Tuesday 30 November 2010

2010 is over...

I felt the exams went really well. Scholarship was Vogel - hero or villain? I know Tom and Vivian were then happy to see Vogel in the Level 3 essays as well. The resources were reasonably straightforward... so hopefully you all took your time, wrote as much as you could and left feeling like you'd done the best that you could. We can't ask for more than that.

Good luck in the workforce or in your studies.... travel and whenever you get the chance recycle some of the stories you heard from me this year.

Finally a wee video from the folk at Pixar called "It gets better"...



See ya.

Henry

Thursday 25 November 2010

Exams tomorrow

Good luck everyone.

A little Conversation

A little help? This might make it easier to remember? It could have happened...really!

Wednesday 17 November 2010

A test for some new software

The Seabed and Foreshore Debate

Tuesday 2 November 2010

Contact Revision Slideshow

The Contact Period Revision Slideshow

Revolting Women: The Suffrage Movement

As I mentioned in class the campaign for Women and the vote was not really a search for sexual equality. For many of the middle class women the abuse of alcohol was one of societies worst catalysts. It saw families reduced to poverty despite the fathers earning a decent wage. It was all to common for men to drink away their wages before any could be set aside for rent, food or clothing. It also saw widespread family violence and desertion by wayward men.

Women like Kate Sheppard, Anna Stout and Anne Muller were well off, educated and politically and socially aware. Campaigns by them seeking temperance in the availability of alcohol had gone nowhere. It was difficult to persuade a parliament full of men that their drinking needed to be curbed. Especially when those self same parliamentarians were voted in by men.

In 1885 Mary Leavitt visited from the USA representing the WCTU. She spoke about the Franchise and influenced Sheppard and others into forming their own their organisation. By 1887 branches existed in most large towns and cities. In 1888 a leaflet was distributed to MP's outlining 10 reaons why women should have the vote:

1. Because a democratic government like that of New Zealand already admits the great principle that every adult person, not convicted of crime, nor suspected of lunacy, has an inherent right to a voice in the construction of laws which all must obey.

2. Because it has not yet been proved that the intelligence of women is only equal to that of children, nor that their social status is on a par with that of lunatics or convicts.

3. Because women are affected by the prosperity of the Colony, are concerned in the preservation of its liberty and free institutions, and suffer equally with men from all national errors and mistakes.

4. Because women are less accessible than men to most of the debasing influences now brought to bear upon elections, and by doubling the number of electors to be dealt with, women would make bribery and corruption less effective, as well as more difficult.

5. Because in the quietude of home women are less liable than men to be swayed by mere party feeling, and are inclined to attach great value to uprightness and rectitude of life in a candidate.

6. Because the presence of women at the polling-booth would have a refining and purifying effect.

7. Because the votes of women would add weight and power to the more settled and responsible communities.

8. Because women are endowed with a more constant solicitude for the welfare of the rising generations, thus giving them a more far-reaching concern for something beyond the present moment.

9. Because the admitted physical weakness of women disposes them to exercise more habitual caution, and to feel a deeper interest in the constant preservation of peace, law, and order, and especially in the supremacy of right over might.

10. Because women naturally view each question from a somewhat different standpoint to men, so that whilst their interests, aims, and objects would be very generally the same, they would often see what men had overlooked, and thus add a new security against any partial or one-sided legislation.

By the early 1890s opponents of women's suffrage had begun to mobilise. They warned that any disturbance to the 'natural' gender roles of men and women could have terrible consequences. They claimed that women were to weak to vote, that they lacked the understanding of politics or that they would simply waste their vote by voting as they were told by their male relatives. The liquor industry, fearful that women would support growing demands for the prohibition of alcohol, lobbied sympathetic Members of Parliament and organised their own counter-petitions.

The suffragists' arch-enemy was Henry Smith Fish, a boorish Dunedin politician who hired canvassers to circulate anti-suffrage petitions in pubs. This tactic backfired, however, when it was found that some signatures were false or obtained by trickery.

