New Gold Mountain (2021) s01e01 Episode Script

1
(COUGHS) They're here.
Sergeant Harken.
And?
Linus Cummins, Evening Examiner.
And this is?
Headman. He runs the camp.
I see your passion for justice has
you here a day earlier than agreed.
Imagine that's why they call it
a fuckin' raid, innit?
In the name
of Commissioner William H. Wright,
I declare this premises
under the putrid influence
of Chink's tobacco.
What is he saying?
He pleads guilty.
A stain on the pure spirit
of the working man
..rendering of them indolent
Fuck it! Go on, then, lads.
Hold on.
May I?
Give it to him!
Aah!
(THUMP)
Check over there in the corner.
What is it?
Tell me when he wakes up.
Well, holy shit!
Would you look at this?
I'd have thought you'd be helping
prepare like everyone else.
English.
And I was about to say the same.
It's to remind people of home.
Yes. For a moment
I thought we were in Guangdong.
When did you start
wasting your time with that stuff?
The smoking or the gambling
or the having friends?
If you were the older brother
you'd say the same!
I'm having fun.
There is something
we should discuss, though.
A problem.
What now?
How many like this?
Four tents this morning.
Another sixteen men gone.
Well, the seam is drying out.
We've been pushed out
of the good claims.
The men can't make a profit.
What do we have coming?
Eighteen plus one due this
afternoon from Xinning, but after that
"Eighteen plus one"? What's that?
That was the message.
I don't know.
Maybe it's a dwarf.
They won't and see we've
been skimming the take.
Hing Dai Wui or the British.
They take from both sides.
I'm just trying to make a living.
I doubt Hing Dai Wui
will see it that way.
Good they don't know, then.
Either way,
we can't afford to lose more men.
If the new Chinese tax starts
That's a rumour.
If the British want more money,
they take
They don't want money.
They want us gone.
Of course I'm bluffing.
You should call.
My apologies for interrupting
your game, but I need
Shing!
Now
Don Quixote here
just folded like a little girl.
But Baldy
is still weighing it up.
What do you think?
What are the A's?
Good or bad?
Probably a bit dramaturgic with the gun,
but when you need to make a point
The Chinese tax.
You're adding another.
I was coming to see you.
There's no way we can pay
more than we already are.
I'm sorry that the diggers
see the Chinese as a problem.
Taking land, wasting water
We don't waste it.
Working on a Sunday,
spreading disease,
general lack
of Christian moral fibre.
Not my argument, by the way.
I've been doing my job.
I need something in return.
You get paid.
And about your job
what's this Brotherhood
I've been hearing about?
'Hing Dai Wu', is it?
Well, some are called that.
Most are just people from the
same village helping one another.
But it's not easy being alone.
The secret societies
they have in California,
importing opium illegally,
gambling
We cannot have them here.
People turn to them
if they do not feel safe.
How are they not safe?
Three mining accidents
just last week. One death.
Ropes were cut in the night.
Do you have proof?
Word of my people.
Oh, well, in that case
You're the Chinese Protector.
The Commissioner wants
law and order.
Not another Buckland.
That means police, troopers.
That means money.
That means tax.
Whites attack us and we pay?
I do not write the policy.
The Commissioner, then.
Can you get me a meeting?
Doubtful.
What about this party of yours?
The Mid-Autumn Festival?
Whites and Chinese together.
That's the idea, right?
I was hoping it would help
to build relations, yes.
You're saying
you could get him to come?
Well, I won't stop you trying.
Truth is,
you've got one job.
Chinese keep to their camp,
the whites will keep to theirs.
No fuss, no problems.
Pay your taxes. If you can't do
that, I'll find someone who can.
Apples!
What is it?
He's awake.
You didn't think it might be
a good idea to let me know?
We were just talking.
Do you know where he is or not?
Time to pay the surveyor a visit.
Deliver this to the Commissioner's
house. Use a nice envelope.
Now?
What do I do with him?
Why the hell should I care?
Aaaah!
Shit.
