Wednesday 26 November 2008

The Last Post for 2008

Well thats that. The Exam has been and gone and I guess most of you won't read this but I'll write it anyway.

The exam looked reasonably fair and there were a range of good essay questions which I think most of you were prepared for. The only gripe would be over the graph in the resources which was a bit 'iffy' in its presentation.

Thanks for the really enjoyable year. I have had a great time teaching both classes this year and I'd like to thank those of you who came on the trip to the Taranaki which was excellent.

Thanks to Anna Emma and Rachel for the mug. I can't promise to smile any more often for the 2009 intake. Good luck to everyone and best wishes. Have a good Christmas.

Sunday 23 November 2008

Exams on Tuesday

Its nice to see some essays coming in. Its getting very late so I'll just offer some advice on the 3 standards.

Begin by Reading the Essays and choosing your question.

Start with the Resources because you may find resources applicable to your essay questions...

Resources - There wil be 6 questions A to F. They are usually paired as A&B, C&D and E&F. You need to reach "achieved" in one of each of the pairs to get achieved overall. The same for Merit or Excellence. This means you must attempt at least three questions... and pass them. There are no shortcuts, I'd suggest you attempt ALL six.

Essays must always having a beginning, a middle and an end.... introduction, body and conclusion. Paragraphs must have a statement, an explanation and an example where applicable.

By now you should have looked at the last 4 exams and chosen a period which you are comfortable...

Could those who have chosen the contact period please remember to differentiate between Ocean and Shore whalers... and don't go overboard on the Explorers apart from the fact that they 'found' NZ and made Europe aware of its potential..

Situations - this essay needs you to describe a "situations" context (the situation at the start of the period under discusssion). You must then describe changes that occurred over time and their effects on people.

Decisions - this essay expacts you to desribe WHY a decision was made, (a little about how the decision was carried out - avoiding the narrative trap) and the Outcome of this decision.

The last piece of advice is to:
  1. READ the question.
  2. IDENTIFY the important parts of the question, especially dates.
  3. PLAN your answer with supporting evidence
  4. NUMBER your points in order
  5. WRITE! WRITE! WRITE!

GOOD LUCK

Tuesday 4 November 2008

Temperance and the Suffrage Movement.

New Zealand was a pioneer society where many of the traditional values were forgotten or ignored because it was expedient to do so. Women were keen to improve their lot as much as men and decision making was one area where they often shared that process.

Women were often considered the guardians of Family and Community morality and thus had thrust upon them the duties of ensuring behaviour of everyone matched community expectations.

An area of constant concern to many was the abuse of alcohol. It had been a problem since the earliest of the whaling days in Kororareka which many Missionaries and other visitors had commented upon, often disapprovingly. A Temperance Society had even been established in the Bay of Islands in the 1830’s and local Maori attempted to ban the trade in alcohol because of its effects.

With the development of a frontier society in the bush and later on the goldfields consumption of alcohol increased markedly. With few women to temper its effects in these areas, male bonding activities centred on imbibing large quantities of alcohol. This has been described as “Mateship” by Jock Phillips or a “Crew Culture” by Belich. Both emphasise the social gaps that this culture filled for men who lacked female companionship.

As New Zealand began to urbanise and the sex ratio evened out (meaning more marriages) the abuse of alcohol was transported into the towns and cities.

Urbanisation also saw the ever expanding middle classes. This class was one in which women were often educated to a higher level than average, leaving them well read and articulate, able to hold not only polite conversation but also a spirited argument if necessary. Another aspect lay in their relative freedom, provided by husbands or fathers who could afford to employ servants. These women could therefore spend time at morning or afternoon teas or luncheons discussing matter of the day.

Increasingly in the 1880’s these discussions turned to social issues. It was the middle class which led the campaign in the “Sin of Cheapness” and as the Depression worsened and abused and abandoned women/families increased they began to agitate against alcohol.

When several petitions to parliament proposing temperance were thrown out they began to realise that change could only come through the ballot. Mary Leavitts visit in 1885 sparked the creation of the Womens Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) and the arrival of Kate Sheppard upon the political stage. With the help of several notable Male politicians (Hall Stout etc) and an increasing well organised campaign (Sheppard organised Franchise committees and edited “the Prohibitionist”) several more petitions were delivered to Parliament between 1890 and 1893.

Particularly effective were the comparisons with “Juveniles Criminals and Lunatics’ while many men including politicians derided such measures because female physical and mental well being would be endangered. Conservatives like Hall favoured the franchise because they believed women would vote conservatively.