The campaign did receive support from men who had taken the 'pledge' and were teetotoal. Hall saw an opportunity to corral what he perceived would be a conservative bloc of voters who would thus support the establishment not the newer Liberals. Hall presented the three petitions in 1891, the last with dramatic flair. This saw the Bill passed in the House and moved on to the Upper House. Now that the Council had been balanced after Atkinsons shenanigans Seddon expected that Liberals would reject the Bill. However in a fit of spite two Members who had opposed suffrage voted for the Bill and it became law.

The Council of Women 1896 Its aim was to 'unite all organised Societies of Women for mutual counsel and co-operation, and in the attainment of justice and freedom for women, and for all that makes for the good of humanity'.

Thursday 21 October 2010

Labour Relations Stagnation and Political Change

The Long Depression of course began before the collapse of the Bank of Glasgow in 1878. Virtually all of the available land in the South was now occupied by run holders. Sheer greed meant that most runholders had overgrazed their land (too many sheep for to long). Continual burn-offs and the rabbit plague had left a lot of land bare and unproductive. There was nowhere left to expand into. Many of the larger stations were also financially stretched having borrowed heavily to expand their operations. Low levels of production and low export prices crippled them. This could only be sustained while incomes (wool prices) remained high.

The drop in world wide wool prices hit the overstretched mortgages of the runholders hard and pushed many to the wall. Bankruptcy hit many and the Banks ended u[ owning many worthless properties. The drop in prices and the collapse of the rural economy led to the depression. We've been through this in class but remember the downward spiral...

The Depression took almost 5 years to be felt in the North. Why? Because, the north was less reliant on sheep, and areas of (Cheap) Maori land continued to come onto the market allowing the northern economy to expand. Eventually the depression did arrive but the advent of refrigeration in the early 1880's also helped to alleviate the economic downturn.

The Government of Atkinson were also stretched because of the enormous debt burden imposed by Vogels Scheme. The 20 million pounds demanded huge interest payments and in order to make them they reduced their spending. This retrenchment policy while sensible thinking at the time actually made things worse. It put more people out of work and increased the downward spiral...

Older Historians (Sinclair, Oliver) have described the period as a depression but Belich has called it a (long) stagnation. Technically a depression is a continual series of regression (prices & wages fall) and this did not necessarily happen - wages did rise albeit slowly. Another effect was in the area of employment.

In the South a lot of money was withdrawn from the sheep stations and needed new investment areas. There was still plenty of wool about and it was cheap. Money that would have been used in Primary production (farming) was pushed towards (secondary) processing the wool in MIlls. Woolen Mills sprang up and were filled with women whose wages and conditions were kept down.


Wages were low and often men were replaced by Women and Children who could be paid even less. The demand for cheap clothing effectively forced wages even lower.

Eventually Reverend Waddell gave his sermon on the 'Sin of Cheapness' and the Sweating Commission was created in the wake of public outrage that Sweating had followed them to this 'Better Britain'.

This possibility struck a raw nerve in the minds of settlers whose aspirations did not include poverty and its attendant problems. The Royal Commission report denied the presence of sweating although many of the 'necessary conditions' existed in Dunedin and other southern towns.

The Tailoresses Union was widely supported and soon other Unions appeared to protect workers and to employ collective bargaining as a bargaining tool. In areas where Unions had similar interests they grouped together, the Maritime Unions - Wharfies, Seamen and Railway workers had common interests (employers) and in 1889 chose to join their equivalent Australian Unions in a strike. There was little support (it was an Australian Strike after all). With little popular support they lost.

However it resulted in an awakening an underlying class consciousness and political awareness in settlers especially those who had recently acquired the vote. Having a say in Government gave many people the belief that their MP's should actually represent them. Until now the it seemed logical that MP's would support the big businesses that had elected them. Now that every man had the vote they looked for fair representation from their MP. The old 'Continuous Ministry' was the Government of the old system... it was this that led to the election of the Liberals.

