[John K. Howard--home movies] Reel 29

Date1948

Can DescriptionsNHF Cataloguer's notes for Reel 29: Intertitle: 'Off beaten track in New Zealand. Traveling off the beaten track thru New Zealand, by airplane, motor car, boat, horse or on foot, one sees a varied and beautiful countryside; pastoral fields, cropped by sheep; a fascinating native forest much of which is found in no other country and which is the home of many birds, some also known only to New Zealand; gems of lakes, teeming with fish and water fowl; bold mountains; towering beautiful mountain valleys with rushing streams, the home of various game animals; and deep, narrow fiords. The following is a record of some such scenes viewed on a trip off the beaten track made in 1948. Sheep is king in New Zealand. He has the right of way on the roads.' [A-1 color photography!] L.S. flowered meadow, trees, mountain. Sheep grazing. Pan. meadow with sheep, evergreen trees, mountain. (17:00) Mounted shepherd and two black dogs herd flock of sheep down highway. Intertitle: 'Along the road to Lake Waikare Moana.' Trees, foliage. Pan. top to bottom of flowering tree or bush. Mountainside, blue sky. Long-stemmed pink flowers. Pan. treed mountanside and adjacent lake. [Great photography!] Intertitle: 'For ten days we roam Lake Waikare Moana, its waters, and steep wooded shores, our transport a boat with outboard motor and our legs, living in government and maori huts.' Man sitting in motorboat as it skims along. He smiles. Intertitle: 'The black swan, introduced from Australia and now widely distributed over New Zealand. These birds were moulting and could not fly.' Black swan flaps through water. Moving water of lake, zeroing in on swan traveling toward shore. C.U. swan drifting shoreward. C.U. bow of rowboat with ropes, oars. Removing pack from boat, man steps on shore. Man sitting on steps of house. Man dunks hands into pail beside door. He stands briefly, resumes sitting. Intertitle: 'The steep shores of the lake are clothed in a magnificent native forest, known in New Zealand as 'bush', including rata, which at times is red with flowers.' (20:01) Flowered trees on mountain slope. Red flowers. Intertitle: 'And the stately rimu, or red pine, and kahikatea, or white pine.' C.U. group of pine trees. Intertitle: 'Occasionally we killed for meat.' Man skinning two horned animals, possibly deer. He beats his heel against the deer's skin to remove it more quickly. C.U. deerskins lying in bow of rowboat. Sunset with trees silohouetted in foreground. Sunset reflected in lake. Intertitle: 'Next we visit Huka Falls on the Waikato River, not far from where it flows out of Lake Taupo.' C.U. waterfall with trees on either side. Intertitle: 'Not far above the falls is my friend Alan Pye's Huka Lodge.' Gently flowing waterfall, trees on each side. River where waterfall begins. L.S. shore adjacent to waterfall with trees, wooden buildings. Intertitle: 'In fact, the rapids can be seen from Alan's window and there is fishing for rainbow trout from the lawn.' Pan. rapids p.o.v. 'picture' window. Woman casts fishing line into rapids from edge of lawn. Sparsely-foliaged tropical bushes loom on lawn. (23:06) Rear shot man casting his fishing line into water. M.S. 'catch' of several fish lying on lawn. Woman watches as two men pick up fish. Woman stands between them. Intertitle: 'But within fifty yards a thermal spring (about 100 degrees fahrenheit) boils up and is caught in a swimming pool, 'Venus Bath'.' Exterior of wooden, sauna-like structure. Foliage, flowers surrounding swimming pool. Intertitle: 'And then flows out thru a large pool, surrounded by flowers, into the cold Waikato, a few yards away.' Side of pool with surrounding lush shrubbery, pretty flowers. Pan. shrubbery, flowers, poolside. Exterior of wooden structure. Lawn near pool, flowering bush trees. Intertitle: 'A couple of miles south of Huka Lodge lies beautiful Lake Taupo.' Pan. lake, trees, grass on shore. Cliff in midst of lake. Trees growing on cliff. Pan. dark green foliage, rocks of cliff. Wooden wharf, landing. Pan. landing, moored rowboats. Intertitle: 'The main road south passes around Taupo's eastern shore.' Pan. land, trees, pink sand of beach. Lake, shoreline, distant mountains, clouds. (26:01) Intertitle: 'A day's sport