THEY'RE THE BROTHER-SISTER PAIR WHO HAVE MADE IT THEIR MISSION TO SPREAD KINDNESS THROUGHOUT NEW ZEALAND, ONE $50 NOTE AT A TIME. BUT WITH NO NAMES, DETAILS, OR LOCATIONS MADE PUBLIC, LUCAS DE JONG HAD TO USE EVERY JOURNALISTIC TOOL TO FIND THEM. (UPBEAT HIP-HOP MUSIC) SO THIS IS THE MAIN STREET OF PAPATOETOE. THIS IS HOW THEY SPEND THEIR SPARE TIME... AND SPARE MONEY. SO WE'LL GO LEFT DOWN HERE, IF YOU CAN GRAB A VIDEO OF US GOING AROUND THIS CORNER. THEIR IDENTITIES HIDDEN WHILE THEY LOOK FOR THE PERFECT HIDING SPOT. WE CERTAINLY TRY AND CHOOSE A SUBURB FIRST OF ALL THAT WE KNOW MIGHT NEED IT. AND THEN REALLY LOOKING FOR A PLACE WE CAN GET TO UNANNOUNCED. ANONYMITY IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO US. AND SOMEWHERE WITH SOME BUSHES OR SOMETHING THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY PHYSICALLY HIDE THESE THINGS IN. IN THE PACKAGE IS A LARGE NOTE ACCOMPANIED BY A SMALL ONE. THIS HIDDEN TREASURE IS A GIFT TO YOU. IF THIS FIND BRIGHTENS YOUR DAY, ENJOY IT. IF YOU'RE NOT IN NEED, WE ASK YOU TO PAY IT FORWARD TO SOMEBODY WHO DOES. YEAH, AND I'LL PUT IT IN THAT YELLOW BUSH BEHIND THE POLE. THEN IT'S A CASE OF EDITING A SHORT VIDEO EXPLAINING WHERE TO FIND IT... WE'LL JUST CUT TO A FEW, LIKE, LANDMARKS AND THINGS AROUND THE AREA SO PEOPLE HAVE A FEW CLUES. ...AND SHARING IT WITH THEIR EVER-GROWING FOLLOWERS. READY, SET ` POST. AND NOW WHAT? HOW LONG DO WE HAVE TO WAIT? UM, ANYWHERE FROM, I'D SAY, 5 TO 10 MINUTES. HEY, GUYS, HOW'S IT GOING? TODAY, IT DIDN'T TAKE THAT LONG. YEEEHOO! THEY DON'T STICK AROUND TO SEE THE SMILES. YEAH, NAH, JUST SEEN IT ON FACEBOOK. (LAUGHS) YEAH, YEAH? GOOD SCORE FOR THE DAY, THOUGH? YEAH. MEAN SCORE. NEED GAS. INSTEAD, THEY'RE HAPPY STAYING HIDDEN AS THEY PREPARE FOR THE NEXT LITTLE BLESSING. AND WE HAVE THE HIDDEN BLESSING TEAM HERE NOW. NICE TO SEE YOU GUYS. FIRSTLY, WHAT A LOVELY GESTURE. WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO GIVE YOUR MONEY AWAY LIKE THIS? WELL, I CAME ACROSS A GUY DOWN IN FORT STREET IN FRONT OF THE KFC THAT WAS LOOKING FOR A LITTLE BIT OF FOOD AS OPPOSED TO MONEY, AND, UM, OBLIGED, GOT HIM SOME CHICKEN, AND HE POINTED OUT HIS PARTNER, AND THE FACT THEY WERE LIVING IN THE CAR, SORT OF HAD AN EPIPHANY AND JOINED A FEW DOTS, AND CALLED MY SISTER AND SAID, 'I'VE GOT AN IDEA.' AND SHE'S A LOT BETTER WITH SOCIAL MEDIA THAN I AM. SO SHE DECIDED TO TAKE THE REINS FROM THERE, AND WE DECIDED TO PUT A BIT OF A SPIN ON IT TO NOT JUST HIDE CASH TREASURE-HUNT-WISE, BUT TO PUT A PUT AN ANGLE TOWARDS TRYING TO GET THIS INTO COMMUNITIES THAT WE WE FEEL MIGHT NEED IT. SO WE WANTED TO DO SOMETHING POSITIVE OUT OF IT. AS WE CAN SEE, YOU BOTH LIKE TO KEEP A BIT OF A LOW PROFILE. WHY DO YOU WANT TO STAY OUT OF THE LIMELIGHT? UM, I THINK IT'S ALL ABOUT BLESSING THE COMMUNITY. WE DON'T REALLY CARE TO TAKE CREDIT