Episode 8 | 1938 : Colum

The dole inspector is a feared authority in the neighbourhood where Colum and his family live. When the alarm is given that he is on his way, the families hide any evidence of making a living. The dole inspector could enter the homes of people receiving the dole and tell them to leave their house or sell their belongings.

The Shadow is a famous a comic character, popular at this time with children. The character and his adventures were made into a radio play, which was broadcast as a serial each week. Colum and Thommo are calculating how much they need to win on the Melbourne Cup to guarantee that Thommo's family will not be evicted from their home.

Colum and Thommo are collecting bets from their neighbours on horses in the 1938 Melbourne Cup. They present these bets to Mr O'Sullivan, the local shopkeeper. Colum and Thommo hope to win big in order to save Thommo's family from eviction.