shooting rabbits over ferrets at Rangipo. The ferret is used to drive the rabbit from his warren.' Ferret playing in grass around man's feet. Ferret sniffs man's hand as man pats him. C.U. pure white ferret wandering in grass. Field, man running in distance. Trees. Man joins two men, each with rifle. Field, evergreens around border. Man standing in field with rifle raised. Shoots rabbit. Other man retrieves. Man with rifle runs forward, throws rabbit on ground. Field, grass, rocks, small bushes. Man with rifle runs across field. Man dragging, lifting up dead rabbit. White ferret nips gently at dead bunny. Plays with it. Three men walk down field. One places ferret in basket he carries. Rabbit running through field. Man with rifle pointed. Field, grass, pink flowers, fence. Man holding dead rabbit aloft. Intertitle: 'Southward bound on the 'Desert Road,' across a high plateau, east of the volcanoes Tongariro, Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu.' Pan. field with low foliage, mountains, clouds. (29:02) Expanse of orange-hued flowers, mountains, shrubbery. Intertitle: 'From 'The Grange' station near Ohakune Junction, we take a pack-trip to Blyth Hut, high on the side of Mt. Ruapehu and spend a few days tramping about the mountains.' Group of three men with pack gear laid out on ground. Trees, wooden home, car. Man packing saddle of horse. Two other men watch him. Pan. mountains, dark smoke, black clouds on horizon. Field with mountains, clouds in background. High leafy bushes, orange flowers just beginning to bloom. Blanketed horse standing in field. Pan. field with shrubbery, maroon roofed house. Evergreen trees in field. Mountain with clouds at its peak. Rockbound area with small waterfall in middle, boulders. Two men sitting on rock in woods talking. They add twigs to flame of small fire. Man unloading pack from horse. Clouds, marooned-roofed house. Man placing pack back on horse. Men standing in unusually wide doorway of home. Steel drum or container on left side of home. Intertitle: 'Then we drive by way of the Taihape-Hastings Road east and finally south to 'Aotea'--the station of Mr. Kenneth Sutherland, at Hinakura in the Wairarapa country and so to the sea at Pahaoa.' (32:00) Ferns, orange flowers, low lying shrubbery, jutting rocks. [Very scenic.] Pan. scenic area. Pan. sheep flock wandering through meadow. Sheep walking down road. Pan sheep, green meadow. Horse, dog, men walking behind flock. Tropical foliage of mountain side. Bushes, a tall yellow flower. Pan. grassy mountainside, sky in background. Piglets scurrying from back of vehicle. Wooden door operates by means of rope. Sheep being bathed in trough of water. Sheep gently prodded with steel-tipped stick. Sheep emerge on dark right side of trough. Group of homes surrounded by evergreen trees. Well-kept lawn dominates foreground. Pan. trees, mountainside. Four people mounting horses. Pan. lake, grassy, well-kept shore, highway. Waves dashing against rocks in lake or ocean. Low mountains along shore. Pinkish-white rocks on opposite shore. Low, scraggily silohouetted trees, clouds in sky. (35:02) Intertitle: 'The last of the north island, Wellington, the capital of New Zealand. It is from Wellington's magnificent harbor that the ships cross to the south island.' Pan. harbor with low-mountain shoreline. Pan. buildings, assorted structures along shoreline. Intertitle: 'The last of the trip is in the south island--along the road from Nelson to Kekerengu.' Trees mirrored in surface of lake. Meadow. Long-stemmed plants with purple flowers. Field with tall foliage. Pink brick or stucco building adjacent to field. Intertitle: 'From Kulnine Station at Kekerengu on the sea we ride back into the inland Kaikoura Range to Coveringham, accompanied by a pack train and join eight drovers and their forty dogs, driving four thousand sheep. The Kaikouras from the air.' Pan. clouds. Mountain ridges in background. Pan. mansion with white columns and pink roof. Tropical trees in background. Group of people walk across lawn to road. Woman securing straps to pack bag. Man carries bag to horse. (38:12) Man saddles horse. Tightens saddle straps. Man loading horse. C.U. pack on horse's saddle. Man adds two other packs to horse's saddle. Secures load with straps. Horse