Mr A. and Miss E. Bannatyne discuss details of Johnny Jones' former homestead at Matanaka, Waikouaiti, where the interview takes place. They talk about construction and appearance of the house and storeroom, details of the operation of the store and its contents, and the greenstone artifacts and bones found in a nearby burial ground.
[The Mobile Unit interviewer refers to them as "Mr and Miss Ballantyne", however, the correct surname is Bannatyne, presumably descendants of Alexander Bannatyne, whose family owned the farm until 1961. Mr and Mrs Eccles are also both present but only comment briefly in the interview. See ID5600 for a fuller interview with Mr Eccles.]
They begin by discussing how the farmhouse was built by Wellington builders Windsor and Gibbs.Timber was pit-sawn on the property with cedar doors being brought from Australia.
Miss Bannatyne says her father bought the property in 1878 [?] and the school house was used after that time as a grain store. Mr Eccles adds that the house was completed in 1846.
Miss Bannatyne says most of the existing buildings are still the original ones, including the fowl-house and pigeon loft, granary and stables. Baltic pine was used in many of the buildings. She says Mt Cornish was one early name for the property, because of the number of workers on the property who came out from Cornwall. Mr Eccles adds the original name for the farm was Prospect Farm.
Mrs Bannatyne talks about the deaths of several children and women on the property, who were the first pākēha females buried in the South Island. Mr Eccles discusses the first European child born in Otago, who he says was probably a daughter of David Carey.
Mrs Bannatyne mentions greenstone and moa bones which have been found on the property as well as several burial sites. She then reiterates that after Johnny Jones left, Matanaka was inhabited by his son and then leased to Mr Orbell. In 1878 Sir George Maclean purchased it and her father then took it over.
Mr Bannatyne talks about Johnny Jones original farm store which is still in fairly original condition [in 1948] with some equipment still held in it.
The interview ends with Miss Bannatyne talking briefly about the gardens at Matanaka.