The Liberals under Ballance were sympathetic but Seddon was a staunch critic and with the help of several other politicians who were supported by Breweries managed to stifle any law change. In 1893 Seddon allowed it to pass through Parliament expecting the Legislative Council to veto the Bill. Several Liberals in the Upper House unhappy at Seddon’s behaviour voted for the measure and it was passed. New Zealand became the first country to give true Universal Suffrage to all of its citizens over the age of 21.

Thursday 23 October 2008

REVISION


There are a few resoources for revision. You need to go to the Moodle Site which you can access here, or by going through the Netvibes Site.

Monday 20 October 2008

Party Politics again.

I hoped that this material would be covered last term while we were on our trip so refer here:

http://nzhistory.blogspot.com/2008/09/party-politics.html

Sunday 19 October 2008

Thursday 16 October 2008

60 Minutes Part 2

Due to the time limitations on youtube I had to split the file in 2. The second part I find a little creepy. Hunting around for old bones is sensationalist, the reporter is just a little too keen to find teeth marks in the remains. As for Ngapuhi and cannibalism I might remind you about Hongi returning from one Taua with several hundred heads ina canoe...

Tuesday 14 October 2008

60 Minutes

This is the first part of the 60 Minutes video on Paul Moon's book "this horrid practice'. The various reactions are interesting. You may like to consider who is biased in this and who looks at history through rose tinted glasses.... I would have liked to see more vigorous investigation by the reporter into the historic records including the horror when Titokowaru reintroduced ritual cannibalism in his campaign.

Thursday 2 October 2008

Wednesday 1 October 2008

nzhistory


Death by PowerPoint

From: thecroaker, 2 years ago


Death by PowerPoint
View SlideShare presentation or Upload your own. (tags: tips powerpoint)



Fighting death by PowerPoint... How to make a presentation and not to bore your audience to death.


SlideShare Link

Tuesday 30 September 2008

Sunday 28 September 2008

Netvibes Baby!!!

At the end of last term some of the staff went to a course on Netvibes.

It allows users to aggregate a number of websites RSS feeds and various applications together. A few years ago these were called Portals and were all the rage but those were corporate

I had a play with it and developed some ideas. You can find them here. I plan to use Netvibes along with Moodle to teach next year...

You can also join and create your own - it's free!

Taranaki Fieldtrip - The Iced Coffee U-Turn Tour

Well we have survived the inaugural field trip to the Taranaki. I had a really good time and 'Poppa H' has commented how much he enjoyed your company.

For both us the highlight was the Sap and Pa at Pukerangiora which really brought home the Waitara conflict to us and far better than seeing the same site on Belichs video had.

Nothing against Belichs series but it was cool to actually stand in the Sap or even better to look down on the Sap from the top of the Pa.

Other higlights for us included the Cameron Blockhouse, the Jumping Pillow at the Top10, the Memorial Tower and of course Kowhai Park in Wanganui.

Its not often you see so many 18 years old so quickly loose their inhibitions and turn into 8 year olds.

Apart from Seeing 'Sue', Puke Ariki was a disappointment as was missing some of the other sites because of poor signposting. Bugger. (Tauranga Ika, Parihaka, Kohia Pa)

The weird irony that a site like Te Ngutu O Te Mana is now a camping ground was not lost on some us.

It does look like next year will deinitely be a 4 day expedition to give us the time to explore the region properly.

I plan to try and turn the pictures into a photostory and will post the video upto youtube soon.

Have great holiday.

Friday 19 September 2008

Party Politics

The 1890 strike was a failure but it did create a huge amount of sympathy for the labour cause. Ballance as leader of the Liberals was able to organise an opposition to the Government. In the subsequent election Atkinsons Government was toppled by Ballance in conjunction with several Union backed MP's. In the interlude between the election and the new Government, Atkinson stacked the Legislative council with his Conservative supporters. These supporters then refused to pass any of the Liberal legislation.

This initially slowed Liberal reforms and created a constitutional crisis in which the Governor General was forced to accept the appointees that Ballance wanted to make to correct the imbalance.Ballances slow decline into illness also slowed the Liberals so that much of their most memorable legislation appeared after the 1893 election and Ballance had died before his preferred replacement, Stout, could take his seat.

This left the leadership open for Seddon to take the reigns which he would retain for the next 13 years. Ballance had surrounded himself with a talented Cabinet which included , Seddon, Pember -Reeves, Stout and McKenzie. they are most famous for their groundbreaking legislation that included the Electoral Act of 1893 which gave Women the vote, the 1895 Arbitration and Conciliation Act (Pember-Reeves)and the 1898 Pension Act.

McKenzie was also held responsible for breaking up the "Great Estates". However this was not the savage attack on the rich (on behalf of the 'Small man' )that it is portrayed as. The Depression had hit overstretched run holders, many of whom were forced into receivership by their Banks. The Liberals were offered several times more land in the South than they purchased and the most of the land they did acquire came from Maori in the north.