eating out of little girl's hand. L.S. field, pack horses trot along trail at rear of meadow. Mountain range nearby. Grassy mountain sides with group of horses moving along trail. Two dogs walk before pack horses. (41:10) Man standing with horse--horse has one pack on saddle. Mountain range, evergreens in foreground. Group of horses stopped at side of road. Man adjusts packs on horses. L.S. shrubbery, bushes on sides of trail. Horses move forward on trail. Horses, riders resting beside trail, mountainside and peak in background. Large sheep flock moving in midst of mountainside foliage. Three men near top of mountain. Black and white sheep dogs frisk about men's feet. Intertitle: 'We camp at Coveringham Station, now abandoned and used only as a temporary camp by travelers passing to and from the inland Kaikouras and for mustering and droving sheep. Here the sheep are held over night to rest and feed.' L.S. mountain side with sparse foliage, majestic mountain peaks in background. Pan. mountains. M.S. two sheep on side of road. Trees in background. (44:00) Black and white sheep dog approaches wagging tail. Mountainside nearly covered by flock of sheep. Pan. sheep. Pan. mountainside. Man securing strap to horse's ankle. Two horses grazing in field with sheep. One horse rolls about on ground as would a kitten or puppy. [Rare, delightful shot!] Mountainside on which looms tall tree indigenous to New Zealand. Two horses and flock of sheep grazing. Pack of black and white sheep dogs. Simple-structured building in background--white stucco or concrete, pink roof. Intertitle: 'Dog 'tucker' (feed) is provided by killing a few sheep.' Sheep flock racing about meadow. Man has removed a sheep from flock. He places sheep inside of fence. Slays sheep with knife. Man beside him has done same. Men skin, flay sheep. M.S. pack of sheep dogs. Men throw strips of meat to dogs. Intertitle: 'The sheep-drive starts in the early morning, before the heat of the day.' Large flock of sheep on mountainside move forward. Shot good, but natural light dim. Three men standing on mountain. One has his foot up on small hillock, looks into distance. Pan. mountainside. C.U. mountainside shrubbery, sheep descending hill in background. M.S. sheep flock wandering midst shrubbery. (47:00) Overhead shot of entire flock. Closely-packed flock milling about. Sheep ascending mountainside. Tree with overhanging branches at left of frame. Sheep flock in meadow. Sheperd, three dogs observe flock. Flock races forward. Dogs commence running. Men astride horses look on. Intertitle: 'Along road from Kekerengu to the port of Littleton.' Pan. snow-capped mountains, hovering clouds, lake, mountainside. Pan. shoreline, gentle waves washing ashore, hills. [Stunning scenery.] Lake with birds floating, cypress-like trees, shoreline. Pan. lake, reflecting trees. Pan. grassy mountain side. Pan. rocky shoreline, ledges. Pan. harbor with ships in dock. Pan. city. Railroad yard. Pan. sunset, birds flying, harbor. (50:02) Pan. sunset continues. Intertitle: 'From Littleton to Glentanner Station in the Tasman River Valley.' Pan. two sheep grazing in meadow adjacent to mountain. Pan. meadow abundant with white, long-stemmed flowers. Small animal [hedgehog] in field. Pan. orange flowers below hill, trees, varied shrubbery. C.U. many orange-hued blossoms. M.S. roughly made wooden fence in midst of flowers, trees beyond, and at side. Intertitle: 'Southern Alps over Lake Tekapo.' Pan. lake, mountains, shoreline field with close-cropped mauve, tan-tinted grass. Pan. snow-capped mountain tops, blue horizon. Pan. shoreline with varicolored grass, bushes with orange blossoms. Intertitle: 'Lake Pukaki.' Shoreline, tree at water's edge. Mountains, lake. Pan. meadow with varicolored grass. Vehicles on highway separating field from evergreen trees on opposite side of road. Beginning of mountain terrain behind trees. Pan. long wooden building of deep pink color intersecting field and mountain terrain. Intertitle: 'From Glentanner Station we trek up the bush line creek into the heart of the Ben Ohau Range after Tahr, the Himalayan Wild Goat.' Young man lifting can extended on string. Places on a grill-like object for cooking. Three people at door of vividly pink cabin-like house. Man reaches down into a