Tuesday 21 September 2010

The Benefits of Refrigeration

Refrigeration was a catalyst for change in different ways. In the South sheep farmers diversified into new breeds that produced better meat as well as wool. Merino gave way to Corriedale and other breeds, especially on farms closest to rail lines... Vogels scheme had laid the foundation fro future success. New industries developed around the killing floor and transportation of animals and their carcasses.

In the North, in particular in Taranaki change was enormous. An area that had struggled through the wars of the 1860's and a stagnating economy was in dire need for a miracle. The development of refrigeration was mana from Heaven for the province.

Before 1882 Dairying had been a minor industry. It was a small scale localised operation run out of small mixed farms. Poor infrastructure (esp. transportation) mean that milk could only be supplied to local towns or villages. Processed into butter or cheese it could travel further but not much, especially in the summer.

There was also the problem of consistency, each farmer (or his wife) had their own recipe so that every batch was different.Dairy farms were thus generally small affairs dealing to the local population and barely making a living.


In the Taranaki, Chew Chong, a chinese trader had kept many small farmers from starvation when he began to purchase a local fungus from them. When refrigeration was introduced small dairy factory's sprang up to support the growing dairy industry and the Taranaki was ideally suited to this. Chong built one of the first factories, continuing to support his clients. He preferred to take their milk and produce his own cheese and butter, a more consistent product that sold more readily.

Later when co-operatives emerged Chew was forced out of the business but he remained a highly regarded member of the community. he was able to marry a local (Pakeha) woman (no-one complained) and when they visited China a collection sent him on his way with a bag of sovereigns.

Dairying opened up the Taranaki and other areas, giving many of the small farmers a leg up the economic ladder. A steady income finally gave them financial security and the region finally began to grow. The creation of co-operatives gave them the strength of many and allowed them to apply economies of scale. Wool was hard pressed by the depression but Dairying resulted in an economic expansion rather than retrenchment and the bankruptcy that devastated some parts of the South.


The export of dairy products helped to diversify the economy and expanded the settlement of New Zealand, along with the expanding infrastructure that pushed Europeans into every corner of the country. As noted in your handout New Zealand went from a single commodity economy (Wool) to a treble (Wool, Meat and Dairy Products). Expansion of this industry through the 1880s meant it was well placed to take advantage as the 'Long depression' dragged to an end.

So the effects of dairying can be summed up with the opening up of the North island, increased settlement with improved transport (road and rail) and communications. The development of new industries including dairy factories and abbatoirs for the processing of meat (creating more employment opportunities) . The expansion and diversification of the economy and finally the destruction of the Kahikatea (White Pine) which was used in the production of boxes for butter. (aka the butter-box wood).

Belich in his book Paradise Reforged has proposed that in the 1860's and 1870's New Zealand was beginning to lose its ties with britain and forging its own sense of identity. The advent of refrigeration however reinforced our dependence upon Britain and effectively recolonised the country. This dependence both econiomic and social would not be broken for almost a century.

Industry: Pastoralism

WOOL

As we discussed in class Pastoralism is the farming of pasture (aka grass). In New Zealand this has traditionally been in conjunction with either sheep or cattle. Before 1882 pastoralism was associated with sheep (and mainly Merino) and the wool they produced. In farming terms this is called
extensive sheep farming. The farms are large and a long way from town. The farms had their own name, 'stations' or 'runs' borrowed from their equivalent in Australia and most likely carried across with the earliest sheep farmers who came over to the South Island in the 1850's.

This was the also the origin of the term "Cockie" for farmer (Borrowed from Ockers where the Cockatiels that infested farmland especially at harvest time). This period from the 1850's was the 'wool period' when the imported Merino sheep ruled the tussock lands of the South Island, and the flat lands of the Wairarapa and Hawkes Bay. This period saw the creation of vast estates especially in the South Island.

Using the Australian model it was a simple matter of claiming land with the Provinicial Government and lease-holding the land, often with the view of making it freehold as quickly as possible. Although as we will discover they did not always own all of the land they controlled. The key was liquidity and the creation of huge flocks of sheep. New Zealand's climate provided warm weather and plentiful rain, which meant plenty of grass, a few ewes and a ram did the rest.

