Migrantweb.com Hostels Forum

richardhallford · Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2012 3:12 am Post subject: Ten Pound Pom video

There is now someone who has put up the Ten Pound Pom video on Youtube. It is in 6 parts. I have attached the link. If you want to view the rest, click on the "122 videos" button. The other vids are there, you will just have to scroll through to find them. They are near the end. Enjoy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rq0yib40KcI&feature=plcp
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East Hills Hostel Aug 1966 to 1968. Nissen Huts 81 and 83d

Robert (Bob) Taylor · Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2012 6:44 am Post subject:

Thanks Richard, great viewing, brought back memories. Renewed a lot of what we discuss and write about here. My only disappointment if there was one, that didn't cover much of Hostel life and the peoples and their lives and views. Great though....thanks again.
Cheers, Bob.

richardhallford · Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2012 6:52 am Post subject:

Hopefully you saw the whole six episodes Bob. But you right, it wasnt so much about Hostel life as the to-ing and fro-ing of migration.
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East Hills Hostel Aug 1966 to 1968. Nissen Huts 81 and 83d

Robert (Bob) Taylor · Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2012 7:30 am Post subject:

Yes caught them all, they were lined up one after another on YouTube...just clicked on each one in a sequence of six, easy as!
Thanks again BOB.

kate fletcher · Active Member Joined: 02 Jul 2011 Posts: 63

Thanks for the link, Richard.

The films are so interesting, but the recollections of hostel life didn't really match my own memories.

I can't recall anybody lounging around Holmesglen, just waiting for the 2 years to be up before they could go home without paying a penalty. All the adults I knew had jobs and worked hard. Perhaps it's because I was a child at the time, but I don't remember any despondency. Primitive living conditions, yes, but lots of hope for the future.

Robert (Bob) Taylor · Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2012 6:32 am Post subject:

The often mentioned and much discussed two year requirement of stay...was it a myth? I don't recall seeing or hearing anybody saying they went back early and paid back their fares in full.
Let's throw it out there for comment and instances where anybody actually got penalised and were made to pay up! And if they did how was charged /administered?
Cheers,
BOB. idunno

richardhallford · Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2012 8:02 am Post subject:

Ok, I love a challenge. To my recollection, it wasnt a myth. I recall my Dad telling me that several of the migrants who returned home before the 2 years were up, had to pay the outgoing fee. But good on you Bob for raising the subject. I dont know what the mechanism was for this. Perhaps someone else has a clear recall of what went on.
Start typing folks!
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East Hills Hostel Aug 1966 to 1968. Nissen Huts 81 and 83d

GinaKate · Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2012 11:55 pm Post subject:

We had a family on Dundas hostel who returned to UK within the two year agreement, they were released from their commitment on compasionate grounds as the husband's mother had become seriously ill. So they didn't have to pay back their passage out here.

On the other hand one boy who was a classmate of mine thoughout school in UK came out here and decided he didn't like it. He had to pay the government the cost of his plane ticket out here before he was allowed to leave.

Assisted passage was stamped on the passport so there was no sneaking out under the radar. And it was all paid by cheque to the Dept back then.

My husband also left within the two years because his father took ill. He paid back his passage which was on hold for him, as long as he returned to Australia within a year the money would be given back to him. He did, and it was.

Phyl · Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 3:20 am Post subject:

As I was only a manager's wife I am unable to comment on this subject.

However when we left the company because it was winding down, we didn't get severence pay like the other managers that left at the same time, because we left the country and returned to NZ. cry

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Kind regards,
Phyl

Robert (Bob) Taylor · Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 3:44 am Post subject:

Hey thanks Gina Kate... Well there you go! No longer a myth to me now!My parents skipped to NZ before the 2 years, unchallenged at the time. No pass ports or border control then
Hope BIG BROTHER is not monitoring this.Mum and Dad since deceased so not much of a chance of a refund now.
We did have a good reason, Aus had slipped in to a recession in late 61.
My father was laid off from his job and word was NZ was not in the same state of affairs. In fact in those days you could walk out of your job in the morning and easily get another after lunch. Not quite the same today though. Cheers, BOB.
Rolling Eyes

GinaKate · Posted: Thu Oct 18, 2012 2:43 am Post subject:

There was a lot of coming and going between Australia and New Zealand back then, it was pretty much an open border. In fact I didn't even have to present my passport entering Fiji in 1968. Which makes it all the more unfair for you Phyl. All those years of service and no severance pay.

Phyl · Posted: Fri Oct 19, 2012 1:57 am Post subject:

Aawwwww !!!!!!!!! that is just so sweet of you GinaKate and I agree.Tony loved CHL and always did his best for the company and for the migrants , but people are just numbers I guess and we survived. Smile

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Kind regards,
Phyl

GinaKate · Posted: Fri Oct 19, 2012 12:23 pm Post subject:

I know he did Phyl, we came to Dundas from East Hills, and at that time the Rec Room had been declared out of bounds, (not sure of the facts, depends on who was relating the story) however, we were reduced to taking the tape recorder, plugging it into a socket in the washrooms, and dancing around the ironing boards. Tony came and we were given back the rec and freedom, and there was no problem, everything went smoothly.

As for the video. You have to know that they are going to hype up, they do that with everything, but it was a life that you could have if you reached for it, and if that is what you wanted.

My dad put his application in and within three months we boarded the Fairsky and set sail from Southampton, and it could have been earlier. Dad was a fitter and turner with girls of marriagable age. In the 60s there was a demand for tradesmen and an even bigger demand for girls as there was a huge population of males beween the teens and twenties.

Robert (Bob) Taylor · Posted: Fri Oct 19, 2012 8:26 pm Post subject:

Hi Gina Kate, we sailed from Southampton on the Fairsky March 1960.Still a vivid memory after all these years.That was a quick decision and process to get away from UK so quick! Not sure with us but im sure it was a year or so at least.With Medicals and injections.Then various interviews etc.
Phyl hubby sounds like he was special and one of kind to treat the kids so well! sun

Phyl · Posted: Sat Oct 20, 2012 1:41 am Post subject:

Yes Bob, I think he was special, however he did expect the young people to behave, but he wanted them to have things to do too, after all we also had kids too.The youth leader at that time was pretty good as I remember.
I loved Dundas Hostel. sun

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Kind regards,
Phyl