FOR THAT SORT OF THING. I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO KIND OF KEEP OUR IDENTITIES PRIVATE SO THAT WE CAN GO OUT IN THE COMMUNITIES AND BLESS, YOU KNOW, AOTEAROA, SO I THINK IF WE WERE TO GIVE IT UP, WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO IT AS EASILY, BUT YEAH, FOR US, IT'S JUST ABOUT DOING SOMETHING NICE FOR THE COMMUNITY. SO YOU GUYS ASK PEOPLE TO SEND A MESSAGE WHEN THEY FIND THE MONEY ` TELL US ABOUT SOME OF THE BEST STORIES. FOR ME, PROBABLY MY FAVOURITE STORY ` AND IT'S PROBABLY SPLIT BETWEEN TWO, SO, ONE OF THEM IN PARTICULAR WAS IN MANGERE AND THE MAN WHO FOUND OUR BLESSING HAD RUN OUT OF PETROL AND WAS, UH, LOOKING FOR SOME` LOOKING FOR THE CASH, OBVIOUSLY FOUND IT SUCCESSFULLY AND MANAGED TO FILL HIS CAR UP. HAT WAS QUITE HEARTWARMING. THAT WAS QUITE HEARTWARMING. THEN THE OTHER ONE WAS A LADY IN OTARA WHO HAD` WAS STRUGGLING A LITTLE BIT THAT WEEK AND MANAGED TO TAKE THE BLESSING TO PAK'N'SAVE AND BUY SOME KAI FOR FOR HER FAMILY, AND SHE LET US KNOW THAT. AND IT SOUNDS LIKE YOUR POCKETS ARE DEEP, BUT WE HEAR THAT YOU'RE BOTH RENTERS AND YOU'RE STILL BUILDING YOUR CAREERS. IS THERE A PLAN IF THE MONEY RUNS OUT? YEAH, LOOK, THE THE PLAN AT THIS POINT, TO BE HONEST, IT'S BEEN QUITE OVERWHELMING WHERE THIS HAS GONE SO FAR. SO WE DIDN'T THINK THAT FAR AHEAD AS TO WHAT WE WOULD DO NEXT. FOR US YET ` YOU TOUCHED ON THAT WE BOTH WORK FULL-TIME, THIS IS WITH OUR PERSONAL SPARE MONEY. SO EVENTUALLY OUR PERSONAL PRIORITIES WILL CHANGE AND WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO KEEP BLESSING. SO I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THIS GROW TO A POINT THAT, UM, WE GET SOME` SOME SUPPORT FROM OTHER LIKE-MINDED INDIVIDUALS OR MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY, AND HOPEFULLY WE COULD DO THIS COLLABORATIVELY AS OPPOSED TO FINANCIALLY FRONTING THIS WHOLE THING OURSELVES. BUT WE HAVE HAD SOME SUPPORT FROM FAMILY AND FRIENDS. WELL, BEST OF LUCK WITH EVERYTHING. IT'S A VERY GENEROUS THING THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING, AND WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING WHERE IT GOES FROM HERE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, JEREMY. THANK YOU. CAPTIONS BY LENA ERAKOVICH, FAITH HAMBLYN AND LELE SIMEON. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2024. FINALLY, SOME GOOD NEWS FOR FARMERS, AS A REPORT OUT FROM ASB HINTS AT POSITIVE CHANGES WITHIN THE SECTOR. BUT WHILE DAIRY AND FORESTRY ARE STARTING TO REBOUND, OUR LIVESTOCK FARMERS ARE STILL DOING IT TOUGH. (GUITAR MUSIC) THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS HAVE BEEN HARD YAKKA FOR FARMERS, WHETHER THEY'RE RUNNING DAIRY... (MOOS) FELLING TREES... (MACHINERY WHIRRS) ...OR GROWING OUR FIVE PLUS A DAY. MMM. MMM. SWEET. BEAUTIFUL. IT LOOKS LIKE THINGS ARE STARTING TO