Events Calendar

6 Committee meet at 7.30pm

20 Club Night at 7.30pm, Paul Gundersen will be speaking of his Antarctic experiences with the Army.

30 The Brick Run from the Inglewood Railway Station at 1.30pm

August

4 Committee meet at 7.30pm 18 Club Night at 7.30pm, Les Bognuda and Mike Williams will be presenting requirements when applying for a V I C for your vehicle.

Our journey started with the traditional meeting at the Normanby Hall carpark, on a fine but somewhat colder Thursday afternoon. At 1 pm, Bryan or trusty organiser and master of ceremonies marshalled us eight troopers, and we set off for our destination at Tokaora on Surf Highway 45. True to form, Bryan took us the long way round travelling through Okaiawa, just so we could experience a good old Waimate plains downpour, in order to check for body leaks in the cars.

We arrived at the Dunlop farm gates and were greeted by Hawera’s former mayor Ross Dunlop, who was suitably transporting himself, grandson Tommy, and Tess the dog, in fitting style in his 1969 series 2 land Rover. Ross and his lovely wife Jan had recently toured the South Island in this vehicle, covering some 3000 km without incident, though in Jan’s words, the 4-week safari was more than something of a challenge, given the lack of heating, suspension, and ergo-dynamically designed seats. She did feel too that they had not given enough thought to the noise deadening qualities, or lack of, in the trusty machine. Ross then walked us to an old workshop full of amazing tools and equipment of yesteryear on the farm. It was built by an early landowner named Hamilton Batten (1872 1954), and except for a new roof was, along with its contents, still in its original condition. Then after a stroll over the green acres, we returned to our cars and followed Ross to his home, down the road and round the corner, on another part of the farm, where we re-assembled in his woolshed. It was full of treasures and an even older 1958 Land Rover. The woolshed is a veritable museum in its own right with treasure at every turn. It has been the venue of so many family and district functions over the years, from birthday parties, weddings, funerals even an after-filming unwind for the crew following the making of Ronald Hugh Morrison’s ’Predicament’.

Here Ross gave us a most interesting dissertation on the history of the farm, starting with Hamilton Batten. He was a remarkably inventive man, constructing the first hydropower scheme in the district in order to power the house and cowshed. He was one of the first farmers in New Zealand to install a milking machine. Along with his sisters Hilda, Ida, and May, they created two very tall concrete 70-ton capacity silos at different locations on the farm, which they set back into hillsides so Lucerne cropping could be loaded in the top and later taken out as silage at the bottom. Hamilton was also one of the first farmers to test individual cows for production using the Babcock method. He was also a very early tractor user, a radio enthusiast, a skilled engineer, and inventor of a myriad of machines, chairman of the Riverdale Dairy Co. Director of the Hawera Gas co. and chief engineer to the Stratford Electric Light Co. Ross’s father Ian Dunlop purchased the farm 1948, with Ross and Jan subsequently taking it over, and they then converted it back to a dairy unit 1989. They wound up our afternoon with the hospitality the Dunlop’s are world famous for- lots of delightful Devonshire scones and Afghan cookies served alongside tea and coffee in beautiful vintage era cups and saucers. The day finished with a vote of thanks by Michael Kruze and Bryan Morris to Jan and Ross for accommodating us, and a photoshoot of our older cars, before we quietly made our way back home– some near, most rather far.

Pic 1 shows Hamilton Baten forking Lucerne and his two sisters aboard a model T in 1925. I believe I saw the numberplate on the bench in the woolshed.

Pic 2 shows Hamilton forking lucerne into a conveyer loader he had made up to fill a silo.

Mr Batten, says Farm and Dairy Notes, must be one of the most up to date farmers in South Taranaki as he has recently had an electric power plant installed and he is using this to light his house and cowshed while also running the machines.

Anothet feature of his farm is the high silo holding over 70 Tons of ensilage. It is very interesting when wandering over the farm of South Takaora to recall that not so many years ago the greater portion of the area -1997 acres – to be exact was owned by the late James Livingstone, prince of farmers and king among men.

At the back of Mr Findlays farm some of those touring the crop competitions went back to see the look-out where Mr Livingstone used to take his friends for the finest view one could desire – looking towards the Waiangongoro River. Mr Findlay said that when the troops were stationed there it was a frequent sight to see small supply vessels lying off the river mouth. Sincerely yours, Malcolm Harding

For Sale

• 1986 Subaru Justy. One Owner, Rego on hold, goes well, offers wanted. A great little car to preserve. Contact member Steve on Ph 027 5286032

• Clutch pressure plates for Ford Cortina 2000, Vauxhall 3.3, Triumph 2000.

• New water pumps for Toyota, Nissan and Mitsubishi’s 1970 to 1990, most models.

 Piston rings for many makes, 1920 on, also a set of 24” Dodge wheels. Ph John 7515554

• Four crossply tyres, 550 x 20, with good tread, ph 7527671(mem)

• Roof rack, 3 cross bars in good condition - $60, Mazda ute tailgate - $50, two pairs of driving lights - $50 pair, one Universal sunroof - $30, contact spare parts.

• Five new DENMAN tyres (5.25x5.50x17)complete with tubes and flaps, $1,000, Ph Ces 06 2410454(mem)

• Hillman Californian 1955, rego on hold, motor fully rebuilt, brake drums machined, brake cylinders rconditioned,only three owners, $9500 ono,.Holden Calais VL, 1987, 3 litre, very tidy Ph 0274188045(mem).

• Morris Minor 1000 engine, no carburettor, $200 ono, ph Steve, 067522149(mem)

• 600x20 tyres, suitable for retreading - $50 + one 1970’s Landcruiser motor complete fan to clutch - $250 for any of above phone Neil 06 7586737. (mem)

Wanted To Buy

• Mk 4 Zephyr master brake cylinder, ph Ben 0277883304

• Rover engine – 1964, ph Neil 067586737(mem)

• Two, disc wheel dust covers for 29 Chev (215mm x diameter), six hole, ph Ces 06 2410454.(mem)

• 1964 six-cylinder Rover engine, complete or parts, Ph Marshall 02108840556

• Vanguard parts for a 1963 ute, a tailgate, and a heater, ph Frank, 0276324178(mem)

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• WANTED TO BORROW

• A workshop manual for a 1985 Citroen 2CV, Ph Max 06 7589007