This photograph was taken by local photographer Jacob Brookie in March 2023 from the dune track leading from the beach carpark down to the sea. It is of the  Waitārere Beach Surf Life Saving Community Facility under construction and the completed building will be the home to the local surf lifesaving clubrooms which can accommodate up to 200 people and host more training sessions. At the time of writing, it will be ready for the 2023/2024 summer season. Jacob used a 1960 Agfa Flexilette camera to take this photograph. The Flexilette was an unusual camera as it was a twin lensed design built to take 35mm film- not many of these designs have been made! It wasn't all that popular in its day but still takes nice photographs.

Pyramid Concrete Products was  granted a wholesaler's licence in 1940 and was advertising for staff in 1942, with both documents showing them as trading in Hamilton.  MAVtech cannot find any information about the 'Levin Brick & Pipe Co. Ltd' who were acting as their local agents in Levin. It is difficult to precisely date this slide, but it may have been made during the post-war 'building boom' of the late 1940s/early 1950s'. According to BRANZ, many New Zealand houses in the 1950s/early 1960s were built using brick so this Levin company may have been very busy indeed- even if this slide is advertising concrete masonry! Still, nothing like being the most unique house on the street - especially as government loans for families building a home mandated 'state house' style designs....

The Super Quad Fishing Competition is run by the Manawatu Marine Boating Club, with four fishing days held each year. For 2023, a jetski was the prize, and there were more than 80 skippers and 200 contestants angling to win it.  Local photographer Jacob Brookie took this photograph of the weigh - in at the final day of the contest- the 7th of April 2023. It was taken in the Manawatu Marine Boating Club's equipment room by the Foxton Beach Boat ramp at around 2pm in the afternoon. Pictured are contestants weighing a kahawai, with a volunteer pictured in the background taking note of the contestant, their boat, the species and the weight. Jacob used a 1966 Marshal Press camera for this photograph on Ilford black and white film. The metal camera weighed almost as much as some of the fish did! 

According to a 1981 Jubilee Issue of the 'Horowhenua Chronicle', Lambles Ltd. had a shop on Oxford Street between 1960 and 1968, which looks to be the era of this slide. The house in the picture would have been very trendy in the 1960s with a large fireplace surrounded by interior brick. Levin's Regent Theatre was also on Oxford Street, so it was just a short walk from the screening down to Lambles for the latest in carpet and furnishings! 

Is it ironic that an ad for make-up is marred by blemishes? This slide may just have been left by the projector's heat for too long! However, there's enough writing left untouched to know that it was made for the Oxford Pharmacy. An old newspaper ad displays the pharmacy on Oxford Street in 1981 as one of six pharmacies in Levin. This slide looks to be a bit older than this though. An 'Oxford Pharmacy' was in the New Zealand Register of Pharmacies in 1960, albeit on a different end of Oxford Street. The 'Chronicle' referred to in the slide was the local newspaper, known at various points as the 'Levin Chronicle', 'Daily Chronicle' and 'Horowhenua Daily Chronicle". At the time the slide was made the paper was published six days a week and was a paid newspaper. In 2008 it was renamed the 'Horowhenua Chronicle' and became a free community newspaper which is still being published at the time of writing (September 2023). 

 Print advertisements for Langtry's Pharmacy date back to the 1950s and they were in the government Register of Pharmacies in 1960. Online records suggest that Langtry's shop was demolished in 1975 (however, they moved at least once based off Kete documents) MAVtech has another Langtry's slide from a similar era as this one which advertises Kodak photographic film (also searchable on Kete) as well as one advertising perfume.  The 1966 Encyclopaedia of New Zealand stated that a pharmacist had two years of academic training followed by a two year apprenticeship- but the University of Otago was about to launch a bachelors degree which would cut the apprenticeship down to one year. This combination of a degree and a one year internship is still used today- although the University of Auckland also offers a relevant degree.

 Kete records show that this company was owned by Lance Osborne and was trading in the mid 1960s. The company no longer trades, with many competitors setting up in the last forty years. The fact that a local company in a small town could move household furniture New Zealand wide would have been quite an achievement! Another slide from this firm boasts about the CB radios each truck carried, which would have helped drivers stay in touch during long distance moves. The truck's bumper advertises daily runs from Levin, Shannon, Foxton and Palmerston North. The second slide (also on Kete) shows a truck carrying industrial loads, so they didn't just do furniture removal work.