TURN AROUND. THE LATEST ASB RURAL REPORT CONTAINS SOME PROMISING SIGNS. MILK PRICES HAVE FINALLY REBOUNDED ` UP 22% FROM ITS LOWEST POINT. AND ALTHOUGH FORESTRY HAS HAD A PRETTY BUMPY ROAD, TALK OF A CONSTRUCTION BOOM COULD PROVIDE A MUCH-NEEDED BOOST. BUT THE LEAST LUCKY FARMERS ON THIS COUNTRY CALENDAR ARE THE ONES WORKING WITH LIVESTOCK. HIGH SUPPLY AND LOWER DEMAND MEANS THE MEAT MARKET ISN'T MAKING MONEY. SO HOW LONG CAN OUR SHEEP FARMERS SURVIVE THESE WOOLLY FINANCIAL TIMES? AND FOR MORE ON THIS, WE'RE JOINED BY SHEEP FARMER TOBY WILLIAMS. NICE TO SEE YOU, TOBY. IT WAS TOUGH WHEN WE LAST SPOKE TO YOU. IS THE SITUATION ANY BETTER? HI, JEREMY. NO, NOT REALLY, IT'S NOT. IT'S PROBABLY AS HARD AS IT'S BEEN SINCE THE 1980S FOR A SHEEP FARMER NOW. YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT DROUGHT IN THE NORTHERN SOUTH ISLAND, WHICH IS REALLY, YOU KNOW, IMPACTING THEM, AND THEN STILL GOT THE CLEAN-UP FROM THE CYCLONES ON THE EAST COAST OF THE NORTH ISLAND. SO SHE'S PRETTY TOUGH. AND CHINA IS A BIG PART OF OUR EXPORT BUSINESS, BUT THEY'RE BUYING LESS OF OUR MEAT. WHY IS THAT? YEAH, SO THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS THERE ` SO, OBVIOUSLY AUSTRALIA HAS GOT A HUGE AMOUNT OF VOLUME OF MEAT GOING OUT OF THEM, STILL INTO CHINA AND INTO THE WORLD. THAT'S DEPRESSING PRICES. BUT IN CHINA ITSELF, THEY'VE GOT A HUGE PROBLEM WITH THEIR REAL ESTATE SECTOR AND THE BANKING SECTOR ` THERE'S MASSIVE PROBLEMS THERE. SO PEOPLE HAVEN'T GOT MUCH MONEY. WHICH MEANS, YOU KNOW, DISCRETIONARY INCOME ON LAMB AND THINGS LIKE THAT ARE NICE-TO-HAVES, NOT NEED-TO-HAVES, SO PEOPLE TEND TO BUY LESS. THEY'VE ALSO GOT` AFTER THE AFRICAN SWINE FEVER THAT HIT THEM IN, YOU KNOW, SORT OF ROUND COVID TIMES, EARLY 2000 TO 2020S. THEY CULLED, YOU KNOW, MILLIONS OF PIGS, THOSE PIGS HAVE NOW BEEN BRED BACK AND IT'S AN OVERSUPPLY OF PORK. SO THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT'S NOW TRYING TO MANAGE THIS OVERSUPPLY OF PORK INTO THE MARKET. AND IT'S DRIVING THE PRICES DOWN, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY HAVING AN EFFECT. YOU KNOW, PORK AND SHEEP MEAT ARE BOTH SUBSTITUTABLE, SO PEOPLE ARE CHOOSING TO HAVE THAT CHEAPER PORK MEAT OVER SHEEP MEAT WHICH IS MAKING IT REALLY TOUGH TO BE A SHEEP FARMER FROM OUR COUNTRY. WE'VE ALSO HEARD STORIES OF THE MIDDLEMAN TAKING BIG CUTS. HOW DOES THAT WORK? YEAH, THIS IS JUST IT'S A COMMODITY. IT'S THE SAME AS GOLD AND WHEAT AND OIL. YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE IN THE MIDDLE SEEM TO BE THE ONES THAT MAKE ALL THE MONEY. THE PEOPLE THAT PRODUCE IT, YOU KNOW, SEEM TO GET CUT OUT OF THE DEAL. AND YOU'VE HAD REPORTS OF A STEEP DROP-OFF IN FERTILISER SALES. