All language subtitles for The.Man.From.Snowy.River.S02E07.Servant.Of.The.People.WEB-DL.DDP2.0.H.264-squalor

(serene music)

- Good morning Mr.
Russell,
would you like a paper?

- Morning Mr. Russell,
Kitty.

- Morning.

Matt McGregor, is it?

Fighting the Land Act?

- Yes it is, he's in Melbourne
now

appearing before the committee.

- Well, he left
it a
little late for
us.

- You're not
moving
out, Mr.
Russell?

- What choice have we got?

I lived all my life in
that
place, born and raised
there.

Kitty and I worked our hearts
out

trying to leave
something
for our own children.

- You can fight,
you
can stay on and
fight.

At least wait until Matt
McGregor's

had time to do something.

- We've been made an offer.

Not enough to cover our
debts, but an offer
anyway.

And I can't afford to turn it
down.

- How long
before
you have to
decide?

- They've given us a week.

(serene music)

(bell rings)

- With all due respect,
Minister,

I don't think
any
of you city
people

quite understand the problem.

- You do me a disservice,
McGregor.

I'm a cattle man myself.

- Yes, but
there's
a difference
between

sitting in a saddle all day

and having a manager do it for
you.

(chuckles )

- Remind me not to recommend
you for the diplomatic
service.

You speak your
mind
a little too
openly.

- These small farmers are
being pushed off their
land.

Land that their
fathers
handed down to them.

At least most of them.

- The way I hear it,
they're
simply selling out, moving
on.

- These men have small
holdings of land on the
flat.

Hardly enough to
earn a living
from.

You take away the leases
they
have in the high country,

where they run their
cattle
during the summer
months,

and they can't survive.

- Those leases expire this year.

There's nothing you
and I can do about
it,

it's enshrined in the law.

- So we change the
law
to extend those
leases.

That's what we're voting on.

I want that law changed.

- Be careful, Matt.

You take up this fight,

you're up
against
some of the
richest

and most powerful
men in this
country.

Those farmers have already lost.

Don't let them
take
you down with
them.

- Minister, these
people
are losing their
homes

and their living.

If I go down, I go down
fighting.

Can I count on
your
support in this?

- Already told you, Matt.

I'm a cattle man myself.

- Oh, I'm sorry, but
most
of the local people
here

don't even have birth
certificates.

And half the older
ones
can't read or write.

Some of them still
sign with a mark, an
X.

- They must have some title
to
their land, though,
Herbert.

We've got to find
documentation to prove
it.

I mean, there's only a few days

before Parliament votes on it.

- You see, when
their
fathers or
grandfathers

saw a bit of land they
liked, they just took
it.

Ran their cattle on
it
and called it
theirs.

Passed it on to their
kids, and their kids'
kids,

and then somewhere along the
way,

someone somewhere drew up
a
map and a few lease
documents

and made it all legal.

- Well I want to see
those
documents and the map.

We don't have a town
hall,
so I thought the bank...

- Would've held the records.

You're probably right.

- Probably?

- You see, this
was
the original
bank.

My grandfather built it.

He didn't live to
see
what happened to
it.

Bush fires in the
'60s
razed half the
town.

- Including the bank?

- It was the first to go.

And the records, if
there
were any, went with
it.

Given time, you might find
copies hidden away
somewhere.

- Well I don't have time.

Thanks, Herbert.

- I'm sorry I couldn't help.

Mind you, some people
never trusted the
banks.

Kept their
valuables
at home under the
bed.

- Herbert, you've
helped
more than you know.

- It's not as if these
people are being
evicted.

They're being paid for their
land.

- Yes, a pittance.

And they want to stay.

These are hard-working
farmers and their
families,

Mr.
Gleeson.

- Their leases are finished,

they've got
precious
little to sell,

and it makes no
difference
to whom they sell it

or for how much.

- Well it does to them.

I'd like this typeset.

- You're wasting your time.