The Stations needed large pools of labour, especially at shearing time. Itinerant shearing gangs travelled with the season southward (the season started in the north) to stations as they were needed. Wool could then be stored and transported to port for shipping to Britain. Wool developed a new market in coastal transportation. All of this activity created vast wealth for a favoured few and left a bitter taste in the mouths of many migrants who found land difficult to acquire in the 1870's. In the south this wealth tended to dominate local and later national politics. In 1882 this all changed.

REFRIGERATION.

The wool period was responsible for opening up large areas of the South Island and created a new class of land owners. By the end of the 1860's most of the South Island was owned by a relatively small number of families. The Sheep stations were enormous with tens of thousands of sheep supplying vast quantitie's of wool, but relatively little meat. It turns out Merino meat is not very tasty. (fishy apparently?) Apart from areas of the Wairarapa and the Hawkes Bay sheep farming made little impact in the North island, due in part to the less suitable heavily forested land and the reluctance of Maori to sell their land.

The confiscations and the Land Court would in the main remove the Maori from this equation, but the forest would slow down any development. By the 1870's the growth in Britains population and its increased earning power created a demand for better quality food from around the world, increasingly they demanded meat - fresh or frozen. Argentina had already sent shipments across the Atlantic with some success. Australia sent its first shipment in 1871, giving sheep breeders in New Zealand hope that they to could establish a new industry. The work of a few enthusiastic and entrepreneurial Otago runholders saw the first shipment od sheepmeat sent to Britain in 1882.


The voyage of the 'Dunedin' in 1882 is accorded little real significance in our history certainly less than it deserves, and yet it is the watershed/tipping point in our history.Only one carcass was rejected at the end of that first voyage, and reports were very favourable. So successful was this venture that British farmers demanded that shipments be labelled as 'New Zealand Mutton'. Initially we sent only Merino and mainly mutton, but quickly adapted to british demand for lamb. This worked both ways, the British got tastier meat in small (oven size) portions, we got to send more carcasses which were worth more.

We also changed the breeds of sheep, Merino remained on some Runs producing high quality wool, while Corriedale and other breeds were producing a mix of wool and meat. In 1882 we sent 35,000 carcasses, by 1900 it was 3.5m per annum.


The downstream effect of refrigeration lay in the new industry surrounding the killing and processing of the meat. Refrigeration led to Railways to ship the meat and Cool stores to keep the meat, under the Vogels schemes, road and rail became a necessity to transport the meat to port where it was stored. While the main trunk line connected the main centers, branchline's were used to connect the hinterland to the ports.

In many respects refrigeration created a new demand for land, but land was still hard to find. However the 'Long Depression' which arrived in 1879 with the collapse of the Bank of Glasgow had already begun to impact with many of the stations falling into financial hardship. The new exports helped but many were to over stretched and became bankrupt. It would take the Liberals to free up land for the 'little' man.

Sunday 19 September 2010

Industry: Gold

During the 19th Century gold held an incredible hold over the imaginations of people. For many it was a quick route to wealth. As a result there were massive gold rushes in various parts of the world. The first was to California in 1848, the prospectors who took part were called ‘49er’s… This was followed by the Victorian rush in the 1850’s and the Eureka Stockade insurrection that followed. The economies of these areas grew enormously. The huge numbers of prospectors and the services they demanded created a lot of wealth (little of which actually came from finding gold).

As a result the provincial Governments were desperate to find gold somewhere within their regions. Several offered rewards to anyone who could find it. New Zealand appeared to have the geology (although that was a relatively new science) so it simply appeared to be a matter of finding it. Early discoveries of ‘colour’ were made in the Coromandel but were unworkable.

Eventually as you know an Australian Gabriel Read discovered gold in Otago in May 1861 and the rush was on. The province exploded, prospectors arrived from all around the world, but especially from Victoria. Many were keen to escape the taxation and corruption of the Australian fields. In Otago they were taxed less and received larger claims to boot.

This was alluvial gold, which could initially be easily found by individuals. Later small groups or collectives formed to extract the gold from the riverbanks.