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN OVER THE WHOLE OF THE FARMING SECTOR? YEAH, REALLY, IT'S A SIGNAL THAT TIMES ARE REALLY TOUGH ON-FARM. FERTILISERS ARE NEED-TO-HAVE, BUT IT'S ALSO A DISCRETIONARY ITEM WHEN YOUR FINANCES ARE REALLY TIGHT. SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT ON YOUR FARM, THE FIRST PEOPLE YOU NEED TO PAY ARE THE BANK. IF YOU'VE GOT A MORTGAGE, YOU'VE GOT TO PAY THE BANK. YOU'VE GOT TO LOOK AFTER ANIMALS. ANIMAL WELFARE IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND YOU CAN'T CUT BACK ON THEM, SO FERTILISER BECOMES YOU KNOW, 'I'LL DO THE BARE MINIMUM I CAN TO GET AWAY WITH IT.' AND WHEN WE'RE SEEING THE STEEP DROP-OFF IN BEING BOUGHT NOW AND APPLIED ESPECIALLY IN BEEF, WE'RE SEEING THAT'S A REALLY BIG SIGNAL THAT, YOU KNOW, THE BELT IS REALLY TIGHT HERE. IT'S GOING TO BE A ROUGH COUPLE OF, YOU KNOW, A FEW MORE MONTHS, MAYBE A YEAR FOR SHEEP AND BEER FARMERS AND THE WHOLE SECTOR, REALLY. FARMING IS SO IMPORTANT FOR NEW ZEALAND. IS THERE ANY LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL, TOBY? YEAH, THERE'S ALWAYS LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL, YOU KNOW. WE CAN SEE IT. IT'S THERE. WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE NEED TO EAT, SO IT'S REALLY CRITICAL THAT WE KEEP PRODUCING THE FOOD FOR THEM. WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR, YOU KNOW, SUPPORT FROM THE GOVERNMENT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. WHAT WE'VE GOT IS WITH INTEREST RATES, WE KNOW THEY'RE COMING BACK. WE KNOW THE WHOLE OF THE NATION'S HURTING, WITH THE WAY THINGS ARE AT THE MOMENT, THE WAY THE ECONOMY IS, SO WE'VE GOT TO KEEP OUR HEADS UP. WE'VE GOT TO CONTROL WHAT WE CAN CONTROL, AND THAT'S MAKING SURE WE LOOK AFTER OUR ANIMALS. THE MARKET WILL COME BACK, AND PEOPLE NEED TO EAT, SO WE'VE GOT TO LOOK AT ALL THOSE. AND IT'S A CYCLICAL THING. UNFORTUNATELY, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD IT AT A TIME, YOU KNOW, IT'S PROBABLY SIMILAR TO THE '80S, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE'VE GOT A, YOU KNOW, HIGH COST ON-FARM AND LOW INCOME. BUT WE'LL FIND A WAY THROUGH IT. IT'S JUST A MATTER OF HOLD ON TIGHT, LOOK AFTER YOUR FAMILY, LOOK AFTER YOUR ANIMALS, AND MAKE SURE THE BANK IS PAID. THANKS, TOBY. ALWAYS NICE TO SEE YOU. BEST OF LUCK WITH EVERYTHING. YEAH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, GUYS. HAVE A GOOD EVENING. E WHAI AKE NEI, COMING UP ON SEVEN SHARP ` HOW YOU CAN ENJOY FISHING ON THE WATER, WHEN YOU DON'T EVEN OWN A BOAT. PLUS, IT'S A ONE OF A KIND JOB, JUST WHO IS THE MOLENAAR OF FOXTON? NEXT. NAU MAI HOKI MAI ` WELCOME BACK. NICE TO HAVE YOU WITH US. IMAGINE BEING THE ONLY PERSON WHO DOES YOUR JOB IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY OR IN THE ENTIRE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE. JAMIE HENRY SIGNED UP FOR A NATIONWIDE CAMPAIGN TO HELP YOUNG PEOPLE GET INTO WORK. THE LAST THING HE EXPECTED WAS TO BECOME A