There's nothing you can do.

- Well we'll see, won't we?

(neighing )

(hammering )

- Do you think you
could stop long
enough

for tea and scones?

- You should see
it
from up here,
Emily.

You should see it.

- I'm coming up.

- You be careful.

(gasps )

(groans )

What's wrong?

- Nothing.

It's nothing.

(bell ringing)

(dog barking)

(footsteps walking)

- So did you all
give
your parents my
note

saying why we wanted them?

- Yes Miss.

- We seem to have done very
well.

Now what we're looking for

is anything to do
with
land sales or
leases

in the district.

I want you to
look
through your
papers

and see if you can
find
any of those words,

or if you can
find
any maps among
them.

- Hey Miss.

- Yes Blue?

- Looks like the
termites
have been at this.

(laughing )

Hey, it's a map, look.

- Well done, Blue.

Let me see.

- Miss, Miss, what's a land
tenure?

- Good girl, Darlene.

- [Boy] I've got a mortgage,
Miss.

- [Students] Miss, Miss, Miss.

- All right, all right.

- The Crusades ended
with
Richard the Lionheart,

and they achieved
about
as much as you will.

- I am not on a
crusade, Mr.
Gleeson.

I've found records
that may be
important

to the farmers who
are being driven
off.

I want the people
who haven't sold
yet

to know that
there
may be some
hope.

Which is exactly why
I'm going to
Melbourne.

Thank you.

- Pleasure.

- Ah, good morning.

- You look pleased, McGregor.

Good news?

- Yes.

Our local paper.

And it is good news.

Well, if you'll excuse
me,
I have to send a
telegram.

- Gary, one moment.

- Yes sir.

- I have
something
that needs
doing.

Urgently.

- It seems Mrs. O'Neil's
out to make trouble for
us.

- Stop her.

- So you stoke your
furnace,
check your pressure,

and you pull this.

(whistling )

- See you later.

- Okay, see you mate.

- Thank you.

No, that's fine.

Thanks.

(neighing )

Was that interesting?

- It was all right.

I wouldn't mind going if I
could ride up the front,
though.

- Well you can't do that,
Michael.

- Do I have to go to Melbourne?

- Yes you do, you've grown out

of all the clothes you've got.

It's only for a few days.

I don't think the
class
could take Mr.
Gleeson

for longer than that.

Emily, Colin.

I didn't know you
were
coming to
Melbourne.

- We're seeing a doctor.

- Thank you.

A specialist, actually.

- I hope there's nothing wrong.

- No, no, we're just
taking
precautions, that's all.

(grunts )

- What have you got in here,
lead?

- Look, just hold your
tongue
and put it aboard, will
you?

- Gold, eh?

- Keep your mouth shut.

All right?

(whistling )

- Michael, come on.

Quickly.

(blows whistle)

(train whistling)

- Come on, come on.

- Michael, manners.

Emily, there are some dry
biscuits if you're feeling
queasy.

- No, I'm fine.

It's just...

- It's called morning
sickness,
now finish your breakfast.

- Right.

Come on, get down.

Come on, let's go.

Come on, right over.

You two with me.

- Driver.

What's happening?

- Just stay in the carriage,
ma'am.

- I'm going to see what's going
on.

- [Michael] I'll come.

- George.

Get back in the carriage.

This tree's been cut
deliberately.

- Quickly, Michael.

Back to the carriage.

- What's the matter?

- Just run.

Run.

(gun fires)

(gun fires)

- George.

(gun fires)

- Don't shoot.

- They're shooting at us.

- Not at us, the driver.

- Keep down.

Did you see anyone?

- Keep away from the train.

Pick up your bloke
and
bring him over
here.

(gun fires)

- All right, all right.

We're coming.

- [Michael] What can you see,
Mum?

- Just stay down, Michael.

- Colin, what's happening?

- What do you see?

Who's there?

- A man.

There must be
others
out in the bush.

