Around the world in an Austin 7

[Ian Williams]

I just found this and had never seen the footage before, it might be a good film for the Association archive to obtain a copy of.

https://ngataonga.org.nz/blog/uncategori...-austin-7/

[Bob Culver]

Somewhere a few years the book was reviewed  (The Seven mechanical and driving experience could be condensed into two pages and there is little about the roads but the drama of the sinking is well captured and it is an interesting social comment of the time. The sea was very rough for life boats initially but fortunately calmed.) The pictures also prompted a discussion of the exact NZ localities. The snow bound car is approaching the Hermitage. Sadly the road is far less interesting today, and the snow less.

[Ruairidh Dunford]

The film is featured in the A7CA Archive here: http://archive.a7ca.org/collections/films/

[Ian Williams]

Thanks Rory, I had not noticed that was already in the Archive collection, not sure quite how I missed it!

[Bob Culver]

It is curious nowadays that his mate at 12 stone, 76 kg was regarded as somewhat robust. Austins etensively overhauled the car in England but it had been involved in a major smash. In NZ for decades there was a large magazine the Auckalnd Weekly. My grandparents had saved all the centre photo pages since WW!. I was very intrigued by the photos of the crew in a hold manipulating a giant bucket in an attempt to ladle off water. I am not sure if the prop gashed the stern or the empty tunnel was the problem.

[Steve Hainsworth]

It was through my lobbying over a number of years that the film (that was held in the Australian Film Archive) was released to the Film commission Here in Wellington where it was digitized and released  as free to air so anyone can view it on line. I visited the Film Archive as their guest to see the result when they had secured the footage and digitized it.

Prior to this the film was available for hire from the National Film Commission and I remember it being shown several times at VAR NZ  gatherings here in Wellington many years ago.

When I queried what became of the loan copy, I was told by The Film Archive that it was sold with a number of other historic film to a member of the public at the time they became the Film archive. They appeared to have no record of who that was ,but the copy that was held by the Australian Film archive was on private loan hence the considerable time taken to negotiate the release. This happened around 7 years ago or more. I could quote this exactly by going back through emails I still have.
Once it was released I informed The A7CA Executive of it being available to view on line and I received thanks for doing so at the time.
I advertised the existence and availability subsequently in The VAR NZ magazine several times shortly after.
I don't remember getting any feedback or enquiries  about it  from anyone in the local, or overseas clubs. I don't even know if the Australian clubs knew they had it on their shores for many years and had not tried to rescue it before it deteriorated.

I can say that there were several edits of this short film that were shown in movie theatres before the main feature. I think McQuarrie used this avenue to fund his travels Further.
Further research showed McQuarrie to be an interesting character in many ways!
I'm sure this film will likely be shown at next years festivities to celebrate the 100th year of our little friend.

Cheers Steve Hainsworth

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Hi Bob
Pretty sure the Prop Shaft sheared and damaged the hull badly. They plugged the gash as best they could to have time so other ships could come to save the passengers .
The Tahiti Took My grandfather in the NZ Expeditionary force in 1915 to Gallipolli  WW1, so she was an old ship when she sank with Emily in the hold.
Cheers Steve H