This photograph was taken during a very cold morning in June 2022 by local photographer Jacob Brookie. It was taken in the Easton Park sportsgrounds at the back of the Foxton Pools, looking towards state highway one.  Jacob used a 1990s Seagull 4A camera to take this photograph. The Seagull was a copy of the Rolleiflex camera and was basically unchanged since the 1960s and was made well into the 21st century. During the Cultural Revolution, having one of these cameras in China meant that you were a trusted state photographer (very few owned cameras in China at the time). However, Jacob bought his used online for $90.....

This is one of multiple cinema advertising slides on Kete Horowhenua from Barnao's Music Shop. Barnao's Music Shop was trading in Levin from 1962-1988. It was the passion of Giuseppe Antonio Barnao whose love of music began when we was gifted a clarinet in 1942. He worked in a music shop the following year and his talents saw him join dance bands and serve as an Army Bandsman. He was a member of Levin bands for decades. A web search will reveal lots of archived interviews and articles about Mr. Barnao. Barnao's shop printed advertising sleeves for the records they sold. The reference to 'the swinginest music store in town' would date this slide to the 1960s/very early 1970s! This slide would have been used to advertise the shop during a film at the cinema. 

Local photographer Jacob Brookie took this picture in September of 2022- local election season! This scene is of the Seaview Gardens, at the base of the Foxton water tower on Main Street. The signs seen here belonged to candidates for Mayor, Council and the Te Awahou Foxton Community Board. Some of these faces were successful in their bid for office, others less so. Jacob used a 1956 Lipca Rollop Automatic camera to take this picture.

Foxton's Busy Bee Dairy was a fixture of the town on State Highway One. In late 2022 it moved from the highway to a building in Foxton's Main Street.  The old dairy was full of advertising and has been photographed many times by travellers passing through. Local photographer Jacob Brookie heard about the dairy's relocation and wanted to take a photograph of the Coca-Cola bottle painted on the side of the building before it was demolished. The photograph was taken in August 2022. It is a strange combination of advertising for a massive global company which was probably made by a local painter! Jacob used a 1957 Lipca Rollop Automatic camera to take this photograph. This camera takes twelve photographs per roll of 120 format film, with the photographer composing the photograph by looking down into a hood on the top of the camera. 

We'll be the first to say that this slide has not aged well. Rolf Harris toured New Zealand in 1970 and this slide may date from this time. It probably screened in Palmerston North but may also have be shown in Levin's cinema as well, given that this was a national tour. We know from the label that it was screened in Kerridge Odeon cinemas- then the biggest chain in New Zealand. Cinema advertising was often used to advertise the arrival of touring acts from overseas. Rolf Harris was convicted of twelve counts of indecent assault on the 30th of June, 2014. Victims of Harris's offending (outside of the counts he was convicted on) came forward from his 1970 New Zealand tour. 

During the First World War the New Zealand Government was fighting an internal battle with 'shirkers'- the men who (for whatever reason) were not enlisting in the forces even though they were eligible to. Shirkers were portrayed in newspapers and posters as weak men who looked unkempt and shifty, as opposed to the strong, masculine soldier. Some papers fretted that the shirkers would father children while the soldiers were away, weakening the New Zealand national character. Of course, given the punishments and social stigma, it took as much courage to be a conscientious objector as it did to sign up for the army. In Bulls, a local blacksmith refused to serve young men who were not in the army without a good reason and many such men were accosted in the street and on public transport. They were also accosted in the cinema via government promotional slides like this one. The expensive 'dress circle' seats were taxed to help pay for the war- but the cheaper 'stalls' below were exempt as they provided an important boost to morale. By 1917  it was stated in Parliament that “not less than 550,000 people go to picture entertainments every week." What better place to show a recruiting slide? This slide urges uncommitted men to join the forces by emphasising the loss of pride of having others fight for them, and highlights the personal contribution they needed to make to the war effort. 

In today's world of instant world wide communications it is easy to forget just how isolated people on the 'home front' felt during the First World War. Most combat was taking place on the opposite side of the world from New Zealand, and photographs from Gallipoli took six months to arrive and be printed. Even the newsreels showing 'the front' and army camps were screened months after the events happened. So, a glimpse of the men in command of the allied armies provided some sense of control and connection. General Foch was an innovative commander and one who was big enough to admit mistakes and learn from them. On the 26th of March 1918 this French General was appointed the head of all Allied forces- a big change from the previous squabbling between the British and French commands. Foch's authority did not extend to overruling national commands, but he could at least coordinate strategy and direction of battle and by being the 'head' of all armies he could shelter his subordinate commanders from political interference. 