- [Michael] What do they want?

- I don't know.

They've made the
railway
men go with them.

I don't know why.

No, Michael.

I don't think
they
intend to shoot
us,

but until we find
out
what they're
after...

- It's the gold.

- What gold?

- The gold in the luggage van.

Mr. Elliott put it
there.

He didn't want anyone to find
out.

- Well, it seems
as
though they
have.

It's all right.

- You stay.

You have to let us move on.

- Colin, come back!

- No, Emily!

- I tried to stop him,
but
he just went out there.

- It's all right,
Michael, it's all
right.

- Can you hear me?

(gun fires)

- Colin please, come back!

There's a pregnant woman
on board.

It's my wife.

She's not well.

Now if you don't let us go...

- Get back on the train,
preacher.

- Please.

You have to clear the line.

(gun fires)

(screams )

- Michael, get some water.

I don't know what you
think
you were doing out
there.

- I thought if they had an
ounce of decency left in
them,

maybe, if they knew about Emily.

- A costly way of finding out.

Oh, Colin.

- Thank you, gentlemen.

We'll adjourn until tomorrow.

- Minister.

The land tenure
bill
is coming up
tomorrow.

I hope I can rely on your
support in getting it
amended.

- My support?

I think you're laboring under

some misapprehension, McGregor.

I've said nothing
about
supporting your
stand.

- You led me to believe that...

- Times are changing, McGregor.

The future lies
with
the big
developer.

The man with the
wealth
to expand and grow.

There's no place
here
for the peasant
farmer.

- I'll fight you
on
this one,
Minister.

- Then you'll lose.

Wake up to yourself, Matt.

There's money to be made here.

Land to be had, at the
right price, for all of
us.

Don't place too much hope
in
Mrs. O'Neil and her
documents.

- [Mrs. O'Neil]
It's
only a flesh
wound.

But it's very nasty.

- I don't understand it.

If they know there's gold,

why don't they
just
come and take
it?

- I don't know.

They may think there's
an
armed guard in the
van,

or maybe they're waiting for
night.

I don't know.

I'm afraid this is
gonna get more
painful

as the shock wears off.

It's all I can do.

- Thank you, it's fine.

- Colin?

What's this?

- Some sort of
inspection
port, I suppose.

- Close it, Michael.

- I'm sorry, I have to...

- Emily?

- Michael, help me with Emily.

You rest, Colin.

- Mum said not to
worry,
Emily's all right.

- Michael, you said you
went
up to the cab with the
driver.

- Yeah, it was great.

I hope he's all right.

He was really nice.

He showed me everything.

- Do you want to
tell me how it
works?

- First you increase the
pressure to 90, I think it
is...

- They're in
there
talking about
trains

as though they haven't
got a worry in the
world.

(chuckling )

- You wonder
when
they ever grow
up.

- Fatherhood will help, believe
me.

- I'm not sure I want him to.

- Leave the door open,

in case I have to get back.

- What's that?

- Someone lit the engine.

Michael?

(gun firing)

(explodes )

- Colin.

Colin.

- Michael!

What's going on?

- They've blown up the tracks.

- How could you let
Michael run off like
that?

- I'm sorry, Kathleen.

I didn't want him to follow me.

- I'm going after him.

- No, look.

Michael, he's got a
good
head on his
shoulders.

I'm sure he'll
follow
the line back
home.

- No.

- Colin, Colin help me!

- It's the baby.

I'm sorry, Colin.

I'm truly sorry.

But she lost the baby.

(shouting )

- Gentlemen.

I have the right to be heard.

As elected
representative
of the place and the
people

whose futures
are
being decided
here,

I believe I have that right.

And you are duty bound to
listen.

- Of course, Matthew.

We may not, none of
us
agree with what you
say,

but we don't deny
you
the right to say
it.

- Yeah.
- Here,
here.

(gun fires)

(gun fires)

(gun fires)

- Stop there.

