Story: History of immigration

New Zealand Company propaganda (1st of 3)

New Zealand Company propaganda

The New Zealand Company tried to attract settlers from Britain by publishing romanticised images of New Zealand. A major source of this propaganda was Edward Jerningham Wakefield’s book, Adventure in New Zealand, published in London in 1845. It contained many coloured lithographs. This one, from a drawing by William Mein Smith, the first New Zealand Company surveyor general, shows the company settlement of Petre (Whanganui) in September 1841.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library
Reference: PUBL-0011-05
Hand-coloured lithograph after a drawing by William Mein Smith

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page:

Jock Phillips, 'History of immigration - British immigration and the New Zealand Company', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/artwork/2093/new-zealand-company-propaganda (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by Jock Phillips, published 8 Feb 2005, updated 1 Aug 2015