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Archiver > NEW-ZEALAND > 2005-09 > 1126319884


From: "Stephen Donald" <>
Subject: Re: [NZ] New Zealand Passengers
Date: Sat, 10 Sep 2005 14:38:04 +1200
References: <00cd01c5b588$28b334e0$0201a8c0@D9LG4F1S> <006501c5b595$7066b160$cf8e60cb@SN2486077072>


Dear Billie

Throughout the nineteenth century there were a lot of "push" factors
operating that were encourging people to emigrate FROM Europe - of which
Peter has given a good outline. (viz. dark Satanic mills etc in "Jerusalem"
etc)

I have recently been working on the colonisation schemes of the 1880s
promoted by W.L. REES in the Gisborne - East Coast area which revealed to me
a whole movement for State / co-operative colonisation that was driven by
philanthropic movers and shakers - long after the Wakefields et al. (there
are links with the Vesey Stewart settlements in the Bay of Plenty for those
interested in that district) There was great concern about over-population
in the Old World - and the number of petitions on the topic (ie various
forms of colonisation to Canada, South Africa and Australasia) to the House
of Commons in the 1880s has astounded me! (100s per year from all over
Britain)

Not all had the most pure motives, as witnessed in the Crofter Clearances in
the Highlands (which was still going on in the 1880s - albeit on a smaller
scale and by this time for salmon leases rather than sheep) and, given the
liberal politics of REES, rather an unfortunate alliance with the likes of
Lady Matheson, the owner of Lewis etc. In the event, REES' scheme failed
before it got off the ground - and the Maori lands involved were tied up
with the banks and the courts for generations afterwards.

Hope this adds to your understanding

Stephen Donald
in sunny Tolaga Bay


Researching Tolaga Bay and East Coast history and families
http://freepages.history.rootsweb.com/~nztolagabay/

> Hi Billie.
>
> Like Australia, New Zealand was a new land full of promise, providing
> immigrants and their families a hugely better standard of living than they
> could expect from Britain at the time of the Industrial Revolution. There
> was nothing special going on here other than more opportunities to "make
> good" than the were offered by the home country. Most came out to make a
> better life and escape the squalor of their existence in Britain. Job
> skills such as carpenters and other tradesmen were sought after by
> employers and the requirement for sheer man/woman power (eg labourers,
> domestic servants, farm labourers etc) was necessary to this emerging
> country. In short you could say the reasons were; opportunities, standard
> of living, remuneration, isolation and clean environment amongst many
> other things which made New Zealand (and still does) a sought after
> destination for immigrants.
>
> Kind regards.
>
> Peter.
>>
>> What was happening in New Zealand/Wellington at that time to encourage
>> immigrants?
>>
>> Can anyone give me a clue?
>>
>> Billie Jacobsen

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