satchel. Terrain of gray rocks of assorted shapes. Man bearing backpack walks over rocks followed by another man. Two other men bearing backpacks join them. Rocky area with evergreen trees on one side, sloping, low-shrubbed mountain terrain on the opposite. (53:01) M.S. of plants, shrubbery with slim, pointed leaves, tropical, native New Zealand plants. Small purple flowers grace some stems. C.U. flowered stem. Backpacked men walking through rocky area toward mountain terrain. One carries a stick. Three men kneeling amidst the rocks. They've lit a fire. One man cooks food over the flame. Mountainous area approaching snowy peaks. Gray, stony mountain just below snowy peaks. Splintered ice formations. Man skinning, flaying dead Himalayan goat. Intertitle: 'On to the Hermitage in the Hooker Valley, in the heart of the Southern Alps--Mounts Cook (12,349 ft.), Tasman (11,475 ft.) and Sefton (10,959 ft.).' Pan. close-foliaged mountain slope, pink-roofed buildings at base of slope. Pan. mountain rise with green foliage. Pan. snow-capped mountain range. Intertitle: 'A trip up the Tasman Valley and on to the glacial moraine.' Simple wooden bungalow dwellling. Someone sits on hood of car parked in yard. Pan. lake, mountainous shoreline. Intertitle: 'Though the mountain sides are steep, rough, and rocky, it is here that the lovely alpine wild flowers grow.' Snowy, icy morass separating two low-foliaged mountain sides. (56:00) Foliage interspersed with white flowers. C.U. another genus of white flowers with yellow centers. M.S. lavendar flowers, ball-shaped. C.U. lush-leaved plant. Flowers look like large daisies. Small-leaved, yellow-flowered plant growing amidst rocks. Intertitle: 'The Tasman glacier and moraine.' Pan. snow-capped mountains, low-foliaged slope with glacier dividing mountains from slope. Rocky terrain with two men walking near summit. One man points outward. Men walk forward. One has long stick as Alpenstock. Intertitle: 'The Gecko or mountain lizared.' Lizard scurrying through foliage into rocky area. [Viewer must look quick to see this rapid reptile!] Overhead shot of gecko, showing spirally-spotted back. Lizard pauses on long rock, well camouflaged. Rocky area, boulders. Lake with giant boulder at edge. Rivulet flows into lake from ground above. Two men sitting on a boulder. One looks outward, using binoculars. Intertitle: 'Kea, the mountain parrot.' Low, varicolored foliage. Gray parrot sitting on boulder. Parrot looks briefly around. (59:01) Pan. rocky terrain, low bushes, flowering grass. Intertitle: 'Next to the Glen Lyon Station to hunt red-deer in the Dobson Valley. Lake Ohau.' Pan. lake with snow-capped mountains on one side, shrubberied slope on the opposite. Man walks on shore. Intertitle: 'The Pukeko, swamp bird.' Gray-black hued bird in midst of grass in field. Light lavendar flowers prominent in field. Bird walks forward. Size between that of crow and rooster. Another bird of same genus in field. Pan. evergreens, long pink-roofed building, plain just below mountain peak. (00:03) Pan. moves right including trees, building. Front of building consisting of long-row of short white columns which extend around building. Two people descending short flight of steps. Two men packing up white horse. Straw-like grassed meadow, highway separating from slopes, peaks on mountain. (End reel 29 Part I) Reel 29 Part II: Pan. grounds, exterior of New Zealand home. Pan. straw-like grassed meadow, highway separating from slopes, peaks of mountain. A large herd of cattle move down highway. Drover astride horse in midst of herd. Two men outside home near mountains. They don backpacks which have been lying on the ground. Mountain, trees, scanty foliage of meadow, highway. Cabin-like dwelling with meadow in foreground, evergreens surrounding, car parked in yard. Fire ablaze in fireplace. Man adds wood to flame. Meadow intersected by brook, evergreens encircle meadow. Mountains, clouds beyond. Dog, man leading horse by bridle walk into field. Man with backpack walks into rocky promontory. He ascends rocky elevation. Rocky expanse beside stream. Foliaged mountain sides, white clouds above. Rocky expanse, branches of tree overhang at left. Mountain slopes in immediate distance. (End reel 29 Part II)

Creator

• John Howard

• John Howard