Thursday 30 July 2009

Economic and Political Change on Slideshare

I'll try to set this up as another Look and Listen ASAP.

Immigration and Economic expansion.

New 2009

Belich has labelled the waves of migration that occurred in 1840's and 1870's as explosive.

In class, we mentioned the staus of the different types of migarant. Planned settlers were those brought over in planned schemes... The NZ Company in the 1840's and the Vogel migrants in the 1870's immediatley spring to mind. They were a deliberate attempt to create communities with working social systems, hence the desire for families and later single women to balance out the ratios.

Amongst these groups there were also those who paid for their passage (voyage) and were allocated cabins and better accomodation on board ship. They were also allowed to bring more luggage and were given better meals during the trip. The ships carried a lot of livestock usually sheep, pigs, poultry and sometimes cows which provided a steady stream of fresh meat, eggs and milk. Others, were Assisted passengers whose passage was paid for. They had limited allocation of luggage and existed in the Hold of the ship crammed in with little or no privacy. Their food was also limited being mainly preserved meats and biscuit (Ships bread).

The migrants who arrived sought land and the possibility of improving their station in life (their class). Initially economic growth was limited by a lack of available land especially around the NZ . Co. sites of Wellington, Nelson, Wanganui and New Plymouth. Auckland had fewer limitations while Christchurch and Dunedin established in 1848/50 had easier access to land.

Wellington and Nelson began to develop after the Hutt Valley war when the Ngati Toa stranglehold was broken. Wanganui had to wait for the end of the 1860's and the suppression of Titokowaru before they could buy land from Maori willing to sell or use the Land Court to acquire it from Maori who did not.

Economic expansion took place as the population grew. Farming initially was at a subsistence level until enough land could be broken in to create a surpus capable of being sold in local towns and cities. Tecnological advances wouldincrease production and the development of the interior beyond the hinterland saw export industries develop beyond the timber, flax etc model.

Extensive sheep farming did not support large numbers of Yoemen farmers, but Dairying did. Sheep helped opened up the South Island and Milk Cows and farming Co-ops opened up the North Island.

Elsewhere Unplanned Immigration took place principally around Auckland where the presence of the Government meant a building boom in the 1840's. The discovery of Gold in 1860 saw a huge explosion (Belich) in immigration with tens of thousands of miners heading for the various gold fields, of Otago, the West Coast and later Thames.

Suprisingly it is Auckland an unplanned site which achieves the best growth in the first few decades of the settlement. This is primarily on the back of a boom in building due to the presence of the government and later its role as port (with two harbours) for the import and export of goods made it attactive to settlers looking for work. Readily available land also made it more attractive than the southern twonships which were facing Maori opposition to settler expansion. In the 1860's the steady build up of the military to fight the King also turned Auckland into a 'little Sydney'.

Some of the first unplanned migrants had in fact been Australian Squatters who fled the drought stricken Australian grasslands for the south island. Their numbers were rapidly overtaken by the Planned settlers in Christchurch and Dunedin who also saw the potential for Sheep farming on a grand scale. Through various rorts most of the South Islands best land had been taken over by 1890.


Economic development relied on a growing population to create the local markets, provide the initiative and funding for further development and the labour to work on the newly acquired land.

Wednesday 29 July 2009

Maori Parliaments

This is a topic that interests me.

We generally associate Maori seperatism with The King Movement but there were many other groups who tried to create a seperate form of Government, often running beside the Pakeha system. It could be argued that Hongi and Te Rauparaha were evidence of this in the 1830's but the answer to this (although you could argue against this) is that they never wanted to establish a seperate Maori state simply to establish their Rangatiratanga over their own Rohe.

In fact Hongi didn't want to drive Pakeha away he wanted MORE of them. While Te Rauparaha has been called the 'Napoleon' of the south he was keen to have Pakeha around him and doesn't seem to have been wholly enthusiatic about the Wairau and was only an observer of the Wellington/Hutt valley war.

So where do we begin?

Kohimaramara in 1860 is Gore-Browns attmpt to undermine the Kingitanga and in its first meeting seems to show that Maori are divided and that a parliament is possible (and called for). His replacement Grey topedoes that and uses the Runanga's (Local Councils) to try and gain Maori compliance. It fails.

We have spent some time talking about the Kingitanga, but a quick reprise.... 1850's Maori disquiet over continual land losses... a campaign to find a suitable candidate finds Te Wherowhero the Kingitanga emerges in 1858 as a 'Land League' denying the Government and the Settlers any more land... creaesa climate of fear and anger. War in the Waitara leads to War in the Waikato and Tauranga. The Settler Government creates Legislation to allow confiscation and Greys invasion makes all Maori "rebels". Maori thus lost 2m acres confiscated and millions more disappear under the machinations of the Land Court.

After the loss of Rangiowhaia the King retreats into his Rohe. By the time he emerges in 1882 his political power is diminished by the actions of his affiliated tries including his allies Maniapoto.

His trip to visit Queen Victoria (to talk about the Treaty) in 1884 is a failure when the British send him back to NZ because it is no longer 'their' problem.

It could be argued that the Pai Marire faith had an element of separatism in its view especially the belief by Te Ua Haumene that at the day of reckoning Pakeha would leave New Zealand and it would be returned to Maori - an idea that drove some of the Hau Hau into battle.


The Governmment continues to gnaw away at Maori land holdings, as more land is lost the ability for Maori to achieve Economic (and Political) independence disappeared with it. Greys idea of digging around the King has eventually worked.

The 1872 Repudiation Movement was relatively localised and made little impression. Whether it belongs here is debatable.

Is Parihaka an example of separatism? Te Whiti and Tohu seems to have rejected Pakeha culture but retained much of its technology. The Village was the first place to get electricity and Te Whiti lived in avery nice Colonial Villa. They refused to teach their children in English and used Te Reo in the school. Its invasion and destruction in 1882 after many of its menfolk were exiled to Otago meant its viability was unlikely. Pakeha viewed it as a separatist movement with dangerous overtones of Hau Hau - an idea supported by the presence of an older Titokowaru who had given up his fight and returned to his more peaceful faith. Bryce certainly fanned the flames to ensure the Village was destroyed.

In 1892 the Kotahitanga Movement emerges in the far North based around mainly Kupapa tribes and with Ngapua Hone Heke as its leader. Because it rejected the King it could never really be seen as 'National' Maori body and with no recognition from the Government never really stood a chance.

The King is the centre of the last large(ish) movement in 1894, Kauhanganui. Based around the Kingitanga it is rejected by most of the North Islands Iwi and like Kotahitanga is ignored by the Government.

Once again it is Maori tribalism that inhibits them...

First, a Coffee Break

Watch and Enjoy. Lets hope the McKenzie Country becomes a World Heritage (Night Sky) Site.

Thursday 16 July 2009

Holiday Time

Hi everyone,

I hope the holidays are going well. I assume everyone is OK with the assignment as I've only had ONE query about questions.... so good luck with the Research process and I'll see you all next week.

By the by... I have completed the Unit Standard for those of you who want try and get the necessary UE credits. This will not stop you from entering the Exams but might give you a buffer....

And I have been thinking about twitter and the possibilities especially when we go away at the end of the term. So if you want to listen in you can text "follow nzhistory" to 8987 and you'll automatically recieve notifications from me.

Lets see how that works...

Cheers

Henry