Sunday, August 12, 2007

Overseas Excursion

A working holiday to the South Island of New Zealand. In those days it was the equivalent of a big overseas excursion for friend Noreen and me.

First we applied for a position to pick apples but most orchardists required two to three months work to complete the harvest. We were not prepared to be away that long so we were then given jobs on a hops farm, the harvest season only being three to five weeks depending on the weather . The hops picked outdoors in the gardens.

My father who happened to have a conference in Wellington the week we were due to leave drove to the city. From there we boarded the inter island ferry Ngaio, an over night crossingof Cook Strait to Nelson. This service was later discontinued. The sea is and always has been unpredictable between the islands and that crossing was one of the worst for first time sailors. Poor Noreen really suffered and was extremely relieved to reach the calm waters of Tasman Bay Nelson, where we berthed about 8a.m.

We waited and waited for the bus to arrive at the waterfront, finally not just one bus but six arrived several already filled to the doors with seasonal workers from districts further south. Thousands of folk were employed then to harvest apples hops and tobacco. This was the era before mechanical harvesters were invented.

The buses laden with people luggage, goods and chattels set off to Moutere, Motueka and valleys beyond. No seat belts in those days and even extra boxes set along the aisles provided temporary seating. We were left on a country road corner, no one to meet us, two country teenagers in a strange land. However a passing farmer came to our rescue, looked at our contract work papers and drove us to a nearby property. There we were told the farmer had not found time to convert his cowshed into worker accommodation. Little did we know then we had a lucky escape as he had a nasty reputation. Our final destination was a farm along the main road and within walking distance of Upper Moutere village. The scene was set, harvest due to begin, romance was in the air!