The Years Back - 2, The Twenties (Episode Two)

In this episode of the archive-compiled history series, Bernard Kearns focuses on the Roaring Twenties. Soldiers returning from the First World War struggle to tame the land as commodity prices fall. The Labour Party, with miners as its backbone, gains a foothold on the political scene, and the Ratana Church emerges as an alternative to more distant Māori leaders. In Dunedin, the New Zealand and South Seas International Exhibition proves a huge success and members of the Royal Family are popular visitors to our shores. But the Great Depression looms.

The ancient way of catching eels, by the eel weirs, which they built from the side of the Whanganui River, pretty well from Taumarunui down but you wouldn’t find any of them now. No-one worries about getting eels when they can get tinned fish.

– Mick Jones

Key Cast & Crew

Derek Wright

Director, Writer

David H Fowler

Producer, Writer

Samuel Grau

Studio Camera

Geoffrey Scott

Executive Producer

Wayne Borden

Sound

Brian Shennan

Sound