In today's world of instant world wide communications it is easy to forget just how isolated people on the 'home front' felt during the First World War. Most combat was taking place on the opposite side of the world from New Zealand, and photographs from Gallipoli took six months to arrive and be printed. Even the newsreels showing 'the front' and army camps were screened months after the events happened. So, a glimpse of the men in command of the allied armies provided some sense of control and connection.  General Pershing was the commander of the American Forces, who entered the war on the Allied side in 1917. Pershing adamantly refused to integrate his troops into the other Allied armies, preferring to fight for the most part as a separate force. His men were ill-trained for the realities of trench warfare and suffered terrible casualties but by sheer numbers made an impact on the front line. Judging by the consistent hand colouring this slide was part of a set made in 1918. MAVtech has others from this series on Kete.

In today's world of instant world wide communications it is easy to forget just how isolated people on the 'home front' felt during the First World War. Most combat was taking place on the opposite side of the world from New Zealand, and photographs from Gallipoli took six months to arrive and be printed. Even the newsreels showing 'the front' and army camps were screened months after the events happened. So, a glimpse of the men in command of the allied armies provided some sense of control and connection.  General Joffre was a senior commander of the French Army who won early victories during the war. However, a string of losses eroded his position and by the time this slide was made he was likely no longer in direct command and instead had an advisory role.  Judging by the consistent hand colouring this slide was part of a set made in 1918. MAVtech has others from this series on Kete. These slides were certainly shown in cinemas, but may also have been shown via magic lanterns to smaller audiences as well.

This slide is another from MAVtech's collection which focuses on the New Zealand Government's recruitment efforts during World War One. A sticking point for many men was leaving their wives and sweethearts if they enlisted, and this slide tries to counter this. It suggests that even if women were saying for men to go, they were thinking it and hit this point home by insinuating that the 'real men' were in uniform.  The slide even portrays the New Zealand nation as a young women, urging men to leap to her defence. At the same time as this slide screened there were posters pitched towards women. These said that if a man would abandon his country in a time of need he would abandon his wife as well.  Despite these slides many men were understandably cautious about signing up and risking being shot, and the government introduced conscription in 1916.

All combatant countries in the Second World War came to realise just how expensive modern warfare can be. In New Zealand taxes tripled between 1940 and 1945 so the necessary capital could be raised, with the government taxing to the economic limit. For those with surplus funds, "National Savings Bonds" were introduced. These were loans made to the government for war purposes to be paid back (with some interest) when peace returned. By 1946, over forty million pounds had been invested in the scheme.   ‘Lend to defend the right to be free!’ was the overarching motto of National Savings and was put on posters, cinema slides and savings books. With 30 million tickets sold in 1939, New Zealand's cinemas was the perfect place to attract attention!   The mention of the serviceperson's sacrifice as a compelling reason to offer savings harks back to a theme in the First World War. In New Zealand some labour unions urged the government to raise taxes on the wealthy, arguing that if people's lives were being conscripted, so should capital. This was not directly taken up (but was effected indirectly through taxes on luxury items) and the idea was repeated on this slide.

This was the slide that everyone wanted to see. It was made to celebrate the successful end of the First World War and was shown in cinemas of jubilant crowds. But it didn't go to plan. The returning troops brought with them strains of influenza which struck communities with a vengeance. Medical staff were ill equipped to deal with this new invisible enemy and the government was forced to close cinemas, along with many other public places.. A month later the cinemas opened again, but with an influenza which claimed 8,573 lives the slide would have been shown to a more muted audience 

Amid the scores of patriotic songs of the First World War was a pacifist tune just as well known in its day: "I Didn't Raise My Boy to Be a Soldier". Written in America before their entry into the war as a way to keeping the country in peace, the song implores mothers to seek peace, least their sons become casualties. The lyrics went like this....  Ten million soldiers to the war have gone, Who may never return again. Ten million mothers' hearts must break For the ones who died in vain, Head bowed down in sorrow In her lonely years, I heard a mother murmur thru' her tears: Chorus I didn't raise my boy to be a soldier, I brought him up to be my pride and joy. Who dares to place a musket on his shoulder, To shoot some other mother's darling boy? Let nations arbitrate their future troubles, It's time to lay the sword and gun away. There'd be no war today, If mothers all would say, "I didn't raise my boy to be a soldier." Verse 2 What victory can cheer a mother's heart, When she looks at her blighted home? What victory can bring her back All she cared to call her own? Let each mother answer In the years to be, Remember that my boy belongs to me!  The song became a hit amongst pacifists around the world and was known in New Zealand. It was mostly derided in the press- when it was sung at an Australian socialist rally soldiers who were in the audience disrupted the song, to the approval of most New Zealand papers but to the condemnation of the socialist 'Maoriland Worker' publication.  Nonetheless, the song was effective enough for recruiting authorities to try and counter it. Patriotic films referenced the song before the hero decided to stand up for his country and join anyway. The slide shown here was displayed as part of a screening at the cinema and urges young men to join whilst quietly disparaging the song. There are some common visual themes used here which are also seen in contemporary posters and political cartoons. Note the straight back and clean face of the military recruit and compare these to the hunched back of the 'shirker' whose hands rest idly in his pockets and whose face has a vacant expression.  Of all the recruiting slides in MAVtech's collection, this one has the most fascinating background!

