Summary

A satirical poem, written by Nathaniel McKay (information from Mrs Cecil McKay). Not dated. The poem describes H.V. McKay and other employees and associates. The people mentioned include: Harry Thompson (Foreman), Jack Porteous, Sam McKay, W.W. Bult, Bill Marder, R.M. Lambert (Office & Financial Manager), George McKay, Ralph McKay, D.B. Ferguson (Managing Director of H.V. McKay Massey Harris Ltd. from 1933 to 1935), Bert Kimber, Alex Moule (editor of the Melbourne "Argus" newspaper), Nathaniel McKay, John McLean.

A speck high in the azure main
Expanded to a monoplane
And circled gently down;
A goggled tourist shed his coat,
Stepped lightly from the aerial boat
And gazed on Sunshine town.

A vast hotel stood open wide
With Harry Thompson's name outside
(Jack Porteous ran the bar)
The 'plane was housed by Sam McKay
Who took the rugs and 6d. pay,
And held the door ajar.

The stranger with enquiring mein
Looked furtively about the scene
For someone to consult.
He spied an ancient with a can
A pertinacious hot pie man,
T'was W.W Bult.

"I crave no pies" the tourist said
But fill me up with facts instead
I dunno where I are.
I bolted from Australia's shore
When labor polled that mightly score
For years I've roamed afar.

"That's easy done" the ancient said
Sunshine is standin' on its head"
An' things is upside down:
The cart now has to pull the hoss,
The workman grimly sweats the boss,
The boss ain't worth a brown.

The labor Gov'ment grabbed the reins,
An' forthwith took exceeding pains
To pick an overseer.
With caucus help and tryin' round
Bill Marder was the man they found,
He's reigning emp'ror here.

"H.V. went bung but had some luck,
He does odd jobs an' shovels muck
About the stable yard.
Tom Iv'ry ran a sly grog shop
An' prospered, till a sneakin cop
Procured him 6 months hard."

"Lambert toiled on and got his start,
Saved up an' bought a donkey cart,
He's strippin wattle bark.
Yon howlin' swell in gems an gold
Is George McKay, a bookie bold
with nephew Will for clerk."

"The power-house ceased to know the sway
Of that young despot Ralph McKay
Will Iv'ry runs it now.
Coxon and Ralph are sortin' bolts,
Dave Brown's employed at ridin' colts
An' milkin Marder's cow."

"Barclay went down, but might be worse
He's valet to a Clydesdale horse:
Swan runs a wine saloon.
Dedrick and Stan are sailin' large
Their piggery adorns the marge
Of Sunshine's fair lagoon."

"Jack Moore picked up a wealthy hen
With fourteen kids, now mostly men,
She makes it warm for him.
Jenkins & Fitz. are sellin' greens
For Sunshine's man o' biggest means,
The cashful chow Ah. Kim."

An' D.B.F. is going strong
He waits at Landvort's resterong
An' shouts "Soup one" in style.
Dook McIntyre and Artist Smith
Each yields a whitewash brush, wherewith
The swab the factory pile."

"JIm Garde now toots a whistle sweet
With Johnson singin' on the street;
They had to use their brains:
Kimber and Reed don't make a heap,
They're labourers for a chimney sweep
An' odd times cleanin' drains.

"Fred Holland seeks no more to roam,
He manages a children's home,
Beside McLaughlan's tote.
George Bult an' Moule have met their fate,
One's third, the other second mate
On Footscray's dredging boat.

"Young Jack McKay a windfall had
He managed to supplant the lad
Who ladles pynozeen
For Uncle Nat, who tabs the time
Amid the superscented chime
Of No. 4 Latrine."

"Me 'plane the stranger yelled, "me 'plane"
Trot ot me trusty plane again,
I'll skip for Argentine:
Your movements here are all too quick
I'll fly back to Jack Bult and Vic"
Yours truly, John McLean.

Part of a collection of photographs, negatives, moving film, artefacts, documents and trade literature belonging to the H. V. McKay Sunshine Collection. The McKay collection is regarded as one of the most significant industrial heritage collections in Australia. The collection relates to the agricultural manufacturing firm, the Sunshine Harvester Works. The Australian operations of this company were originally founded by Hugh V. McKay in the 1890s in Ballarat. Between 1906 and 1907, McKay moved production to Sunshine where the firm became one of the largest industrial businesses in Australia. Change in ownership is a recurring theme in the company's history. In 1930, it merged with Massey-Harris to become H.V McKay Massey Harris. In the mid-1950s, the company was absorbed by Canadian agricultural firm Massey-Ferguson. Production in Sunshine ceased in the mid-1980s, following almost 100 years of manufacturing agricultural equipment.

Physical Description

Three sheets of off-white paper, typewritten in black ink. There are handwritten annotations in pencil marked on the pages.

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