"Halfway to Nowhere - A Flying Visit to the Roaring Forties," is a programme on a one-day visit to the Chatham Islands, recorded in the 1950s [exact date unknown.] It features narration, theme music and interviews with island residents.
Part 1 begins with narration conjuring up images of being whisked away to a tropical island. This perception is then contrasted with real life on the Chathams. TEAL's Solent flying boat departed Mechanics Bay in Auckland at 3am bound for the Chathams.
There are half-a dozen flying boat trips a year but otherwise contact is only by ship. The plane stops at Wellington for breakfast and then takes off again for the Chatham Islands. The landscape is described and a short history of the islands is given.
Police Constable [Aubrey] Geary is interviewed. He has been on the island for three years. He also carries out work on behalf of other government departments, such as the Departments of Agriculture and Fisheries. He is originally from Otago but enjoys life on the island, saying time passes very quickly.
Islanders come via cars and horseback come to greet the flying boat. Mr Wishart, chairman of the island council, explains how local government works. He explains how they maintain roads and other services on their small revenue. They have a car to every four residents, which is higher than on the mainland. Mr Wishart explains the unique rating system on the islands. People pay rates on good they import or export from the islands - not on the land they own. Sheep farming and fishing are the main occupations.
Mr Madden, a grassland expert with the Department of Agriculture is visiting the island and comments about pasture test plots he is working on on the Chathams. He believes the land can be improved and developed considerably in the coming years.
Their is a modern fish refrigeration plant on the Chathams run by a former Yugoslav, Mr Jim Jurie. He talks about how he came to the islands where he has been for the past five years. Last year they shipped 11,000 cases of fish, mainly blue cod and grouper. Mako sharks bar swimming from most of the beaches in the islands.
Two-thirds of the 500 residents are Māori, including one who is the son of the last full-blooded Moriori, who died in 1933. Tommy Solomon works for the island freezing works and speaks briefly about his family's history.
Dr House [?] who is originally from Te Kuiti, talks about health care on the islands. There is a four-bed hospital staffed by the missionary Sisters of St Mary.
One of the biggest luxury for the islanders are the sausages and ice-cream brought by the flying boat. Mr Patterson, the Commissioner, explains he represents the Department of Island Territories. There are four main islands, but only one other that is populated. Two farm managers from out-lying Pitt Island, Mr Preece and Mr Hunter talk about coming over by launch, which is only possible in good weather as the seas are very rough.
Mrs Jurie, wife of the manager of the freezing works, compares Chathams life to her life back in Auckland. She and Mrs Harrington talk about baking bread in a wood oven - only a few homes have electricity. There are pictures, dances or card evenings for entertainment. They do their shopping in bulk from stores in Christchurch.
The local race-course has the smallest grandstand in the world. Herbert Jacobs and Mick Lanauze [?] talk about a hair-growing competition they had, growing their hair for over a year.
The island has three churches with a clergyman for each and five schools, there are radios, get-togethers and a jockey club.
Interviews by Dick Gutteridge
Narration by Patrick Smyth
Scripted by Arthur E. Jones
Produced in the Auckland Studios of NZBS.