PROFESSIONAL MILLER, OR MOLENAAR. JULIAN LEE REPORTS. (MELLOW FOLK GUITAR MUSIC) THIS IS A DUTCH FLOUR WINDMILL ` OR WINDMOLEN, TO BE PRECISE ` A 17TH-CENTURY ELEVATED SMOCK MILL. IT'S THE ONLY WORKING WINDMILL IN THE ENTIRE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE ` AND IT'S IN FOXTON. (DUTCH FOLK MUSIC) MY FATHER, JOHN LANGEN, WAS ONE OF THE FOUNDING MAD DUTCHMEN THAT THOUGHT ABOUT AN IDEA TO BUILD A WINDMILL. THE COUNCIL SAID, 'HERE'S SOME LAND. GO FOR IT.' HE HAD HIS STRUGGLES, BECAUSE I KNOW A FEW TIMES HE WANTED TO GIVE IT ALL UP, BUT IT WOULDN'T... IT WOULDN'T LET HIM GIVE IT UP. SO IT WAS GOOD FOR THE COMMUNITY. NOW FOXTON IS THE DUTCH CAPITAL OF NEW ZEALAND. JUDY'S DAD EVEN GOT A MEDAL FROM THE DUTCH QUEEN. BUT THE PROBLEM IS, TO RUN A WINDMILL, YOU NEED A MILLER, OR MOLENAAR. JUDY ASKED THE MAYOR'S TASKFORCE FOR JOBS ` A PROGRAMME CONNECTING YOUNG PEOPLE WITH JOBS AND TRAINING. I KNOW HOW DIFFICULT IT IS SOMETIMES FOR YOUTH IN OUR DISTRICT TO BE ABLE TO FIND JOBS. AND IT'S NOT JUST FINDING THEM A JOB, IT'S ABOUT GIVING THEM THAT SUPPORT ` MAYBE IT'S GEAR, MAYBE IT'S TRAINING ` MAYBE IT'S JUST GETTING THEIR CV ORGANISED AND THINGS LIKE THAT. OR BECOMING A PROFESSIONAL MILLER ` A QUALIFICATION WHICH TAKES THREE YEARS IN THE NETHERLANDS. THE MAYOR'S PICK? JAMIE HENRY, 18 AT THE TIME. AND NOT AN OUNCE OF DUTCH BLOOD IN HIM. DO YOU LIKE DUTCH GOODS? YEAH, THEY'RE ADDICTING. I MEAN, THAT'S THE WORST PART OF WORKING HERE ` YOU PROBABLY LOSE HALF YOUR PAYCHEQUE COMING INTO WORK. GOD, YOU GET UP THOSE STAIRS FAST. (CHUCKLES) YEAH. MOST OF THE STRUCTURE HAS NAMES, AND SO IF YOU EVER WANT TO CALL UP A MILLER AND BE LIKE, 'OH, I JUST BROKE MY FOOT BRACES,' YOU CAN'T SAY 'FOOT BRACES', YOU'VE GOTTA GO WITH THE DUTCH TERM. YOU'VE GOT 'GANTSTALS', WHICH ARE YOUR CORNER POSTS, 'OSTERBINT' AND 'WASTERBINT' ` YOUR MAIN BEAMS. THE WIND RIGHT NOW IS ABOUT HERE. YOU CAN ALMOST FEEL, IF YOU WALK AROUND, OVER THERE, YOU CAN FEEL A BIT OF WIND. YOU COME HERE, IT DROPS OFF. AND IF YOU START WALKING THAT WAY, IT PICKS RIGHT UP AGAIN. LAST YEAR WE HAD A MILLER COMING FROM THE NETHERLANDS, A YOUNG MAN ABOUT 25, HE WAS ` A TRAINED MILLER. SO HE CAME IN AND GAVE JAMIE THE EXTRA CONFIDENCE AND TRAINING TO BECOME A FULLY TRAINED MILLER. HE WAS HERE FOR SIX MONTHS ON A HOLIDAY ` WE KIND OF FORCED HIM TO WORK ALL HOLIDAY. UM, AND THEN, YEAH, HE BUGGERED OFF. HE SAID, 'GOOD LUCK, YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN.' BECAUSE HE'S THE ONLY ONE OF HIS KIND BELOW THE EQUATOR, HE NEEDS TO CALL EUROPE IF HE NEEDS HELP. (PIANO WALTZ MUSIC) SO IF YOU WANT ANY INFORMATION ON ANYTHING, UM, IT'S A FEW LATE-NIGHT PHONE CALLS, JUST TO GET ASSISTANCE. LIKE, 'HEY, THERE'S A NEW BONKING SOUND ON MY WINDMILL. 