Food at markets very expensive.
Living conditions were very difficult.
Couldn’t get visa extended.
Went to Paris then to London.
After three years returned to New Zealand.
Suffered from chronic depression.
Worked at Victoria University library
Published: 27/08/2024 3:00:00 p.m.
Manawatu Conversations Episode 327 - Alison Mildon 3 of 5( 0:26:25)
Episode Information
Went to teachers college enjoyed it but didn’t like going on section.
Chose infants because she lacked the confidence with older children.
Bonded for three years – probationary assistant for one year plus two.
Broke bond and travelled overseas with another person.
Went to Rome and became an au pair.
Travelled to Trieste then returned to Rome as an au pair. Not satisfactory.
Separated from her friend and travelled to Vienna, Germany and London by herself.
In London worked in a hotel at a wide range of jobs.
Travelled to The Gambia by herself.
Published: 20/08/2024 3:00:00 p.m.
Manawatu Conversations Episode 326 - Alison Mildon 2 of 5( 0:26:49)
Episode Information
Was a girl guide until high school. Fortunate to have Cecily Snoxell as captain.
Went to Freyberg High School. Obtained drivers license and drove to school.
Started in professional class – languages etc.
Did well with English in third form but hated it in fourth form. Nearly the bottom of the class.
Four different maths teachers.
Did not enjoy secondary school.
Not many friends.
Was accredited University Entrance qualification
In 1966 went on a five-month trip with her mother and grandmother to USA, UK, Ireland, Denmark, Italy then ship to Australia and flew back to New Zealand.
She didn’t know what she wanted to do. Wanted to be a nurse but got no encouragement.
Became a nurse aide at Dannevirke hospital and liked it.
Published: 13/08/2024 3:00:00 p.m.
Manawatu Conversations Episode 325 - Alison Mildon 1 of 5( 0:28:7)
Episode Information
Born in Kairanga the youngest of three.
Was fearful of the Korean war in 1950s. Father said if it came to New Zealand they would head for the hills.
Two sets of grandparents living quite close
When she was four years old two Dutch men came into her life
Was deeply affected by watching someone tied to a tree in film Davy Crockett
Was told as a child she had ‘an old head’
Enjoyed farm life but had conflicts with her brother.
Went to a small country school where three classes shared a classroom and a teacher
Strapped for discipline. Fingernails and teeth were inspected.
Didn’t belong to groups with other children. Didn’t like cliques.
For a long time it was difficult for her to believe people liked her.
Learning was not hard.
Very few toys as a child. Liked dolls.
Published: 6/08/2024 3:00:00 p.m.
Manawatu Conversations Episode 324 - Sue Stirling 3 of 3( 0:26:13)
Episode Information
Sue Sterling, Part 3 of 3. Has written a book Manawatu Striders, Runners and Walkers : The First Four Decades available from Palmerston North City Library.
Had finished interviews for the book before Covid struck.
Travelled to England with husband in March 2020.
Lived in Reading.
Covid shutdowns in UK affected their plans so they returned to NZ early.
New Zealand in lockdown but they were able to return because they had NZ passports.
Their house was still rented out so rented accommodation in Auckland,
Had to self isolate.
Eventually returned to their home in Palmerston North
Kept in touch with family and U3A with video communication.
Returned to Britain in April 2022 after Covid restrictions had eased.
Published: 30/07/2024 3:00:00 p.m.