‘A Working Man’s Paradise’ - English awareness of emigration and New Zealand in the Age of Sail

Abstract

Migration was a major phenomenon in the demographic history of Europe in the 19th century and Britain played an important role with an estimated 16 million emigrants out of a European total of 44 million. A series of ‘push’ and ‘pull’ factors were at work including rural unemployment, rising population and the growth of European coloniesand the development of steam transport. Whatever the macro causes individuals were motivated by belief and perception and these were influenced by the availability of information. This information took many forms including recollections of past visits, letters, books, new spapers etc. and this paper explores how potential emigrants found out about New Zealand.