'IS THAT ALL RIGHT?' WE HAVE, LIKE, SIX DIFFERENT KINDS OF GRAIN, TWO GLUTEN-FREE, FOUR GLUTEN, AND SO THEY'VE ALL GOT DIFFERENT COARSENESS AND FINENESS THEY REQUIRE. AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, WIND SPEED IS A HUGE FACTOR, BECAUSE, I MEAN, HIGHER WIND SPEEDS, YOUR GRAIN'S JUST GONNA FLY THROUGH THE STONES, BECOMING TOO COARSE, AND THEN LOWER WIND SPEEDS, IT JUST SITS IN THERE GETTING CRUSHED UP UNTIL IT'S TOO FINE. THERE'S MILLING FLOOR, THEN THERE'S` OH, THERE'S TWO MORE FLOORS. THREE MORE FLOORS. OH, WHAT? YEAH. (LAUGHS) OH MAN. LOOK AT THIS PRE-INDUSTRIAL MIGHT. THIS IS FANTASTIC. IT'S NICE UP HERE. EVERYTHING IN HERE HAS RESOURCE CONSENT. THAT THERE'S THE CROWN WHEEL ` MAIN WHEEL. THE CROWN WHEEL. WE CALL IT THE BOVENWIEL, THE UPPER WHEEL. AND THIS IS THE BOVENASTE, WHICH IS THE UPPER SHAFT. I'D LIKE TO SEE THE HOROWHENUA DISTRICT COUNCIL'S REGULATIONS ON BOVENASTE ARMS, YOU KNOW. AND THE SIZE AND WEIGHT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE, YEAH. YEAH, I'LL ASK THE MAYOR ABOUT THAT. WHAT IS THE HOROWHENUA DISTRICT COUNCIL'S POLICIES ON THE LENGTH OF THE BOVENASTE RELATION TO THE BOVENWIEL? ON THE LENGTH OF THE BOVENASTE IN RELATION TO THE BOVENWIEL? LOOK, YOU'RE ASKING QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, JULIAN. IT'S TIME TO LUBE UP THE BOVENASTE, GET THE STONES MOVING, AND LET THE WHITE STUFF FLOW DOWN THE CHUTE. OK, SO JUST PULL THAT? PULL IT DOWN UNTIL YOU FEEL A PHYSICAL STOP, AND THEN YOU'RE GONNA VERY GENTLY KINDA LET UP AND HOPE THERE'S ANOTHER PHYSICAL STOP. YOU FEEL IT? YEAH, I THINK SO. AND THEN GIVE IT A VERY TINY TUG. ANOTHER ONE? JUST A VERY TINY ONE. PERFECT. AND THEN LET GO. I'M NOT VERY EXPERIENCED AT TUGGING ROPE, EH. THAT'S IT. AND THEN WE'LL PUT THOSE BACK ON, AND IT'LL START SPINNING. SWEET. OH LOOK. THERE WE GO. I LOVE HOW YOU JUST KNEW THAT WAS GONNA` OF COURSE YOU DID. IT'S YOUR JOB. ALL RIGHT. 60% OF THE WAY TO BECOMING A MOLENAAR. (LAUGHS) WHAT'S THE OTHER 40%? CLIMBING THE SAILS. OH, YEAH. READY? ALL RIGHT. ON YOUR MARK. YOU GO? OH, YOU FIRST, SORRY. OH, I GOT FIRST? OH, I GO FIRST? OK. NOT THE FIRST TIME I'VE HEARD THAT. RIGHT. THERE WE GO. (STONES RUMBLE) NICE. CHUNKY MIX. VERY NICE. YOU CAN FEEL IT. WE WON'T BE SELLING THIS. I'LL SHOW YOU THE PROPER FLOUR THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE MILLED OFF. AND IF YOU FEEL THAT, RUBBING IT BETWEEN YOUR FINGERS, YOU CAN ALMOST FEEL IT KINDA MOULDS ITSELF BEFORE BREAKING APART. YEAH, I CAN SEE THAT. THAT'S THE STRUCTURE. HE'S GROWN SO MUCH. LIKE, WHEN HE FIRST STARTED, HE WAS SO SHY AND DIDN'T WANT TO TALK TO PEOPLE TOO MUCH, BECAUSE PEOPLE GO UP THE WINDMILL AND THEY WANNA ASK QUESTIONS. NOW YOU LISTEN TO HIM, AND HE CAN TELL THE STORY ABOUT THE WINDMILL. HE CAN TELL PEOPLE HOW IT WORKS. YEAH, HE'S JUST... HE TRAINS OTHER MILLERS. SO HE'S JUST SUCH A DIFFERENT PERSON THAN HE WAS TWO YEARS AGO. IT'S AMAZING. # DO YOU REMEMBER