I won't miss next time.

- Here's the gold you're after.

Just take it.

Just take it and let us go.

There's a woman on board

who lost her baby last night.

We have to get her to
a
hospital or she may
die.

So please just take the gold

and send back the
driver and the
fireman.

You've got what you
wanted, just let us
go!

- Now as you know, Minister,

I was hoping to
have
some
documentation

to back up my speech here today.

Documents which would prove
that legal safeguards do
exist

to protect the
leases
of the small
farmers

of the Snowy River area.

- In the absence of
such
documentation,
McGregor,

I'm afraid you'll have to
back
your no doubt admirable
stand

with some other argument.

And I'm quite sure that
the
gentlemen of the
committee

would be very happy
to
grant you a few
moments

to place those arguments before
us.

-
Yeah.
-
Here.

- A few moments, Minister?

I was under the
impression
that standing orders

allowed me to speak
for
as long as necessary

to present my case.

- Technically, yes.

But do try to remember
our
lunch, would you
McGregor?

(chuckling
)
- Here
here.

- Hey!

Stop!

(neighing )

- Whoa.

Are you all right?

- Please, I have to get to
Langara.

- The McGregor place?

- Yes.

The train's been
held
up by bush
rangers.

I need to get some help.

- Climb up.

- [Michael] Thanks.

- Is she sleeping?

- Yes.

Kathleen, I'm so worried.

- Colin, she's
going
to be all right.

She's a strong girl, and
she's
got you to look after her.

- I'll wait with her.

- Colin.

The gold chest is still out
there.

All they had to do
was
walk out and take
it.

They must know by
now
that we're not
armed.

- I don't understand.

- Neither do I.

Either they're not
interested in the
gold,

or they've gone.

I'm going out to see.

- I'll go.

- No, you stay with Emily.

I'll be all right.

- I'm gonna cut across country

and then follow the train line.

How many were there, Michael?

- I didn't see them.

A few though.

- You shouldn't be going alone.

- It's all right.

I've sent one of the men
into town to get some
help.

If it's Herbert's
gold, he'll make
sure

something's done about it.

- Be careful.

- Michael's lucky you were
passing.

He wouldn't have made it.

- Oh, I think he would've made
it.

But I wasn't passing.

I need to speak to your father.

- Well, he's away in Melbourne.

- Oh, he can't be.

- He should be back
tomorrow or the next
day.

Why do you need him?

- To help find my father.

Look, I'm staying
in
the hotel in
town,

could you please ask him
to
contact me when he gets
back?

- All right.

- Take care.

- Yeah.

Does your father live around
here?

- I don't know.

I haven't seen him in 20 years.

- They just took off.

Left everything.

- Including the gold.

Can you still drive the train?

- No.

- I can.

With his help.

- Good.

- And someone to stoke the fire.

(grunting )

- Funny thing, they
weren't
even interested in the
gold.

- What were they after?

- I think I know.

They wanted to stop those
documents from getting to
Matt.

Did you overhear
anything like
that?

- When they were clearing out,

they said something about a
vote,

and they said they'd
kept us here long
enough.

- They might be
right,
they're voting
today.

- Now, the grass that
grows in the low
country

is mostly native grass.

But there's a fair
bit
of subterranean
clover,

which has been
introduced
over the years.

It's good feed and
the
cattle grow fat on
it

during the winter.

(clock chiming)

Minister, could I suggest

that we have our
meal brought in
here?

I've still got
quite
a bit to cover.

- I don't think so, McGregor.

We will break and take our meal

in the Parliamentary dining
room.

- Whatever you say,
sir,
I'll continue after
lunch.

(groaning )

(chatter in g)

- I wouldn't give a great
deal for your political
future

at the moment, McGregor.

- You know, Minister,
I
feel exactly the same
way

about yours.

- We need to get Emily to a
doctor.

- How long do you think it
will
take us to get to Melbourne?

