Film Archive restores Michael Joseph Savage footage

When we look back at great New Zealand figures of the twentieth century, Michael Joseph Savage is near the top of most lists.

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Speech notes for function marking restoration of film of Michael Joseph Savage at the Film Archive, Wellington

The way our world came to be the way it is and the way we saw things in the past is known only to us by the stories we hand down, and have handed down to us.

As film-makers have discovered since moving pictures were first invented, when we can add pictures and voices to those stories, we make them stronger.

Around the time movies were first becoming popular of course, Michael Jospeh Savage was rising to New Zealand's leadership. When we look back at great New Zealand figures of the twentieth century, Savage is near the top of most lists.

We know of his reshaping of New Zealand through the creation of the welfare state and his leadership out of a bitter depression. We know of his strength and internationalism as the world sank into a terrible war. We know his legend was forged on the hope he gave thousands of working New Zealanders.

It was a sense of optimism and pride so powerful that his picture was hung in the homes of many New Zealanders and still takes pride of place today in the halls and offices of members of parliament who claim his legacy. The legend of the first Labour government is one I'm proud to inherit.

It was a story that unfolded in the days before television news. In fact, as Prime Minister, Savage took responsibility for personally editing radio news bulletins before they went to air!

But because it all happened before tv, and in the early days of film, there are few touchstones that capture the sounds and styles of Savage and his voice. We are fortunate to have these pieces made available to the Film Archive. As a professional historian myself, I know the value of original source material.

Seeing the Fox Movietone newsreels of Michael Joseph Savage helps us colour in his style and the way he made a connection to New Zealanders. There is some poignancy in his messages. In one he says, "We are living in a rapidly changing age. Wealth is being produced in greater abundance than ever before and still poverty stalks in many lands."

Seventy years on, and despite all the progress made by Savage's government and since, and despite the far greater abundance than when he spoke, his note still rings with authenticity.

We are very fortunate to have the Film Archive as a trove for our precious cultural heritage.

This is a public resource where the stories of New Zealand are stored and where, through our video and film history we can find out about ourselves and experience our own rich cultural flavours.

We've come to learn that New Zealand has a distinctive heritage of our own. It's one shaped by many experiences and backgrounds. Some of it shaped indigenously in the bedrock of history; some of it, like me, formed overseas and brought here; and much of it carved from our own land. But wherever it was formed, we know this of our New Zealand identity: It is unique and it is up to us to sustain it, be proud of it, and foster it.

This Archive helps us both to protect our cultural history and to inspire us for the future.

It's appropropriate to be here for the inclusion in the archive of footage of a former Labour Prime Minister, because the Labour-led government has backed this Archive strongly. Over $1.5 million of extra funds were made available [in Budget 2004] that is still being drawn on for the Film Archive, for restoration, preservation and presentation. That almost doubled its budget.

The Film Archive is responsible for more than 90,000 films and videos and over 10,000 stills, capturing our image history from 1895 to today.
This is fascinating stuff; it's immensely valuable to us as New Zealanders. These are stories about us, and I'm very pleased to be here with you to celebrate the addition of more stories to this collection.

ENDS

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