Adamson Dudley Advertising was founded in May 1943 in Christchurch. It is unknown whether this slide was shown outside of the South Island or not, but ones like it would have been screened throughout New Zealand. At the time, taxes were high to enable the New Zealand to keeping fighting in the Second World War, but citizens were urged to spend any disposable income with the war effort. War Bonds went towards the war effort and Patriotic Appeals like this one provided comforts to troops on the front lines, on leave and in prisoner-of-war camps.  The funds also helped toward rehabilitating returning service personnel.  Local committees and elected Councils worked on collecting donations in their areas. Raffles were also held to raise money. Those who were judged to have the means to pay received personal letters and visits so if you looked wealthy you could expect some attention!    Adamson Dudley Advertising must have done a good job as company records show them as being registered up until 1995!

The 2022 Big Dutch Day Out featured an exhibition of photographer Ans Westra's fascinating glimpses into New Zealand life. Her impact on New Zealand photography and society is far too detailed to do justice in this short description- but it is reasonable to say that she was one of this country's greatest photographers and arriving from the Netherlands as a young women gave her the perspective behind many of her finest works. Ans Westra was a guest of honour on the day and was part of the line of dignitaries including Members of Parliament and the Race Relations Commissioner who posed for a photograph by the De Molen windmill. Two lines formed- the dignitaries and the people taking a photograph of them. Local photographer Jacob Brookie was there using a 1950s Yashica 'A' camera from the MAVtech Museum. He noticed the lines forming and thought that this was far more interesting than a front-on photo of notables. He also noticed that Ans Westra (seated in this picture) was taking a photo of the people taking a photo- placing her in both groups at once!  Ans Westra famously used a Rolleiflex camera for much of her life and the Yashica A had a similar styling. She mentioned to Jacob that the digital camera she was using that day had a folding screen so she could compose pictures 'waist level' like Rolleiflex if she wanted to. Ans Westra passed away on the 26th of February, 2023.

1977's 'Saturday Night Fever' was a hit movie in America and in many other countries. However, its foul language, nudity and adult themes meant that it was given an 'adults only' rating which limited who could see it. So in 1979 Paramount released a 'general audience' edit of the film with the controversial scenes cut and some of the language redubbed. In New Zealand this was given a GA 'General Audience' rating and proved to be just as successful. It was a busy time for John Travolta- this slide reveals that 'Saturday Night Fever' was being shown as a double billing with 'Grease'- another Travolta film!  By the late 1970s cinema trends were changing. New Zealanders used to go to the cinema as a social occasion and often picked what they wanted to watch when they got there. But the rise of the Hollywood 'blockbuster' meant that people now went to the cinema to see a particular film. This, and the rise of television, led to a sharp decline in ticket sales. In 1960 the average New Zealand went to 'the flicks' around seventeen times- by 1981 that was only five times and the total number of cinemas went from over 500 down to around 150. Foxton's Coronation Hall was one of these causalities and had ceased to be a regular cinema.

Drowning has claimed far too many lives in Aotearoa. Our wild beaches and network of rivers proved so fatal in the 19th century that drowning was referred to as 'The New Zealand Death'. In the 1950s things didn't seem to be that much better, with public information campaigns reminding parents that a child died by drowning every week. This slide was produced by the 'National Prevent Drowning Committee' which worked with the Internal Affairs Department. Their mascot was an owl called Ruru who urged the public to 'Learn Water Wisdom'. In an effort to reach Maori some of Ruru's messages were printed in Te Reo.  The presence of Ruru dates this slide to the 1950s- as does the different design of the surf lifesavers' flags. This particular slide was shown in Paraparaumu- but with Foxton being a seaside town it is almost certain that it would have been screened in Horowhenua just in time for summer.  If you are interested in reading more about Ruru's campaigns you can read a thesis here   https://researcharchive.vuw.ac.nz/xmlui/bitstream/handle/10063/2981/thesis.pdf?sequence=2 

A feature of Foxton for many years, the 'Foxton Trading Post' second hand shop closed in Winter 2022. Local photographer Jacob Brookie took this photo of the shop's front entrance just before it closed down for good in an effort to preserve this part of the Main Street. Jacob used a 1934 Rolleicord to take this photograph. The Rolleicord was the budget version of the Rolleiflex camera and was made for amateur photographers. Nonetheless, it was well built and had a quality lens and shutter. 