- After we get rid of the tree,

one, maybe two hours.

- Kathleen, I'm all right.

You've got to get to
Matthew before that
vote.

- Don't like the chances of
that.

- Have you seen Michael?

- He's fine, he's at Langara.

He told us what happened.

Said you were
held
up by bush
rangers.

- I'll tell you about it later.

Right now we
have
to move this
tree.

- Have you tried to
move it with the
train?

- It's getting
jammed
against the
others.

- Got any rope?

- Take a look.

- Is this gonna work?

- Yeah.

How's your arm?

- It's not too bad.

- Yeah.

The train can get it moving,

I'll turn it with my horse.

When I give you the
signal,
back the train up
slowly.

- Righty-O.

- Right.

(train whistling)

Never replace the horse.

- Thanks Rob.

It's a great job.

- How's Emily?

- She lost the baby.

- Oh, Colin.

- Come on.

- 100 head of
two
year old short
haul

needs at least a
couple of hundred
acres

of good pasture land.

(coughing )

Just to keep them
in
reasonable
condition.

(coughs )

Excuse me.

- If the member for the
high
country has finished his

highly diverting lecture...

- But 100 head of cattle

is hardly enough for
a
property to break
even.

I know these people.

The Russells have
been neighbors of
mine

since the time we were boys.

He's a good, god-fearing man.

Devoted to his
family,
and devoted to the
land.

These men will work their land

for two and three generations.

They've given the
land
the love and
devotion

that some people, some city
people, could never
understand.

They've raised their
children on those
farms,

and they buried
their parents
there.

(sighs )

Look, maybe the land
doesn't belong to
them.

Maybe all they have is
a
lease that's run its
day.

It might not belong to
them,
but they belong to the
land.

Lose them and the
land'll be poor
indeed.

(clapping )

And it seems as if they
are
going to lose that land.

(door opens)

(chatter in g)

- What's the meaning
of
this interruption,
madam?

- I have
something
for Mr.
McGregor.

Something that might save you

from making a terrible mistake.

(chatter in g)

- Oh, I beg your
pardon, I
should've introduced
you.

The right honorable
Mr.
Daley, Minister of
Lands.

- Mrs. Kathleen O'Neil, no
doubt.

If you'll excuse us, Mrs.
O'Neil.

- Thank you, Mrs.
O'Neil.

- My pleasure, Mr.
McGregor.

Gentlemen.

(chatter in g)

- Well gentlemen,
you'll
be pleased to hear

that this shouldn't take long.

(clears throat)

The first
document I
seek leave to
table

is a lease agreement
for
the high country
holding

number 765.

If you study that
agreement, you'll see
that

although the lease
is
indeed about to
expire,

the current holder has
the
option of renewing the
lease

for a further 99 years.

There is no need
for
the small farmer,

indeed, any small farmer,
to
have to leave their
homes.

(chatter in g)

- Who wants a lift, then?

- I do.

- You do?

All right.

In you go.

- I've got you to thank, Matt.

Not just me, but all of us.

All the small farmers.

Thanks for saving our homes.

- Kathleen did all the hard
work.

I just did the talking.

Well, look after yourself.

See you soon.

- Thank you.

Well family, let's go home.

- Bye.

- So the minister
knew this all
along,

that the farmers
had
the option to
renew.

- Yes, he also
knew
that all the
records

had been
destroyed
in the bank
fire.

- He's the sort of
character
representing us in
Parliament.

- Not for much longer.

- Daley was buying up
all
the small farms in the
area

using a family company name.

He got the farms and the
high
country leases for a song.

- Great, nice fella.

- Rob, weren't you
going
to bring those horses
up

from Nine Mile?

- I've done that.

- Why don't you take them back?

- Take them back?

- Mhmm.

- Sure.

- That was cruel.

He was really interested.

- Yeah, I know.

I feel really bad about it.

- Don't feel too bad.

(serene music)