Their most famous piece of legislation is perhaps the Electoral Act of 1893. Championed by the WCTU and Kate Sheppard with the support of several leading politicians it gave women the vote establishing a truly universal suffrage. Seddon did his best to oppose the law but allowed the bill to pass through tot he Legislative Council where he expected it to die. Several mmbers of the Council found Seddon more objectionable and passed the bill to spite him.

The Arbitration Act gave recognition to Unions and many took the chance to work through the process. Once in arbitration both parties had to accept the decision given to them. As a result there was relative calm on the industrial front giving the appearance all was well. Pember -Reeves left almost immediately for London, his fabian background does not always appear to have seen him able to work with the more moderate caucus.

The Pension Act was a favourite of Seddons, who could see the benefits for the many (now indigent) elderly gold miners because of his personal history as a miner and a pblican in Kumara. However it was only available to persons of good character, who could prove their age and who were not Chinese. It is an interesting idea that this act reflected New Zealands growing egalitarianism and desire to give everyone a fair go (perhaps even an extension of Phillips 'Mateship' or Belichs 'Crew Culture'.)

The Liberals faced little challenge at the subsequent elections because there was little in the way of an organised opposition. Thus, although they lost support in 1896 they held onto power. Increasingly as well Seddon came to dominate the party creating a top down style of leadership, surrounding himself with 'lesser' men who tended to agree with him. The idea of party politics started with Ballance but it was Seddon who enshrined its ideals and created the system we have today.

The economic situation today.

In todays class we talked about the Banking system and how Banks operate. I found this link explaining how the sub-prime mortgage market in the USA worked. Its collapse sparked the current collapse of Banks. (excuse some of the language)

http://docs.google.com/TeamPresent?docid=ddp4zq7n_0cdjsr4fn&skipauth=true

Jenna will be taking the class this week while we are in the Taranaki.

Also if you want to check the marking schedules for the Essays and Resources go to Moodle and download them. Normal school network login is required.

Governor to Government

1833
James Busby arrives in the Bay of Islands as British Resident in New Zealand – a junior consular representative with little power.

1834
Northern chiefs gather at Busby's house at Waitangi to choose a ‘
Flag of the United Tribe of New Zealand’.

1835
A
Declaration of Independence of New Zealand is drawn up by Busby without authorisation from his superiors. This asserts the independence of New Zealand, with all sovereign power and authority resting with the hereditary chiefs and tribes. The declaration is eventually signed by 52 Maori chiefs.

1839
The British government appoints William Hobson as consul to New Zealand, with instructions to obtain sovereignty with the consent of a 'sufficient number' of chiefs.

1840
The
Treaty of Waitangi is signed on 6 February by about 40 chiefs. By September another 500 chiefs in different parts of the country have signed. On 21 May Lieutenant-Governor Hobson proclaims British sovereignty over all of New Zealand: over the North Island on the basis of cession through the Treaty of Waitangi, and over the southern islands by right of discovery. New Zealand becomes a dependency of New South Wales, a British Crown Colony whose governor is Sir George Gipps.

1841
New Zealand becomes a separate Crown Colony, ending its connection with New South Wales. Communicating with London takes many months.

1846
New Zealand is divided into two provinces, New Ulster and New Munster.

1852
The New Zealand Constitution Act (UK) establishes a system of representative government for New Zealand. Six (eventually 10) provinces are created, with elected superintendents and councils. At the national level, a General Assembly is established, consisting of a Legislative Council appointed by the Crown and a House of Representatives elected every five years by males over the age of 21 who own, lease or rent property of a certain value.

1853
The House of Representatives' first 37 MPs are elected.

1854
The
First Parliament meets in Auckland.

1856
‘Responsible’ government begins in New Zealand, with an executive supported by a majority in House of Representatives. The Governor retains responsibility for defence and Maori affairs.

1858
The Waikato chief
Te Wherowhero becomes the first Maori King, taking the name Potatau. The rise of Te Kingitanga reflects Maori desires for a leader to unite the tribes, protect land from further sales and make laws for Maori.

1864
The colonial government asserts its responsibility for Maori affairs.

1867
Four Maori parliamentary seats are created (initially as a temporary measure for five years), with universal suffrage for Maori males over 21. The first Maori elections are held in 1868.

1876
The provinces are abolished, leaving central government as the single legislative authority. Hundreds of local bodies soon come into being.

1879
Universal suffrage is introduced for all males over 21.

1893
Universal suffrage introduced for women over 21 (including Maori). New Zealand becomes the first self-governing country to grant the right to vote to all adult women.