Eventually gold was also found in the West Coast, Nelson and again in the Coromandel. When news of the discovery on the Coromandel arrived in Auckland, the male population of the city disappeared overnight, emptying stores of pans, shovels and food. Many were disappointed to find the gold locked away in the rock.

These later discoveries were quartz based gold, which required even larger amounts of money, the days of the lone prospector were numbered. Companies formed in Christchurch, Wellington or Auckland were formed to buy the equipment needed to extract the rock and crush it. This needed water or steam power, and the giant stampers which kept Grahamstown (Thames) awake 6 days a week.

Gold remained an important export commodity for much of the century. Its importance lay in the changes it made to the physical and social fabric of New Zealand. Much of the South Island was now settled with towns spread from north to south and east to west. Much of the island had been explored and for a time Dunedin was the country’s largest city. South island run-holders were able to expand as the population gave them a market for their meat. The miners also brought with them a belief in equality and the early ideas of mateship that were also developing in the bush settlements of the north.

the Rise of the Tasmen

The early exploiters of resources like timber have been described by Belich as "Tasmen" a way of explaining the importance of Australia in our early industrial development. Like other forms of exploitation it was based mainly on the coastline with a high level of interaction with local Maori.. Hokianga provided a safe Harbour with an abundance of readily available timber and cooperative Maori (Ngapuhi). It should be remembered that the captain of the Boyd was lured into a trap by the promise of timber... In terms of significance - by 1840 a third of the 2000 Europeans in New Zealand were actively involved in the timber trade.

Later the cutting of timber became an important part of opening up the interior as more Maori land became available. It was both an important part of the local economy - most of the early settlements were constructed form Kauri, and also an important export commodity.

Early timber trade centres in the north. Its based mainly around the north and especially the Hokianga. Many ships called in and around New Zealand to pick up timber in ad hoc arrangements but a real 'trade' developed in the Far North. It was aimed at extracting wood for ships spars and later developed into cut wood for the Sydney building trade. Kauri was the main timber felled later as building trade in Australia and Auckland - the shift to Auckland resulted in an explosion in building for the new Capital.

The Bush frontier would last well into the next century.The trade created a new type of New Zealander, the Bushman. Living on the edge of the bush (and sometimes well inside it) they were almost devoid of female company resulting in the idea of 'mateship' which was also developing in Australia.

Groups of men living for long periods in close proximity and in occupations which were extremely dangerous meant that real and long lasting friendships were created.Good manners and behaviour was expected and any who failed to follow the (often unwritten) rules would not last long in the camp. The worst that could be said of a man was that he did not pull his weight on the job or that he was a thief or a cheat (gambling and alcohol was strictly banned in most camps). Any of these failings could mean that no-one would employ a man and he would have to leave the district and hope his reputation did not follow him to his new job.

Miles Fairburn has used some examples to justify his idea of transience and lack of community. Subsequent research has seriously challenged this with many examples of 'mates' or familial groups working together for many years - sometimes for decades. The sense of community extended to welfare, injured workers were ferried out by mates who would carry their friend out on their shoulders or backs. If a death occurred leaving a family, their effects (clothes, tools etc) would be auctioned with their mates often paying well over the odds for the second-hand gear.

Timber saw the development of new technology, Pit Saws gave way to Steam and Bullocks were sometimes replaced by Bush trams (converted Traction Engines!!!) The Timberjack was invented to assist the movement of the giant logs, as was the the Kauri Driving Dam to move logs through hilly terrain, especially where the Corduroy Roads and Bullocks could not.

The Timber industry opened up new areas, assisting in the spread of farming and established many small towns in new area, especially the 70 Mile bush between Wellington and the Hawkes Bay, the Central North Island and in the Taranaki.

The Sawmill that followed the workers attracted other small businesses . If the timber lasted long enough a small town could develop, sometimes it might be able to withstand the loss of the trade and continue to flourish as farming replaced the trees. (Dannevirke or Featherston). If the timber ran out too quickly the town might not survive the loss. (Anyone remember Mauriceville?)

