Colonists & Courts

Through the final quarter of the 19th Century Pakeha settler numbers swelled. The immigrants sought land and started to create a new, distinct culture. But their land gain came at the cost of Maori, as new laws and courts changed ownership patterns. Plus, the story of Parihaka.

As the number of European settlers and a new Pakeha culture grew, so did the immigrants' demand for land. The government didn't launch a war to get it, they instead introduced new laws and the Land Court, which undermined Maori ownership traditions. This led to one of New Zealand's darkest days - the raid on Parihaka.

Watch the video version of the episode here

Topics covered:

Early colonists and how they created the stereotypical image of a kiwi blokeDeforestation, the introduction of new mammal predators and the decline of native wildlifeSheep barons and the desire for more landThe Native Land Court, why it was set up and how it workedThe Wi Parata Case.Māori population decline in the 19th centuryThe Parihaka RaidGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details