1900
New Zealand claims the Cook Islands and annexes several other territories in the early twentieth century.

Thursday 11 September 2008

The Long Depression & Labour Relations

Jenna will be taking this topic.

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. This could only be sustained while incomes remained high.


The drop in world wide wool prices hit the overstretched mortagages of the runholders hard and pushed many to the wall. 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 (Cheap) Maori land continued to come onto the market allowing that economy to expand. Eventually the depression did arrive but the advent of refrigeration in the early 1880's also helped to aleviate the economic downturn.

The Government of Atkinson were also stretched because of the debt burden imposed by Vogels Scheme. The 20 million pounds required huge amounts of interest and in order to make payments 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 was pushed towards processing the wool. Woolen Mills sprang up and were filled with women whose wages and conditions were kept down.

Eventually Reverend Waddell gave his sermon on the 'Sin of Cheapness' and the Sweating Commision 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 the 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). They lost.

However it resulted in an awakening an underlying class conciousness 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'swould 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.

Sunday 7 September 2008

Resource Questions.

As promised here are the (abbreviated) answers to the 2005 paper:To get Merit you need to provide informed (Your own knowledge) and for Excellence you need perceptive analysis. (Describe How or Why events happened/the results of ...)

POINTS OF VIEW & HISTORICAL IDEAS

Resource A - The two editorials

Identify Different points of view - how and why they are held.

You were expected to identify that the 'Lyttleton Times' identifies the Liberals as winners of the election because voters 'stayed true to Liberal principles', while the 'Poverty Bay Herald' believes the Government won and still 'have a majority'.Merit or Excellence answers identify Ballance (Liberals) and Atkinson (Continous Ministry)as the opposing leaders. The Liberals then began a program of social legislation. The differing points of view may reflect regional support for the Liberal with much of its support in the South Island. Key pieces of legislation covered land reform, suffrage and industrial relations. (named legislation with general discussion of their effects)

Resource B - Canterbury Wheat Fields. What economy and political developments in NZ's led to changes in Canterbury farming.You should identify the 'shrinkage' field in 1863 averaged 30,000 acres, with much of the wheat going to Otago (Miners) by 1903 the average was down to 350 acres with a greater diversification (variety) of crops.Merit or Excellence answers note the wheat boom of the 1870's and 1880's brought about by the rise in populaltion (thank-you Vogel) development of Infrastructure (road & rail) allowed more what to be transported. In the 1890's the Liberals broke up the the Great Estates betting more 'small men' onto the land. Refrigeration also made small farms more economic.

HISTORICAL RELATIONSHIPS

Resource C - The Moutoa Battle Memorial.How perspectives (viewpoints) of past events have changed over time.You were expected to identify when the battle was fought it was between those fighting for 'law and order' and 'fanatics and barbarians'. Today it is seen as a civil war fought between relatives.Merit or Excellence answers identifies the Upper Whanganui Iwi accepting Pai Marire (Hau Hau) and coming into conflict with the Lower Whanganui Iwi who wanted to protect the advantage they gained from having the Pakeha nearby. The memorial is from the perspective of Pakeha who supported kupapa tribes. The Te Papa exhibit is from the viewpoint of the Whangaui Iwi showing the grief and tension of the time which is reflected in recent occupations at Moutoa Gardens.

Resource D - The Sin of Cheapness.According to Reverend Waddell the lust for bargains, drove down prices, leading to lower wages and for many workers to be below the poverty line. (think todays Middle Class consumerism and the Big Red Shed style wages)Merit or Excellence answers noted that Dunedin was harder hit by the Long Depression because of the Gold rushes and Vogel immigration. The Depression hurt the South hardest, with factors beyond the employers control. As prices fell employers were forced to cut wages and conditions. Waddell's agitation led to inquiries and to increased support for the Liberals in 1890. Belich has described this period as the 'Long Stagnation'. Real incomes fell.

THE USEFULNESS OR RELIABILITY OF EVIDENCE

For EACH of the following 2 resources you MUST make a statement about how useful they might be and give an example.

Resource E - A Migrants Journey.It could be a good starting point for a historian. On initial viewing this resources appear to show both positive and negative effects of migration (requires examples). It does not seem overly biased.Excellence answers noted much of the material supplied by Migration agents was heavily biased (remember the 2 posters 'Here and There' and 'The Needle Woman'?) and this seems to provide a more balanced viewpoint. It was published in NZ and probably reflects a common experience. It would be very useful to an historian.

Resource F - Governor GreyThis source identifies Greys achievements in his first term as Governor but the language and tone are biased, and inaccurate. As a source it is flawed and would not be useful.An Excellence answer may identify the idea that this book is all about Empire not New Zealand. Also note the patronising tone of the material towards Maori (crafty and insolent) . Belich has noted the British did not 'win' the Northern War and that is the reason Heke did not have to give up any land. Grey undermined the Treaty in his treatment of Te Rauparaha (Kidnapped & held without trial), he did not uphold the Treaty, the source is thus not reliable.