Tuesday 7 September 2010

WHS Rugby 2010

A slideshow for the WHS U19 Rugby Team

Monday 30 August 2010

Site Useage and Users

Once in a while I check Google Analytics to see whats been happening on the site.

So this last month 760 vists from all over the country, including 422 from Auckland.

Interestingly in the 3 years we've been going we've had 14,690 visits averaging 2.5 minutes and 2 pages on each visit.

The 4 most popular pages in order are Gold Mining, Missionaries, Long Depression and Ocean Whaling

We've even had 5 visits by iPad!

If you do visit from another college leave a comment, it would be nice to know who's visiting.

A Migration Concept map

This is the Cmap handed out in class.

Right click to view a large version.

Sunday 22 August 2010

Explosive Migration

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

In class, we mentioned the status of the different types of migrant. Planned settlers were those brought over in planned schemes... The NZ Company in the 1840's and the Vogel migrants in the 1870's immediately 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 accommodation 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 surplus capable of being sold in local towns and cities. Technological advances would increase 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 Yeomen 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.

Thursday 19 August 2010

The Vogel Scheme

Vogel is an important figure in our history and yet the bread is better known than he is. He arrived as a Gold miner, was editor of the ODT and became a local politician in Otago, championing the idea of secession when southerners became irate at the idea that their taxes were paying for the northern war. When he moved to central Government he would champion the rights of the Government over the Provinces, eventually having them abolished when they got in his way. His scheme which he proposed as Treasurer in 1869 was simple.

Borrow some money, use some of it to pay for Migrants to come to New Zealand and the rest to build the infrastructure needed to support the larger population as well as opening up more of the country to settlement. The migrants would expand the economy and generate more income, paying for both the interest and the loans themselves. Initially the scheme was received well.

Last year Freya asked why would the conservatively minded 'Continuous Ministry' support such a change? The answer was that public opinion drove them and many were businessmen who saw a quick quid in it for themselves as well. (Given the recent events the 2009 MP is remarkably like the 1870's version). Once the public began to clamour, the MP's willingly went along. However see below...

Almost universally it was seen as a way of boosting the colony and making many people rich. Vogel wanted to borrow 10m pounds but ended up lending 20m, a liability that would weigh heavily on the Government for many years. The road and rail networks were built and a lot of land opened up to settlers.Areas like the Wairarapa (70 Mile Bush) were opened up, and the population was doubled. new towns like Dannevirke appeared and prospered. The economy expanded but the Depression pushed down commodity prices so that the economy stagnated with real incomes reducing despite wages increasing. (ie Inflation was higher that wages).

The population now included a more diverse ethnicities, including the more well known Scandanavians, but also Italians and French settlers arrived.The scheme was poorly run, money was squandered, road and rail networks were not always built where they were needed - often favouring well placed politicians and their favourites. Few of the 100,000+ people were suited to the type of work expected of them, and many preferred to stay closer to towns or cities, ignoring the opportunities in the rural areas.

This created a new (but old) phenomenon, slums. An evil many settlers thought they had left behind in Europe. Older colonists viewed them as 'scum' who were a liability and a hinderance to progress, they were angry when the expected benefits - improved wages, higher land values did not always eventuate. This was not helped as the (Long) depression hit in the latter part of the decade. Politicians who had supported Vogel abandoned him and he eventually left for London.

There he wrote a fairly prophetic book called (I think) 2000AD about a New Zealand where the heads of Government were female...(Helen must have felt vindicated)

Early Migration

Between I840 and 1852 (the Crown Colony period) about 27,500 people arrived in New Zealand, of whom about two-thirds came direct from the United Kingdom. The numbers were not great, but they were significant in establishing future patterns. The major explanation for this migration is the recruiting efforts of the New Zealand Company and its offshoots, the Canterbury Association and the Otago Association. Though inspired by Edward Gibbon Wakefield's vision for an ordered community, the company was a business proposition. It purchased land from Maori for on-sale to investors who were expected to come out as 'colonists'. Many of them chose not to do so, especially those who bought land in Nelson, but a few did and became significant figures in the new communities.