Albert would be disappointed
to see his press in this state.
How is it?
Need to find a part
for this busted crank.
Still not sure how it could
have broke like that.
How long?
This afternoon.
Good.
I want to be ready
for a print run tomorrow.
I've made some rearrangements.
Casting slugs in that drawer.
Type cases are over there.
I have to say I don't understand
why you've made these changes
I'll be back in an hour.
Mrs Roberts.
Mr Chen.
I am busy. You've thought
about what we discussed?
I need my job.
I have a better one.
The one that exists is better.
Six shillings a day.
The paper's ready to go.
All I need is a translator.
I have to go.
Belle!
Clara
Oh, I'm sorry it's been so long.
I should have visited.
Since the wake, I think.
Four weeks.
Well, you must come
to the house this moment.
I'm a little busy.
It's only good companionship
can salve a broken heart.
Besides, you know, all this heat,
it's terrible for the skin.
And Miss Julia is in Melbourne
attending the theatre,
whatever that means.
Elizabeth has taken to lying in.
Pregnant again, no doubt.
Like a sow!
Piglets at teat day and night.
William! Have you been
smoking in there again?
I am within my rights
and will not apologise.
So I lack for decent company.
Let's say that.
You have one invitation, at least.
Something about a festival.
It was served by some scruffy
celestial this morning.
Leung Wei Shing?
Shing?
Is that how you pronounce it?
You're quite the internationalist.
Mr Shing has been asking
to meet me for months.
The new tax, no doubt.
Like a horde of human locusts.
A third of the town already.
Ten thousand's my understanding.
I never agreed with your
husband's political posturings.
But he was right about the Chinaman.
Never should have let them in.
Like leaving the door open to
flies.
Have you found a buyer
for the press?
Not as yet.
You know how I hate to pry.
Word is Albert left some debt.
He rarely let domestic considerations
get in the way of his passion.
Yes, well,
for the truly great man,
petty materialism
is beneath concern.
It's thought and action for a cause
that stirs the blood.
Fortunately, women more naturally
enjoy petty pragmatisms
the male spirit finds
dreary.
If you ever need money,
you know you can come to us.
Within reason, of course.
I'm quite sure I'll cope.
My third cousin's sister-in-law
found herself similarly situated.
In the end had to make a living
lying on her back.
Until she was
consumed by the syphilis.
William!
Tuberculosis, and quite unconnected
to the whoring, I'm sure.
Do you want this?
I hope you don't mind English.
Ah Gok here is Hakka.
Doesn't speak Cantonese, so
Oh, you have tea!
You know, water heats up
it's like drinking spit.
So how far did we walk?
Miles.
Miles.
I'm the headman.
Oh oh.
(LAUGHS NERVOUSLY)
I didn't, um
It's just
I was under the impression
Hing Dai Wui wanted me
to report back directly, so
Hing Dai Wui sent us
to check up on you.
Oh. (LAUGHS)
In that case come, come.
The gold, of course,
is in the quartz
but the wind, water,
it wears it down, creates deposits.
So, I started in towards
the prevailing wind
since it strips out the cover
just a speck or two.
A lot of people would have
given up, but then I thought
"The river is dry now
"but once there must
have been a flood."
(BOTH LAUGH)
I was about to head back
tomorrow to report it.
It's Mister Yong, isn't it?
Yes, Yong.
Yong
How long you been
out here for now?
Oh, nine weeks, off and on.
Nine weeks Yong!
Nine weeks!
(LAUGHS)
You know, the moment I saw you,
I thought to myself
Nine weeks. Imagine that.
Hard.
You know, even a mule starts
to wonder what he is or
what he could be.
Regrets. Opportunities missed.
Eh?
(ALL LAUGH)
No, no!
No, I will not.
I will see it reported
to Cheung Sifu,
and when I do,
I will be sure to tell him about
your wholly
inappropriate suggestion.
Although
now that I think about it
some more,
we can do it your way, yeah.
Should.
The opportunity way that you
Ah!
Are you all right?