As part of wartime measures, 'Six o'clock closing' became law in 1917. This meant that all pubs had to close at 6pm- a rule which was enforced. Even after the war ended the law continued, but it was the subject of referenda as the years went by. Supporters of 6pm closing argued that it was better for families because men (who were the primary breadwinners of households at the time) would not stay out late in pubs. However, this often resulted in the infamous 'six o'clock swill' where men would drink as much as they could between leaving work and closing time, with no time for eating.  Six o'clock closing was retained in a 1949 referendum but defeated in 1967. The restaurant industry complained that it was difficult to sell alcohol with meals and patrons of clubs thought the rules were an intrusion. The rise of international tourism also led to complaints from the visitor industry about the now outdated law. This slide was from the 1949 referendum. Based off its slogan, it was made for   "New Zealand Alliance for the Abolition of the Liquor Traffic"- a prohibitionist group who supported 6pm closing. Initially, many pubs and breweries supported 6pm closing as well, seeing it as a way of appeasing prohibitionists who might otherwise advocate for a complete ban on alcohol sales. With cinema attendance still climbing to record highs, the big screen was used by both sides of the argument to spread the word.

This slide advertised  'Frosty Jack' ice cream- a Wellington brand which was sold from 1924 to 1967. Like many local companies it had a limited distribution- 'Frosty Jack' didn't even get to the South Island until the 1960s. However, this effort may have caused the company to lose money and they sold to a larger firm who then stopped making ice cream a few years later. As early as the 1930s 'Frosty Jack' trays were being used in cinemas during the weekend matinee screenings which were popular with children.  This slide asks the patrons to 'call the boy'- with carrying the ice-cream tray a popular first job for many schoolchildren. Many of these cinemas would have been independent ones- Kerridge-Odeon ended up owning its own ice cream brand for its theatres. Take a look at the boy on the slide- it looks as though the ice cream is giving him some brain freeze!  MAVtech has a 'Frosty Jack' ice cream tray in its collection and you can see it on Kete. Just search for 'Frosty Jack'.

This slide would have been shown by cinema management whenever there was an important announcement to make. Sometimes this might be news of new treats at the food stand. Other times it may have been more serious- like a call for assistance from any doctors in the audience. The projectionist would write on the yellow bar of the slide with removable ink and would rub out the writing after the screening. There might not seem like much space- but the slide didn't have a lot of time to get the message across. The heat from early carbon- arc projectors would crack the slide in a few seconds so it was displayed and then withdrawn quickly!  Some cinemas had basic, picture - less 'blank' slides for these announcements, but the cinema who used this one went really fancy!

Some cinema advertising slides were advertising- advertising! But when this slide was made (1930s-1950s) it could boast some very important sales points..... 'Solus position' is an advertising term and means that the ad is isolated away from other, competing ads. One slide at a time was shown during the intermission 'advertising run' and each filled the screen. All eyes would have been on the ad as the cinema would have been darkened. 'Full Colour' was a worthy claim at a time when most domestic printing did not do colour that well. This was a common complaint of photographers which persisted into the 1960s. Even when television arrived it was black and white for over a decade. All the more reason for cinema advertising to have an impact. 'Low Cost' is a relative term, but 'good value' would be a true claim. The advertiser could place slides in one local cinema or across the whole chain- or any number in between! This kept the ad where the customers were. With these selling points no wonder cinema advertising slides were a popular way of marketing. MAVtech's collection of local and national cinema advertising shows just how sensationally popular they were. Have a browse on Kete by searching 'cinema advertising slide' to find out!  But slides weren't the only way of advertising on the 'big screen'. By the late 1950s 'Dominion Screens Limited', which serviced and was owned by the Amalgamated Theatres chain, was selling screening time for one minute advertising films and Screens Advertising Limited sold space for one and a half minute ads.

This is not the slide you would want to see projected on the screen before your film started! The sound track of analogue films ran beside the images (asides from a few very early, very seldom used systems) so if the sound track was damaged there was little which could be done. Luckily it only impacted a few minutes of footage in this case! In some cinemas this was more likely to happen. In very early New Zealand cinemas a reel of  short films would move from one operator to the next and if you were the last cinema on the line the images would be worn from all the previous screenings. Some First World War newsreels were played into oblivion and no longer survive (although these did not have sound...) In the United States of America some theatres host 'second run' screenings of films which have already been used by regular cinemas. These 'discount cinemas' often have films with slight imperfections due to their age (Titanic was screening in these budget theatres six months after its release date!)