ME? JAMIE IS ON THE RISE. HIS FINAL DREAM? OF COURSE, HIS OWN BAKERY. I RECKON WHEN YOU DO OPEN YOUR OWN BAKERY, YOU'RE GONNA BE ONE OF THE BEST, BECAUSE YOU'LL UNDERSTAND EXACTLY HOW FLOUR WORKS. I'VE GOT VERY NICE CINNAMON ROLLS. OH, REALLY? OOH, YEAH. PROOF THAT WITH A BIT OF TOUGH GRIND IN THE RIGHT SUPPORT STRUCTURE IN PLACE, THE WINDS WILL BLOW YOU TO NEW AND SURPRISING PLACES. WELL, I'LL BE. FISHING IS NOT ONLY A POPULAR PASTIME AND AN EXCELLENT WAY TO CATCH YOUR OWN DINNER, BUT A WAY TO SOCIALISE AND CONNECT. HOWEVER, NOT EVERYONE IS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE ACCESS TO A KEY COMPONENT TO FISHING ` A BOAT. ENTER THREE BAY OF PLENTY FRIENDS WITH A SOLUTION. HERE'S BEN HURLEY. AKON: # SO LONELY. # FISHING CAN BE ONE OF THE GREAT SOLITARY ENDEAVOURS, REFLECTING ON YOUR OWN THOUGHTS IN THE GREAT WIDE OPEN, WHILE ENGAGING IN THE PRIMEVAL DESIRE TO HUNT AND GATHER. WHO ARE WE? WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN? COULD FISHING BRING ABOUT WORLD PEACE? I HAD ALL THESE THOUGHTS WHILE I WAS FISHING, UNTIL I GOT A BIT, WELL, LONELY. SO I MET WITH TODD MORRIS AND SCOTT CLARK, TWO OF THE THREE CO-FOUNDERS OF FISHILY. FISHILY IS AN APP THAT LINKS PEOPLE WHO WOULD LIKE TO GO FISHING, BUT DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE THE MEANS TO DO IT. TELL ME ABOUT FISHILY ` HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THIS IDEA? WELL, SCOTT AND I WERE HAVING A BIT OF A BARBECUE. WE WERE LAMENTING THE FACT THAT THERE'S SO MANY BOATS SITTING IN DRIVEWAYS MOST OF THE YEAR. GLORIOUS DAYS LIKE TODAY, YOU JUST SEE BOAT AFTER BOAT AFTER BOAT. YOU KNOW, THEY'VE INVESTED IN THESE BOATS, THEY LOVE THEIR BOATS, THEY SPEND A LOT OF TIME LOOKING AFTER THEM ` HOW DO WE GET THEM USED MORE? SO WE DECIDED TO WALK THE WALK, AND ACTUALLY, THE LONGER THE BARBECUE WENT ON, THE BETTER THE IDEA SEEMED, AND AWAY WE WENT. LET'S TALK ABOUT THE ACTUAL APP ` TELL ME, AS SIMPLY AS YOU CAN, HOW IT WORKS. IT'S ABOUT CONNECTING PEOPLE, THAT DON'T HAVE THE MEANS, CONNECTING WITH PEOPLE THAT DO HAVE THE MEANS. IN THE OLD DAYS, YOU KNOW, YOU USED TO HAVE A FAR MORE BROADER RANGE OF CONNECTIONS IN THE COMMUNITY. AND NOWADAYS PEOPLE LIVE VERY MUCH IN BUBBLES. AND NOTHING, YOU KNOW, SORT OF, ACCELERATES A RELATIONSHIP THAN BEING OUT ON THE WATER, MILES FROM LAND, RIGHT? CORRECT. YEAH. YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT SAYING GO TO THE DOCTOR AND ASK FOR A THREE-DAY MEDICAL NOTE TO GO FISHING, BUT WE REALISE THAT BEING OUT ON THE WATER IS ACTUALLY GOOD FOR YOU MENTALLY. SO IT WENT HAND IN HAND WITH PARTNERING WITH MIKE KING AND 'I AM HOPE.' AWESOME. DO YOU THINK ONE OF THE BENEFITS IS IF YOU COME BACK AND YOU'VE NOT CAUGHT ANYTHING, IT'S SOMEONE ELSE TO SHARE THE COST OF GOING TO THE FISHMONGER'S WITH? ABSOLUTELY. (LAUGHTER) YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE