Sounds Historical for Sunday 7 September 2014
8:07 Today In New Zealand History 4’05”
Two great warriors and a Hau Hau battle, 7 September 1868.
8:13 Song: Don’t Say No To Tomorrow 3’29”
Artist: Sharon O’Neill
Composer: O’Neill
Album: 45
Label: CBS BA 461965
Sharon O'Neil (born 23 November 1952 in Nelson). Telethon was a 24-hour fund-raising party run on television in 1976, 1979, 1981, 1983, 1985, 1988, 1990 and 1991 and 1993. 1979 Telethon raised funds for the International Year of the Child.
8:18 Homework
1. Which New Zealander is regarded as a “Queen of Crime”?
2. Mystery voice
3. Which Victorian novel is set on an island off New Zealand?
8:19 The 75th anniversary of the start of World War Two 8’39”
1 September was the 75th anniversary of the start of World War Two – overshadowed perhaps by our marking of the hundred years since the start of World War One – more of the first conflict in War Report at about ten to nine – but we will at least acknowledge World War Two in this extract from a 1959 documentary by Jim Henderson which includes memories of the first days of war. Major Chris Gallagher of Fort Dorset, Wellington, recalls ordering the firing of what are called “the first shots of the war”.
8:27 A Golden Shade of Brown - Part 2 15’20”
Lorraine Rishworth presents a 1969 documentary about the increase in Maori-Pakeha intermarriage. She speaks with people from both races and discusses the increase in Maori-Pakeha marriages and the issues faced by children of mixed marriages.
8:46 Song: Medley (unidentified) 5’57”
Artist: Jack Thompson (piano) (Part 4)
Composer: various
Album: NZBS programme from 1950. Announcer Dudley Wrathall
Label: n/a
8:52 War Report Episode 6 6’31”
Ena Ryan describes the rush of young men to recruit and the young girls knitting for the troops, a man recalls joining up but being sent home as underage but rejoining the Main Body, Tom Seddon MP describes the debates in the House and Hansard recording donations, Leonard Leary describes attitudes of locals in German Samoa. Sidney Johnson describes living conditions for troops. H S Hyde describes the radio station. Extracts from contemporary newspapers, including Elsie Morton’s article about women and the war.
Music extracts from:
Artist: Frederick Wheeler
Song: Here We Go Again
Composer: n/s
Album: Songs of World War 1
Label: CD Geoentertainment 41 486286
Artist: John McCormack/Arthur Boyton
Song: Keep The Home Fires Burning
Composer: n/s
Album: Songs of World War 1
Label: CD Geoentertainment 41 486286
Artist: N/s
Song: What ballroom?
Composer: E Hirst
Album: Comedy
Label: SG-CD-05
9:06 As I Remember 4’36”
A Visit to Yates’ Store, Nuhaka, Hawkes Bay in 1964. Written by Adrienne Nightingale and read by Gail Hedges.
9:12 Song: The Holy City 2’39”
Artist: David Dell (vocal) John McGibbon (piano)
Composer: Adams
Album: Radio New Zealand recording
Label: n/s
Recorded in August 2007 at Musicworks in Wellington to mark the launch of John McGibbon’s book Piano in the Parlour. Singer is David Dell and the item is introduced by John McGibbon who also plays the piano.
9:16 Homework - Answers to August homework
1. Approximately how many men volunteered to join the army during the first week of World War One? 14,000
2. Name the mystery voice. Selwyn Toogood
3. The hard one – which Labour prime minister worked on a North Otago newspaper? Chris Watson
John Christian Watson (1867 -1941). Labor politician and third Prime Minister of Australia, usually known as Chris Watson, was born in Valparaiso, Chile, probably on April 9 1867. In his lifetime he maintained that his father was a British seaman called George Watson. In fact his father was a Chilean citizen of German descent, Johan Cristian Tanck. His mother was a New Zealander, Martha Minchin, who had married Tanck in New Zealand and then gone to sea with him. In 1868 his parents separated, and in 1869 she married George Watson, whose name young Chris then took. None of these facts were known until after Watson's death. Watson was raised in Oamaru and at 13 was apprenticed as a printer. In 1888 he moved to New South Wales to better his prospects, He found work as a compositor, and through this proximity to newspapers, books and writers he furthered his education and developed an interest in politics. He was an active trade unionist, becoming Vice-President of the Sydney Trades and Labour Council. He was a founding member of the New South Wales Labour Party in 1891 and was later an MP. In April 1904 Watson and Deakin fell out over the issue of extending the scope of the Conciliation and Arbitration Bill to cover state public servants. Watson would probably have found a compromise on the issue but he was being pushed by the trade unions. Deakin was tired of the being held to ransom by Labor, and resigned. Reid declined to take office, and Watson found himself Prime Minister. He was the first Labor Prime Minister, and also the youngest before or since.
Winners: Adrienne Dench of Napier and Bruce Albert of Wellington
Prize: Great Tales of New Zealand History by Gordon McLauchlan – new edition published by Bateman.
Homework for September:
1. Which New Zealander is regarded as a “Queen of Crime”?
2. Mystery voice
3. Which Victorian novel is set on an island off New Zealand?
9:20 Mining explosion in Huntly, 1914 7’28”
On 12 September 1914, there was an explosion in Ralph’s Mine in Huntly, Waikato. Forty-three men died out of the 60 who were working that day – during the week 250 would have been working. At 7:20 in the morning an explosion was heard coming from the mine and Joseph O’Brien was at the scene.
9:28 Song: Coalface 3’34”
Artist: David Thorpe (aka D G Mitchellthorpe)
Composer: Thorpe
Album: Coal face
Label: n/a
David Thorpe of Christchurch has released a collection of songs about the disaster and this one is dedicated to William Burton who died in the disaster. He had emigrated from Manchester and is a great uncle of the song writer who also emigrated – about ten years ago. “This whole project has taken me on and off about 2 years. All profits of the audio downloads will be donated to the Huntly Lions Club who have compassionately erected a grave marker for William Burton's New Zealand grave site in addition to other memorials dedicated to the miners and the Ralph Mine Disaster.”
9:32 A look at Richard Seddon 15’03”
Richard Seddon is the first major politician of whom we have extensive oral history. Recollections by people who knew him and worked with him show the more personal side of the premier/prime minister of the 1890s and early 1900s. Samuel Preston of Hokitika remembers a visit to his school; Richard Bell recalls school days in Kumara and Seddon’s interest in the West Coasters like Bell who served in the South African War; Patrick Galligan remembers Seddon in Kumara; a memory of a grateful pensioner and journalist.
9:46 Book of the Week 12’44”
Richard Seddon, King of God’s Own by Tom Brooking. Penguin ISBN 978 0 143 56967 1
Tom Brooking discusses the life and times of Richard Seddon.
9:58 Song: Whistling Jack Strap 2’17”
Artist: N/s
Composer: E Hirst
Album: Comedy
Label: SG-CD-05