Got a problem with my tongue.
Started this morning.
Could be an ulcer.
Yeah.
(GASPS FOR AIR)
(GASPS)
There's a few Hakka I know
who could manage it.
Good diggers,
but the leader will want a cut.
You trust him?
To be greedy.
Talk to him.
Oh, and I'll check in
on the "18 plus one from Xinning"
while we're at it.
Damn it, what is this "plus one"?
And don't say a dwarf.
I was heading to the lumber site.
It wasn't till I got further up
when I saw
Saw what?
About what?
He's down there.
What's wrong?
It's a white woman.
MAN: Take the fruits
of your own labour
for your women, your children
and yourselves.
Take what is rightfully yours
for the call of freedom.
The fruits of your own labour!
To live in your own land!
Our fellows in Sydney and Melbourne
have already won their dignity
and we can wait no longer!
Got something for your arm,
like we talked on the other day.
Appreciate it.
Man wants freedom.
Man wants dignity.
Separate and equal station,
to which the Laws of Nature
and of Nature's God entitle.
The Crown will not give what
we do not have the will to take.
The spirit of Bakery Hill lives on!
Hey!
Hey!
I know you, don't I?
Bendigo, right?
Don't think so.
My mistake, then.
She's too close to our trail.
We need her clothes.
What do you think will happen if the 'gwailou'
find a murdered white woman in Chinese clothes?
They'll light up the camp,
burn or string up
the first of us they find.
Let's go.
(LEAVES RUSTLE)
It was her.
It's a kangaroo.
Should have shot it for the meat.
Nothing's different.
Just go about things
in the normal way.
What if it was?
What?
One of us, that did that to her?
BELLE: Excuse me.
Mister Leung.
Leung Wei Shing?
You are Leung Wei Shing?
I'm sorry, and you are?
Mrs Albert Roberts.
I own the Ballarat Times.
You work for a newspaper.
Own it.
And you're interrupting
my afternoon because
I have a business proposition.
I've yet felt the need
to pay for female company,
though I suggest you're a shade on the
older side to demand too steep a value.
Good. Because I own a paper.
As I've said. Twice.
And my connection?
I intend starting a Chinese print
edition to serve the Chinese population.
I'm looking for advertisers.
That's your pitch?
I don't need a pitch, just men with
the half sense to do what is obvious.
And what exactly
would I be advertising?
Your next festival.
A letter opposing the Chinese tax.
I'm taking care of that already.
With little success,
I'm afraid.
Where did you get that?
Rescued from the rubbish.
My proposal is straightforward.
I'll bring the Commissioner
to your festival this evening.
You advertise
in my publication.
Even pound a week for say
six months.
Then we'll review.
Some people would call that
blackmail.
Some people have sawdust
in place of brains.
Are you always like this?
I don't take the meaning.
Perhaps I just haven't met
enough white women.
There's a wide variation,
I can assure.
Get the Commissioner to the festival
and we'll make it a year.
She's pretty.
Too busy having my pockets picked
to notice.
Carry on like that,
you'll earn a whole pack of nuts.
Cheap ones, maybe.
Right there, son?
I can take this.
It's, uh the rule.
Site free more than a day.
It's the rule.
Earle, Burke. I'm Patrick.
Daniel Price.
So what the heck is that for?
I thought perhaps
during lunch breaks.
Get a game going.
When's the last time you had some
female-type interaction there, son?
Maybe we can gab about something
other than women for one minute of the day?
Easy for you.
You have one.
Finest-looking lady
this side of Melbourne.
What she sees with this shitknuckle
is a mystery for the ages.
Where is she anyhow?
I'm going into town.
MAN: Name.
Patrick Thomas.
Buy yourself a nice meal
with all this.
Oh, looky here.
Twice in a day we meet.
If I were a religious man,
I would say that was
What's the word?
Providence.
Providence.
Aye. I like that.
I always think,
if you learn a new word every day,
the only way is up.
Patrick fuckin' Thomas
is it now?
Funny.
