HISTORY. New Zealand was diseovered by Tas man in December, 1042. In October. 1769, Captain Cook landed at Poverty Bay, and in 1773 and 1777 explored the shores of the islands. The period before European colonization was charac terized by fierce wars among the native tribes, marked by extensive conquests on the part of the celebrated chieftain llongi (1820-28). In 1814 Rev. Samuel Marsden established a mis sion in the Bay of Islands. Other missionaries rapidly followed, and the natives were speedily converted to the outward forms of Christianity. A British resident was appointed at the Bay of Islands in 1833, and in the following year British troops were employed against the natives. In September, 1839, an expedition, under the au spices of the New Zealand Company. arrived at Port Nicholson.the first body of immigrants reach ing that place in January of the following, year. In February a number of native ehiefs, in the Treaty of Waitangai, placed themmsel•es under the authority of the British Government. and in May the sovereignty of Great Britain over the islands was preclaimed. Colonization was rapid and the alienation of the Maori lands proceeded steadily. In 1830 the New Zealand Company surrendered all of its interests in the colony to the British Government, and in 1853 a con stitutional act was promulgated for the colony, the first representative assembly being opened in 1855. From 1860 to 1866 there were formi dable native uprisings, and spasmodic outbreaks did not cease until about 1870. Since that date the relations with the native population have been almost uniformly peaceful, and the Maoris have made rapid strides in civilization, attaining even a share in the government. In 1870 an act was passed establishing the New Zealand Uni versity. About this time, too. occurs the first beginnings of the policy of State participation in economic affairs, with the comtiieneemcnt of rail way eonstruetion under public supervision in 1871, aml the establishment of a Public Trust 11flic•c in 1872. An educational act providing for the free and compulsory instruction of all chil dren was passed in 1570. In 1879 a measure was enacted looking toward the establishment of man hood suffrage, although the one-man one-vote principle was not in complete operation until 1890. in September, 1893, the franchise was ex tended to women.
The movement toward State socialism came prominently to the front in 1890, in which year the labor element exercised an important influence on the elections to the General Assembly. Since that year the progress in that direction has been rapid. Numerous labor laws have been passed, looking toward the amelioration of the condition of the working classes, while land legislation has been carried on with a view of bringing the soil into the possession of small owners. Thus, in accord
ance with an act of 1S92, large areas of Govern ment land have been leased in perpetuity to small tenants, the right of purchase being denied. In the same year the Government was anthorized to acquire land for the purpose of settlement, and in 1894 this power of the Government was made compulsory. In the same year an net was passed authorizing Government loans to farmers on mortgage; in 1895 a Family Homes Protection Act prohibited homesteads from being mort gaged or sold for debt. As early as 1891 the property tax had been repealed. and a graduated tax on incomes and unimproved land values substituted. the income tax not being levied on in comes derived from land. Labor legislation cul minated in the Industrial Conciliation and Ar bitration ,\et of August 31, 1894. by which disputes between employers and employees were subjected to the decision of State tribunals. In 1598 an Old Age Pensions Bill was passed. In 1900 a form of workingmen's accident insurance was adopted. New Zealand rendered loyal sup port to the British Empire in the South African War, its mounted eontingents constituting a very useful part of the British forces.
Binuonaarttv. Bra mall. The Mineral He of Neu. Zealand (London, 18g8); Hook er, Handbook to the flora of \'ea• Zealand (ih., 15n7); Griffin. New Zealand, 11cr Commerce and llesouree.s (Wellington, 1884) : Grey, Polynesian Mythology (lb., Bradshaw•, New Zealand of To-Dan ; Miller. Birds of Neu• Zea land 1888); Oreen, Tlw High Alps Of New Zealand (lb_ 1883) ; 'Payton, Round and About New Z'aland fib., 1855 1 ; harper, Pioneer Work in the Alps of \'ea• Zealand (ib., 1890) ; Gisborne, The Colony of .\'em• Zealand (ib., ; In the Land of Tui (London,1S94); Sievers, .4 us tralicn and Hze a ?lien (Leipzig. 189;i); Lenden fell, Neuseelonil (Berlin, U. d.) .1hsira1osia, in "British Empire Series'') London. 1900) ; Schanz, "Neuseeland," in .4f/sten/ha and die Sadsee Loughman, cu' Zealand: ones on Its Geography, 'Statistics, etc. (Wellington, 1901) : 'Reeves. New Zealand (London, 1898) ; id., suite Experiments in -Iustr•alia and New Zealand (ib., 1902) ; Irvine and _Miters. Progress of New Zealand in the Century (i1).. 1902) ; .\'euo Zealand Official Year-Book (Wellington. annual ly) : Chalmers, History of Currency in the British. Colonies (London, Sherrin. Early History of New Zealand (Auckland. 1890) ; Rusden, His tory of New Zealand (Melbourne, 1S06) ; Hocken, Contributions to the Early Ilistory of New Zea land (London, 1898) ; The Literature Relating to Yew Zealand: A Bibliography (Wellington, 181+9 ).