Tuesday 2 September 2008

Growing Grass - Re-Colonisation

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 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 co-operatives forced him out of the business but he remained a highly regarded member of the community.Dairying opened up the Taranaki and other areas, giving many of the small farmers a leg up the economic ladder. 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).

(New 2008) 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.

Growing Grass - Feeding Britain

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. Apart from parts 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 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.

Growing Grass - Feeding Sheep

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 only 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' 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 (Refering to 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 Provinical Government and leaseholding 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. Shearing gangs travelled with the season southward 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 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.

Monday 25 August 2008

Bright Fine 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.

Clearing the Land

Early timber trade centres in the north. Its based mainly around the north and especially the Hokianga. Many ships called in 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 buidling 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 thier friend out on their shoulders or backs. If a death occurred leaving a family, the ir 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 movemnet of the giant logs, as was the the Kauri Dam to move logs through hilly terrain, especially where the Cordoroy 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?)

A Simple Plan

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.


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 depression hit in the latter part of the decade.Politicians who had supported Vogel abandoned him and he eventually left for London.

Ensure you read the Vogel handout!

To the Ends of the Earth

The Wakefields were charlatans. EGW was an opportunist who was prepared to bend if nt break the law in order to achieve his ends. We know he kidnapped a 15 year old to ransom her back to her family and served three years in gaol for his efforts. He wrote false accounts (from prison) of his settlement in Sydney to newspapers and then leveraged this 'experience' to convince financial backers of the vialbility of the New Zealand company.

His idea relied on many things, a ready supply of cheap land being an essential part of the plan. His belief in 'Sufficient Price' was unshakeable although it never seemed to work anywhere. The fact that so few of his "slice of Britain' actually emigrated to the colony made this scheme almost impossible to operate in the way intended.

MORE TO FOLLOW

He did apparently push the Colonial Office into a Treaty with the Maori.

Back in the saddle

Gosh its hard to believe I haven't updated for a month. I'm sorry if you've been back a few times without seeing any changes but there didn't seem to be too much of a reason to add to the blog until we got going back in class.

I've got to admit I was fairly upset that so few of the class took the work I set while I was away seriously. Being treated like adults means that you should act like adults. I left work to be completed and expected it to be done. Having to go back over that work has set us back and I'm not sure we can easily catch up. As a result I have to contract the course. It is a pity that this needs to happen as some students did complete the work and acted responsibly.

So now we have started the last part of the course. Technically there should be three but I think we can combine hat within some of the topics we are going to be covering over the next few weeks.

We are going to be looking at Economic and Political change but will try to include Society and Attitudes as we go along.

First up we began this by looking at Immigration, initially by looking at the NZ Company scheme of the 1830's and 1840's and then the Vogel Plan/Scheme of the 1870's. Then we will look at the main industries of the 19th century. I have chosen Timber, Gold Mining and Pastoralism (Wool, Frozen meat, Butter and Cheese).

Wednesday 23 July 2008

Rotorua Fieldtrip

As you know I will be in Roto-Vegas with the Geographers next week. This makes the work tricky but not unmanageable. I will still collect the research from everyone this week and will mark it over the weekend. I will leave it with Ms McDonald for you to collect from her on Monday. Those of you coming to Rotorua will get the work from me.

During the week I will leave THREE handouts for you to complete. These Are:

1. The Wakefields and their Scheme.
2. The Vogel Plan
3. Immigration.

The topic we are covering for those who haven't worked it out is immigration.
1 and 2 can be read in about an hour each.
3 (Immigration) should be completed in the double period.

You must work in M409 - NOT the library.

Since the students with me in Rotorua will not be able to do any work on their article and I will not be able to help any of those left behind I have decided to extend the due date by a WEEK for everyone.

The COM labs (COM 1a) is still booked and I will talk to Jos/Richard about whether you can work unsupervised.

The lab is booked 9-10 Mon, Wed-Fri and 3.20-4.20 Tuesday.

Cheers

Sunday 13 July 2008

Assignment III

With the second week of the Study Break upon us I would hope most of you are well into the selection process of the assignment. Remember this calls for 5 pieces of evidence for EACH of the focussing questions. I'll be covering some of this briefly in class but please be aware I will not supply any advice in class.

I will be available between 9-10 Wednesday-Friday fro consultation.

I was disappointed in those who did not take their opportunities before the break.

When we get back we'll take a quick look at the Prophets and the later Maori political movements, before moving onto the Economy and Politics.