THAT CAN BRING SKILLS TO THE BOAT ` THE CREW. I'M AN EXPERT AT WAVING AS YOU BACK THE BOAT IN. YEP. YEAH, YEAH, YEAH! GOOD. NO, LEFT A BIT. OH, NO, NO. SORRY, RIGHT A BIT. SORRY. NO, YOUR LEFT. YEP, YEP. BACK, BACK, BACK, BACK, BACK. YEP. OOH, WHOA. HOLD ON. WHOA! WHOA! WHOA! BENEE: # I'VE BEEN LONELY. # LA, LA, LA, LA. LA, LA, LA, LA. # LONELY. # SO WE'RE JUST GOING TO HEAD OUT TO THE ENTRANCE, HAVE A WEE LOOK AROUND, SEE WHAT'S OUT THERE AND CALL IT A DAY, BUT YOU NEVER KNOW ` THAT'S FISHING. THAT'S RIGHT. GODSPEED, BAIT. TO FRIENDSHIP. OK, MENTAL-HEALTH CHECK. YEAH, GOOD. HOW'S EVERYBODY'S MENTAL HEALTH? VERY GOOD. UP? UP? YEP. 10. UP 10? 10. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT METRIC IS, BUT YEAH, LET'S GO WITH 10. AS HIGH AS IT GOES, MATE. OK. OH, 10 OUT OF 10? I SEE. SO I'VE TURNED UP WITH NOTHING BUT, YOU KNOW, CONVERSATION TODAY. IS THAT NORMAL, OR DO PEOPLE BRING THEIR OWN GEAR? WE'D PROBABLY ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS THE TRIP ` YOU KNOW, SHARING. BUT IF PEOPLE WANNA MAKE AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THEMSELVES, OR PEOPLE THEY'VE MET ON THE APP, OR WHO THEY'RE GOOD MATES WITH AND THEY WANNA HELP OUT, THEN THAT'S PERFECTLY VALID TOO. BUT IF YOU ALSO WANT SOME HELP GETTING MONEY FOR THE TRIP, FOR THE FUEL, THEN THAT'S PERFECTLY VALID TOO. SANDWICHES? 100%. YEAH. SO WHAT DO WE TALKING ABOUT WHEN WE DON'T TALK ABOUT FISHING? YEAH, WE DON'T HAVE TO TALK, BEN. # YOU WOULD SEE, # THE BIGGEST GIFT WOULD BE FROM ME, # AND THE CARD ATTACHED WOULD SAY, # 'THANK YOU FOR BEING A FRIEND.' SO, I FORGOT TO TELL YOU SOMETHING. THERE'S A RULE IN TELEVISION, AND THAT IS AS SOON AS YOU PUT A CAMERA ON A FISHING ROD, IT SCARES THE FISH AWAY. I'VE HEARD THAT RULE. YEAH. I DON'T THINK THAT'S GONNA CHANGE TODAY. # I'M NOT ASHAMED TO SAY. # I HOPE IT ALWAYS WILL STAY THIS WAY. # MY HAT IS OFF. WON'T YOU STAND UP AND TAKE A BOW? THAT'S US. THANKS VERY MUCH. YEAH, THANKS FOR COMING OUT AND ENJOYING THE DAY. WELL, LOOK, WE CAUGHT ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, BUT I CAUGHT A COUPLE OF NEW FRIENDS. OH, BEN. (BOTH LAUGH) ACTUALLY, THERE'S ONE MORE FISHING SPOT I WANNA HIT. NO. THERE'S JUST ONE. OK? YEAH, I'LL BE BACK IN A MINUTE. YOU'RE NOT TAKING US, BEN? # I WANNA THANK YOU. # THANK YOU FOR BEING A FRIEND. # I WANNA THANK YOU. # THANK YOU FOR BEING A FRIEND. I FOUND OUT LATER. IT WAS THE FISH. WE'LL BE BACK IN JUST A MOMENT. ON THE SHOW TOMORROW ` CANINE INCEPTION. THE AMAZING STORY OF A DOG ACTING AS A GUIDE DOG FOR ANOTHER DOG. WHO'S A VERY, VERY GOOD BOY? THOSE WERE OUR PEOPLE TODAY. THAT WAS SEVEN SHARP TONIGHT. FAIR GO IS UP NEXT ` WE'LL SEE YOU TOMORROW. PO MARIE. CAPTIONS BY FAITH HAMBLYN, LENA ERAKOVICH AND LELE SIMEON. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2024.