Of the 27,500 people who came to New Zealand in these years, about 14,000 - over half - came as assisted immigrants, their passage paid for by the Company or its successors.

In the mid- 1840s the number of such immigrants fell to a trickle as the company faced legal and financial difficulties, the Northern War broke out and there was growing pessimism about the colony's future. Then came a second wave of assisted migrants. There was an organised group from Scotland led by Free Church Presbyterians, who arrived with boatloads of Scots in Otago in 1848. Two years later the Church of England Canterbury Association brought the first four ships of English settlers to Lyttelton.

Auckland also attracted a few smaller organised groups. In 1842, amid claims that the British government had breached an understanding not to send convicts to New Zealand, 98 young boys from Parkhurst Reformatory arrived. Another 31 followed a year later, but such was the outcry that the experiment was not repeated. Also in 1842, as we have already seen, 514 people from Paisley, near Glasgow, came out to Auckland as a response to the depression in the local shawl-making industry. There were also over 400 assisted under the Poor Law Amendment Act, administered by the Colonial Land and Emigration Commissioners.

Finally, the 1840S saw some free settlers arriving in the colony as individuals. There were some government officials, merchants and aspiring younger sons of the respectable class who came out to make a mark in the colony. Auckland attracted a number of independent immigrants from across the Tasman, including quite a few people with an Irish background.

Between 1853 and 1870 the Pakeha population rose from about 30,000 to over 250,000. Much of this increase was the result of immigration. During these years almost 250,000 people migrated to New Zealand and about 100,000 left, resulting in a net gain of almost 150,000 Probably two-thirds of the long-term migrants came direct from the United Kingdom (with the rest largely from Australia),

The provincial governments took responsibility for immigration under the New Zealand Constitution Act 1852. For the next eighteen years, until the central government began to take over immigration, most of the provinces had schemes for encouraging migrants. Usually provinces hired agents in Britain and Ireland to go out and recruit immigrants with the offer of cheap (that is, 'assisted') or free passages to New Zealand. Immigrants were seen as the key to growth and prosperity Hawke's Bay, Wellington, Nelson and Southland all had small schemes for bringing in immigrants. Otago province was more active, but unfortunately most of its records have been lost

Auckland province used a different system to attract migrants - the

lure of land. Under a scheme introduced in 1858, agents in the United Kingdom had authority to grant land orders to prospective emigrants at the rate of 40 acres for every person aged eighteen or over, and 20 acres for those between five and seventeen. In the ten years of the scheme 15,516 land orders were issued, and these were probably responsible for bringing in over 40 per cent of Auckland's immigrants during these years.

Phillips and Hearn - Settlers NZ Immigrants 1800-1945

Sunday 15 August 2010

Support our Library

Vote for this HERE it was made by Orion

Tuesday 10 August 2010

A Constitution for Wellington 1840

In April 1840 the New Zealand Company Settlers issued this Constitution. What does this tell us about their view of Hobson in the Bay of Islands? Of course Hobson could ignore this.

Below is a poster about the 1852 Constitution that Grey allowed.


And in the same edition a confirmation by "local Chiefs".

Celebration in Wellington 1841


An entry in the NZ Gazette and Wellington Spectator from Jan 1841

The Progress Industry

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.

Maori Independence after 1872

We generally associate Maori separatism with The King Movement but there were many other groups who tried to create a separate 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 separate 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 enthusiastic 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 attempt 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). The exclusion of the Kingitanga made this impossible to be truely representative. 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. So without total Iwi OR Government support it could never succeed.

The final real attempt lay in the 1894 Kauhanganui Movement which was last gasp effort from the King (Mahuta) to head a representative national body.... but in this lay the same issues. Non Kingitanga Iwi (and some Kingitanga tribes as well) failed to heed the call... and again the Government ignored it and it died with barely a whimper.

When the King soon after accepted a seat in the Legislative Council, any further pretense at an independent Maori government appears to have disappeared.