Sunday 29 June 2008

History Conference

This week end Mister Harcourt and I went to a History Conference which was put on by the Stout Centre. It was called "Coming to Terms? Raupatu/Confiscations and New Zealand History". It was a great chance to find out some more about the confiscations that followed the wars and efefct they had on various Maori groups.

I was most interested in Alan Ward and James Belich but found Richard Boast, and Judith Binney interesting. I would have loved to get some of you along but it was a bit expensive. However we picked up some useful resources and some interesting ideas especially from Belichs talk on settlement patterns. One interesting speaker was the opening speech by MP Mahara Okeroa who spoke about different types of raupatu/muru which I made some connection with. Coming from Parihaka he has been unable to read more than a few pages of Dick Scotts books because of the pain they cause.

Reading Ranginui Walkers current book on Whakatohea I have found it hard to move past the section on the occupation and destruction of Whakatohea lands in retaliation for the death of Volkner. It is hard to read this material because there is a physical and emotional connection which can be difficult to distance yourself from.

This morning Chris Ladlaw interviewed several of the keynote speakers and you can hear or download it here. I will try to get a copy onto the Moodle site asap.

Any way gotta go.

Good luck with the research.

Assignment II

It was great to get everyones Milestone completed. This is my chance to ensure everyone gets to the last week with a viable topic, three reasonable focussing questions and some useful sources. It was good to see some of you made the effort to read the marking schedules and/or consulted with me to get the best result.

Good luck.

Tuesday 17 June 2008

The Research Assignment

This has now been issued to the class.

If you need another copy you will need to download and print it from the Moodle Site.
You will need to access the His335 Course

The Topic the 3 Focussing Questions 5 Sources and Timeplan are due NEXT thursday.

Cheers

The Wars Essay Plan

The Essay May 2008

Decisions

Situations

Q 12

A Maori Movement chose to express their dissatisfaction at breaches of the Treaty

Q 13

.. to appoint Te Whereowhero as the first Maori King.

 

Q 9

Maori alienation from their land and its contribution to conflict

Q 11

Maori sovereignty and its contribution to conflict

All four of these questions have some similarities they can all be answered by referring to Kingitanga and the land issue. The same basic information, with some fiddling will answer all 4 questions….

Decisions ask WHY the decision was made and the CONSEQUENCES of that decision.

Situations ask you to DESCRIBE the situation and how it CHANGED over time.

PLAN:for Q 12

  1. A Maori Movement means the Kingitanga
  2. Breaches of the treaty Articles 2 and 3
    • Guaranteed lands…
    • Rights as British Citizens
  3. The Reasons for deciding to establish the Kingitanga
    • Loss of land
    • Loss of mana
  4. Some actions that resulted:
    • Unification of 2/3 of North Ilsand Tribes
    • Challenge to Britain
      • Governors Power
      • Settler Government
      • Loss of Cash-flow
      • Support for Kingi at Waitara
  5. Consequences of the Decision
    • Gore-Browne and Teira and Kingi – who has the right to sell?
    • Taranaki Campaign – Gold and Pratt – “Maori intimidation, Pakeha Frustration”
    • Arrival of Grey and Cameron – preparation for War
    • Invasion of the Waikato – Meremere to Orakau
    • Confiscation of land

Possible Intro

In the 1850’s a movement emerged amongst Maori to help preserve their land and culture while also protesting against breaches in the Treaty. The second article guaranteed Maori ‘undisturbed possession’ of their land while the third assured them their rights as British subjects. In the 1850’s Maori chose to present a united front to the Governor and Settler Governments by establishing the Kingitanga under Potatau. This challenge to British Authority would inevitably lead to conflict in the Taranaki and the Waikato and despite Maori resistance the eventual confiscation of 3m acres of land.

Remember to avoid the NARRATIVE TRAP. While some detail is required don’t get carried away with telling me WHAT happened I’m more interested in WHY it happened and its CONSEQUENCES.

Paragraph 1

In the 1850’s settler pressure created an ever increasing demand for land. This land could only be obtained from Maori. Donald McLean the Governments Land Purchase Officer was required to fulfil this demand and exploited Maori disunity in order to find the land required.

Might mention some of the purchases especially the Heretaunga Block in the Hawke Bay

Paragraph 2

Land vacated or conquered during the Musket Wars was the most easily obtained. Disenfranchised Iwi chose to sell land they had fled, while land newly occupied land might be sold to further the insult of defeat.

Mention areas like Waitara and the Te Atiawa as an example.

Paragraph 3

As more and more land was lost, Maori began to become concerned at the loss of Mana and birthright that disappeared with the land. In response Maori who had travelled overseas saw the need for a unified political and economic Maori entity. Using the Queen as their example they believed this entity could be a Maori King. The Kingitanga movement was an attempt to right perceived breaches in the Treaty of Waitangi that concerned them.