I could swear
you're a dead ringer
for a certain Dylan Walsh.
Aye.
Fuckin' thought so.
Do admire your optimism, though,
thinking you can hide.
There's a rule for traitors.
You and your fuckin' wife.
Don't talk about her.
(GROANS)
(GRUNTS)
(GASPS)
(GURGLES)
(CRIES OUT)
Aah! Ah
(GASPS FOR AIR)
I ain't no damn traitor.
Say it!
You ain't.
Here.
Who told you to do this?
Doctor.
You're lucky it ain't green.
Burn like this,
can't let it dry out.
How'd it happen?
Heat.
I appreciate the attention.
I do it for money,
not gratitude.
Emu fat, twice a day.
Say when you want more.
(BIRDS TWITTER)
Why would I want it back?
Oh, I just assumed.
But of course, it's no problem.
Just since I talked
to Harriet Morgan.
Harriet? You know she started
smoking cigarettes.
Like some bohemian. Next she'll be
wearing tails and a monocle.
No man wants a woman
who acts like another man.
The whole concept is repulsive.
Well, so nice to see you again.
Well, what about her?
Harriet?
Oh. Just her sister's husband's
father was in Paris last year
and he said
China's all the vogue right now.
Really?
Hm. Clothes, food art.
So she's going to the festival.
With George.
George Reynolds?
It's such a pity
William doesn't want to go.
But I guess there's not a lot
you can do about it.
Eighteen plus one is here.
Eighteen
plus one.
I have some secondary duties,
of course.
You are comfortable with English?
Of course.
Good.
I will be meeting our new surveyor,
Yong Gwan, to discuss his findings.
Well, I'm sure we can dig him up.
And I'll require access
to your record of the gold take.
Well, Hing Dai Wui already has
all our records.
Though, obviously, I am proud
to have the chance
to show our achievements.
Find out where she was last.
Something about California.
You've spent time there.
And anything else you can.
(LEAVES RUSTLE)
Wait!
(DISTANT) Wait!
(SILENT)
Go make sure
the lanterns are ready.
Hau Ngai.
The land was being burned
by ten suns.
He shot down nine
and was given an elixir
of immortality as a reward.
So he's still about, then?
Fortunately, no.
Since the power
turned him into a tyrant,
he tried to murder his wife.
She fled, and became
the Spirit of the Moon.
Commissioner!
Surprised to see you here.
You can thank my beautiful wife.
Have you met Wei Shing,
my best headman?
Despite putting on a party with
very little liquor. (CHUCKLES)
You'll find he has an interesting
view about the new tax.
I'm sure.
We shouldn't be here.
I'm sorry?
The Chinese.
We take your land, your jobs.
Look the same, sound the same,
more every day.
So you do what you can.
The tax, for example.
I would do the same myself.
There is a natural order.
There is.
So, the question is not about
who has power, but how to keep it.
Indeed.
There is a thousand Chinese
in this camp
and they all do one thing:
they work.
And yes, they will pay more tax
and I will collect it.
But it will not be long
before I am blamed
and then you will have
a new headman here
and new headmen
all over the diggings.
But they will not be like me.
They will be trouble.
Will they?
Yes.
Well, you have
soldiers and police
but they cost money.
See, I may not be as wise
or strong
but I am yours.
I make things easy.
Why mess with that?
I'll bring it up with the Governor.
Darling.
Oh yes.
I admit I'm impressed.
For a white woman.
What?
One of our people just came back
from California.
She was there.
Three camps all went the same.
Cheung wants a headman gone,
Lei makes it happen.
From what I understand, she's not
afraid to take things to extremes.
She's here for you.
Is everything okay?
You shouldn't miss the sky lanterns.
It's quite the sight for the first time.
I'm sorry. Something's happened.
There's something wrong?
There's been a woman murdered.
Where was she? Who found her?
Sheep farmer's dog
sniffed her out.
She's cut right open.
Where's she from?
We need her name.
Does anyone know her?
Right, you lot, get back.
I said back up!
Does anyone know
who this woman is?