The Native Land Court

While hostilities continued in the Tauranga Taranaki and East Coast the Settler government began to legislate to ensure even more land could be made available. They did so by ignoring any obligation under Article 2 or 3 of the Treaty.

Judith Binney has called this an "Act of War' and she is probably right.

The Native Land Court was established under legislation in 1862 and then 1865. It had two main aims. The First was to identify and establish ownership of Maori land and convert the communal form of ownership to a European title. Once under title it could then be sold to Settlers. Henry Sewell said it was designed to undermine and destroy Maori culture (detribalise) by ridding them of the communist thread that ran through all of their institutions.

The Court could investigate ownership and establish title - both a long protracted and expensive process. The Owners could then present their decision to the governor to recieve a freehold title.

No matter how large the area under investigation it could be placed into the control of only 10 trustees. Later legislation would shift the ownership of the land to the trustee who were then free to do as they wished with it, without consulting the larger group of 'owners'.

No matter Settlers could now acquire land outside the confiscation areas.

By 1872 the Court had investigated 5m acres of land.

The 1873 Land Act went further making every member of the tribe an owner on a title. Land could be sold if a simple majority agreed to it.

In the Hawkes Bay, groups of claimants, surveyors and shopkeepers exploited the system to effectively steal Maori land by forcing them to defend often dubious claims and rorting them through the debts this incurred.

Sunday 27 June 2010

Taranaki 2010

Well the trip went well. The weather was (mostly) kind and I'd like to thank Michael Harcourt for his help. The students were great and helped make it the success that it was. My personal highlights were the Gilfillan Farm and the Cave/Bunker which were new. Although the farm, Kohia Pa and Turuturu Mokai left me wondering about how much we really care about the past.

So the final itinerary:

Tuesday
Papaitonga
Wednesday
Gilfillan Farm (Who'd have guessed it was there?)

The Cave/Bunker (So very cool)


Memorial Tower (176 steps)
Moutoa Gardens
Kowhai Park & Save Mart (Lunch and shopping)
Ohawe Soldiers MemorialTe Ngutu O Te Manu (A camping ground? Really?) ... How many people died here?


Thursday
Kohia Pa (or whats left) ... the first shots of the war.....Waitara Camp (now a Bowling club)

Puketakauere PaTe Arei PaPukerangiora Pa and SapPuke Ariki (Great Provincial Museum - thanks Amanda!)

Friday

Turuturu Mokai (Someone tell Hawera its not a rubbish dump! Also noted here.)




The Cameron Blockhouse
It was a great trip and the students especially made it enjoyable but we have to thank Carol from Wanganui Information, Amanda at Puke Ariki and the gentleman at Brixton who showed us where Te Kohia Pa was (Someone knocked down the Brixton Hall in Belichs video). Sorry I didn't get his name.

Tuesday 22 June 2010

The Taranaki Fieldtrip 2010
















Leaving today and back on the 25th


Visiting:
Papaitonga
The Cameron Blockhouse
Turuturu Mokai Redoubt
Moutoa Gardens
Kowhai Park & Save Mart (if time permits)
Gilfillan Farm
A Dark Surprise
Te Ngutu O Te Manu
The Waitara
Pukerangiora Pa and Sap

Puke Ariki
Tawhiti Museum

Have a nice week.

Thursday 17 June 2010

The Internal II

Most of you took the time over the weekend to consider your topic and questions. The topic needs to be based around some general themes without being too specific. I will cover a discussion I had yesterday in the library:

ie "Whalers interaction with Maori" is OK but since it is within the general "Contact" period should look at the EFFECTS of Ocean AND Shore Whalers interaction on/with Maori and the INFLUENCE this had over Missionary pressure leading up to the Treaty.

So the Topic could be ......

Not only is this a better more broad based Topic it opens itself up easily to creating 3 questions which cover the period 1800-1840..

Ocean Whalers are different to Shore Whalers and should be treated separately.
Their interaction leads to conflict and the worst of European behaviour/habits
Leading to Missionary disquiet and pressure on the colonial office.

So the questions could be......

See you in the library.