Mention the people involved in the early part Tewhiwhi and Te Rauapraha

Paragraph 4 and 5

Article two guaranteed Maori undisturbed possession of their lands but many felt they were being placed under to much pressure to sell land to the Government. They also realised their weakness lay in the conflicting views held by different Iwi over the ownership or rights each had to particular pieces of land. A unified front presented by a King would stop this weakness form being exploited.

Article three also gave Maori the rights of British citizens. Many felt their right to control their land was being ignored by a settler Government more intent on satisfying Settler demands than in protecting Maori. When the 1852 Constitution was established and a Settler Government created it had excluded Maori from representation. A King would potentially give them a voice in Government.

Friday 6 June 2008

Fieldtrip and Other News

As I told todays class Mr. Harcourt has agreed to help me organise a fieldtrip to the Taranaki. At the moment everything is up in the air as we have only agreed on a rough itinerary and have a number of things still to sort out.

It will inlvolve a bus/van to Wanganui, a days trip around the coast to New Plymouth and then a drive back to Wellington. Cost may be around the $200 mark for transposrtation and accomodation and costs to visit a couple of places...

Anyway try this link:

http://www.pukeariki.com/en/resources/TeachersCentre/voicesandimages.htm

Tuesday 3 June 2008

The eyes have it: Volkner Te Kooti & Titokowaru

(The post is new 2008) The East Coast Wars are quite honestly a period which I struggle with. It is a particularly complex and difficult time. On the one hand the Government wrought havoc upon the Whakatohea for their 'rebellion', and Te Kooti was being pursued through the Urewera bush, the assistance of the Tuhoe being his one support. For this help to the 'Rebel' they would suffer fearfully at the death. Meanwhile Titokowaru laid waste to the Southern Taranaki. All of this was more or less happening at the same time.


This starts in Taranaki. Te Ua Haumene began a Religion which he called Pai Marire, which means "Good and Peaceful'. It established itself as an alternative to other mainstream(European) religions and quickly found converts especially in the southern Taranaki. (see the 'Maori Prophets' Handout). While he had one view many of his followers saw it as something different. They especially drew strength from his belief that the Europeans wouldone day be driven from New Zealand.

Belich makes the point that in many ways the Kupapa who fought in these wars did so as representatives of the old order fighting against Hauhau who represented a newer pan-tribal unification under Pai Marire.

(Much of this material is drawn from Ranginui Walkers 'Opotiki Mai Tawhiti' a History of Whakatohea). Ishould also note here that I am Whakatohea and have my own perspective on this chapter in our history

The Pai Maririe leader Te Ua sent some
envoys to the East Coast who passed through the Bay of Plenty. At Opotiki they spent some time amongst the Whakatohea. Unfortunately the Iwi had lost many of its best and wisest leaders in the Musket Wars and had not yet recovered. Kereopa, one of the envoys appears to have foregone the 'good and peaceful' message of Te Ua and become incensed by a local Missionary Carl Volkner. Volkner had foolishly become involved in reporting Maori activities to the Government. He had been warned but ignored advice and returned to Opotiki. Without wiser counsel from Whakatohea leaders Kereopa had Volkner imprisoned, and later he was hung outside his church. Kereopa invoked ancient rites and ate his eyes... Perhaps stronger leadership might have stopped the Pai Marire leaders rampage.



Kereopa then left for the East Coast, taking Volkners head with him, where he helped provoke a (religious) civil war amongst the Ngati Porou, causing enormous damage and numerous casualties. Much of this war has slipped under the radar of modern historians, mainly because there were few Pakeha who observed the fighting or recorded its course.



Kereopa was eventually tracked down and brought to justice (hung)but not before the full weight of the Governments Utu had desended upon the Whakatohea, stripping them of much of their land and the execution of several chiefs who were present at, but not responsible for Volkners death. Kupapa from Whanganui led by Major Keepa (Kemp) played a major part in this.

Titokowaru and Te Kooti were involved in fighting on different sides of the island. Both were fighting because of a sense of injustice. For Te Kooti this was more personal as he had been falsely accussed of being a Hau Hau and exiled to the Chathams where fever nearly killed him. Visions while he was sick saw him become a religious leader. He eventually he led 300 supporters back to the mainland. When the officials in Gisborne refused to allow him amnesty he turned and sought revenge at Matawhero where 50 people, Maori and Pakeha were killed. Many of those who died were those Te Kooti held reponsible for his original conviction.



A pursuit by Militia and Kupapa trapped te Kooti at Nga Tapa where the wily old leader escaped by climbing down the cliff with his supporters. A chase caught many, most of whom were prisoners from Matawhero. Despite this incensed Kupapa took their utu by executing many of them.



