The Seekers
In 1821, a British sailing ship, the Becket, anchors on the New Zealand coast. Philip Wayne (Hawkins) and Paddy Clarke (Purcell), respectively First Mate and Bos'un, land to explore. They discover a Māori burial cave, but are captured by the local tribe. Accused of sacrilege, they manage to impress the tribesmen enough to be offered a trial by challenge, which Wayne succeeds in. The Māori chief, Hongi Tepe (Inia Te Wiata) is impressed enough to adopt Wayne, and allot him a portion of land. The sailors return to the ship.
Back home, they are set up by the corrupt Captain Bryce on charges of smuggling contraband and arrested. Found guilty, they manage to pay the heavy fine. Wayne, now married to Marion, returns to New Zealand with Clarke to start a colony.
A village grows slowly and a tenuous peace is established with the local Maori, although some remain hostile. Marion starts teaching English, and also Bible classes.
The Becket returns and Wayne confronts Bryce, who is found to be smuggling shrunken heads of dead Maori captives into Britain as potentially profitable 'souvenirs'. News later arrives by the six-monthly ship that Wayne has been appointed a Justice of the Peace, and also that he and Clarke have been exonerated by a court of appeal.
Wishart, a new arrival, accidentally shoots a Maori warrior dead. Wayne's determination to dispense justice is put to the test. Two of the tribes declare a peace treaty with each other, but another tribe prepares for war against the colonists.
War breaks out, and the colonists are forced to defend themselves. Initially victorious because of their modern weaponry, the colonists find themselves under siege. Eventually, the Maori overrun them and all colonists are killed. The sole survivor is Richard, Marion and Philip's young baby, who is found and adopted by Hongi Tepe, who had come to their aid.
melodrama