000:00 The Minister of Transport, Hon J Mathison, introduces a road safety film (the film is not shown). He thanks those who were involved in making it and explains a bit about the film.
001:37 LAST RESPECTS BOB SEMPLE: The former Minister of Works, Bob Semple, died on the 31 January, 1955. His funeral the following Thursday was held at St John’s Presbyterian Church in Wellington. The pallbearers included the leader of the opposition, Mr Nash and the acting Prime Minister Mr Holyoake. Thousands line the streets of Wellington and watch the procession of funeral cars. Earlier footage shows Mr Semple launching the construction of the Ngauranga Gorge road.
002:55 HEALTH... MAKOGAI ISLAND: An RNZAF flying boat lands at Makogai Island, part of the Fiji group. Makogai is the principle leper colony in the South Pacific and has been run by the nursing sisters of the Society of Mary for more than 37 years. The sisters, many of them New Zealanders welcome the airmen who bring financial aid from New Zealand. Some of the patients are involved in occupational therapy, they learn carpentry and boat building. The airmen watch the children playing soccer and volleyball on the hospital lawn.
005:50 INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS: WHERE? The debate over which New Zealand airport should service international flights is centred between Wellington and Christchurch City Councils.
Paraparaumu airfield is shown, it is the main junction for domestic travel with upwards of 136,000 passengers annually.
Ohakea airforce base is also often used for civilian travel but its role under question. Whenuapai is the the busiest international air field in the country, a Canadian Pacific and TEAL plane are shown on the tarmac.
The Mayor of Wellington, Mr McAllister gives his views on the debate. He promotes the further developments of Rongatai airport. Mr McFarlane, the Christchurch Mayor and MP, enthuses over the proposed remodelling of the Harewood terminal buildings and expresses concern on behalf of South Islanders at the threat to their airport’s services.
A decision is made the following day, Whenuapai remains the principle international link, Ohakea will cease civilian services and Hareford is on trial for a year as a trans Tasman airport.
013:41 OIL FROM KWINANA: The first oil tanker from the new Kwinana oil refinery in Western Australia arrives at Dunedin’s Victoria oil wharf. The tanker, British Captain, is decked out with flags to celebrate New Zealand’s shift from a reliance on the Middle East for oil supply. Leading Dunedin citizens, including the Mayor Mr Wright, the MP for St Kilda, Mr Barnes and the NZ Managing Director of the oil company, Mr Hucks, are shown over the ship by the captain. The chief engineer explains the workings of the pump valves to the oil company executives and members of the press. Technicians test the oil before it is discharged.
016:17 AUCKLAND’S DRAINAGE PROBLEM: See Pacific magazine No. 3.
021:52 “The British Petroleum Company of New Zealand presents”
The Minister of Defence and External Affairs introduces the film to follow...
022:57 Black
023:12 A film on the construction of the Kwinana Oil Refinery in Western Australia. Shows the town of Medina which was built to house the construction workers and their families and which will be taken over by the employees of the plant when it is finished.
Machinery cuts a deep water channel in the harbour to make the entrance navigable for oil tankers. New settlers arrive from the UK.