Te Kooti then led the Government militia (including my Great Grandfather) and their Kupapa allies led by Whitmore on a wild chase around the Urewera Mountains which lasted severl years. Te Kooti sought refuge with the King but was initially rejected, another attempt several years later was more warmly received and te Kooti ceasde his campaign and retired into the Rohe of the King. Tuhoe who had assisted Te Kooti in his campaigns, were less lucky. As a final act of utu, the Militia destroyed every Kainga and garden surronding Waikaremoana resulting in widespread famine amongst Tuhoe that year.



Tikowaru was a Methodist convert who had fought in Taranaki (losing an eye) but later supported peace. He campaigned for a "year of the Lamb'.While much of Taranaki had been confiscated this was a 'paper' confiscation. The Government could claim land was confiscated but simply could not survey and sell all of it immediately. Consequently Maori found it hard to see the confiscation as being real. His ideal of the 'year of the lamb' however was forgotten as 'creeping confiscation' saw more and more land lost to settlers. Titokowarus campaign included older elements of worship including ritualised cannibalism, (and the taking of a head) creating panic amongst settlers especially when he defeated several larger Militia forces. The campaign was vicious and short lived. it ended with Titokowaru's apparent loss of Mana and withdrawal into the interior.


While this was an end to the Wars, Maori would now face attack from a more insidious and perilous enemy, the Court of Law.

Monday 2 June 2008

Inviting Disaster: The Gate Pa

In Tauranga, the local Ngatirangi tribe led by Rawiri Puhirake had been supporters of the Waikato tribes fighting the British. Cameron had sent a small force to camp Te Papa to control the tribe. The Ngatirangi gathered in the Te Papa area to fight the British. They built a pa close to the camp, when this provoked little response, they built one even closer and sent this message:
To the Colonel,Friend, -Salutations to you. The end of that. Friend, do you give heed to our laws for regulating the fight.Rule 1. If wounded or captured whole, and butt of the musket or hilt of the sword be turned to me, he will be saved.Rule 2. If any Pakeha, being a soldier by name, shall be travelling unarmed and meets me, he will be captured, and handed over to the direction of the law.Rule 3. The soldier who flees, being carried away by his fears, and goes to the house of the priest with his gun (even though carrying arms) will be saved. I will not go there.Rule 4. The unarmed Pakehas, women and children, will be spared.The end. These are binding laws for Tauranga.

This was just what Cameron wanted. He quickly abandoned the Waiakto and travelled to Taurange with a large force. In all there were over 1700 Imperial and local Militia concentrated at Te Papa. They brought with them some of the heaviest artillery yet …

Belich wrote:''The concentration of British artillery was of considerable power even in absolute terms. When it is considered that these guns fired unhampered by enemy artillery from a distance of 350 to 800 yards [320 to 730 meters] at a target of less that 3,000 square yards [2,500 square meters], their power appears awesome. Gate Pa was the ultimate test of strength between British and Maori military technologies, between modern artillery and the modern pa. In a wider sense, it was to be the first of many contests between breech-loading, rifled, composite-cast heavy artillery and trench-and-bunker earthworks."

Once again Cameron faced a Modern Pa, but this one was differerent to other fortifications. The pa was shelled from 9am until almost 4pm. When a breach had been made in the outer fence a force of 300 was sent into the pa. Confusion followed and the force was driven back.British casualties were more than a third of the assault force with 100 men killed or wounded. Ten officers were killed while 28 non-commissioned officers and privates were killed and 73 wounded. The 43rd Regiment lost 20 killed (including its colonel, Colonel Booth, 4 captains and a lieutenant) and 12 wounded. The 68th Regiment lost 4 killed and 16 wounded. The Naval Brigade lost 13 killed (including virtually all of its officers) and 26 wounded. Total Maori losses were estimated at 25.In the confusion and rain that followed the Maori garrison faded into the bush.

(New 2008: The blame game immediately followed. The Settlers and Government expecting a great victory charged the soldiers anf the dead officers with cowardice. Cameron was also seen as a scapegoat, no-one it seemed was prepared to give the Maori their due. The Pa was by most measures a wondeful piece of construction. It withstood a massive bombardment and the defences seem to have forseen the style of attack with defences turned inward which mean there were no defenders to attack - they were all safely ensconced within their bunkers. having made their point the Ngaiterangi abandoned the Pa as was the custom.)

Two months later a force of 1700 troops routed a 500 of Maori caugt in the middle of building a pa at Te Ranga. This defeat seemed to pacify the Ngatiterangi who surrendered their weapons at Te Papa a month later.
Much of this information came from: http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~Sxmitch/Battle.html