Stories From Small Town New Zealand. Peter Best delves into the intriguing early history that gives Eketahuna town and district its special character.

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Pages: 80

Publication Date: 30-11-2001

Neil Frances tells the story of the famous Rimutaka Hill marches during the First World War and the re-enactment in September 2015.

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Pages: 96

The Fisher Monoplane and early aviation in the Wellington region. Paul Maxim tells the story of the first flights exactly 100 years ago – near Carterton – of an aeroplane wholly constructed in New Zealand.

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Pages: 80

Publication Date: 01-06-2003

Taranto to Trieste is an account of the author’s fascinating journey to retrace the actual path of the 2nd New Zealand Division in Italy from its arrival in October 1943 until the end of the European war. Although a personal journey with personal reflections, the real story is about the largely off-the-beaten track places which the troops passed through, what they saw and experienced along the way and, in some cases what they missed. To complement the Division’s story, the historical context and military actions are explained with many maps as well as war-time photographs and colourful quotations from official military histories. As the author says, “There are many people of the post-war generation, and their children, with direct connections to the Italian campaign, who would like to know more about the small, mysterious places the Division passed through which appear in diaries, letters and on the back of photographs, but many of which do not appear on maps.” The author’s own photographs, descriptions of the places visited, the landscapes travelled and the roads followed will delight those wanting to follow in the footsteps of the 2nd Division in Italy.

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Pages: 288

Dimensions: 200 x 260 mm

Publication Date: 16-10-2019

The manuscript of Guy Scholefield’s engaging memoir, with fascinating vignettes about life in New Zealand early in the 20th century and England during World War One, has been in the archives of the Alexander Turnbull Library since 1961. Ian F. Grant came across it when researching his 2018 newspaper history, Lasting Impressions. As Grant’s Introduction to The Little Doctor notes, Scholefield made “a significant contribution to preserving and recording a wide swathe of early New Zealand history”. The Author Guy Hardy Scholefield, 1877-1963, is listed in the Te Ara Dictionary of New Zealand Biography – the successor to his pioneering publication – as journalist, historian, archivist, librarian and editor. Scholefield’s distinguished career included periods on the literary staffs of leading newspapers, war correspondent duties during World War One, and two decades as Parliamentary Librarian at the General Assembly Library and Dominion Archivist. He was the author of a number of books including the first Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, Notable New Zealand Statesmen and Newspapers in New Zealand.

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Pages: 224

Dimensions: 170 x 240 mm

Publication Date: 10-10-2020

NEW REPRINT - More praise for the one book that explains New Zealand and the public psyche in 2020, 2021 and beyond like no other. “James has over several decades honed his skills at political and economic analysis, with the result that he is uniquely able amongst our present cluster of political commentators to analyse trends, discern shifts in our cultural values and attitudes and point out defining issues facing our policymakers and societal leaders, whether in government or business.” Ross Tanner, former Deputy State Services Commissioner, in Public Sector Journal In Unquiet Time, Colin James describes a world in disorder as it rebalances politically, economically and demographically with a technology that is changing the way we live and ‘work’ and globalising us in new ways; looming environmental limits, climate change and biosecurity and pandemic threats; a need for new thinking; and likely major shocks such as pandemics. This, tiny Aotearoa/New Zealand must navigate as it goes into the 2020s. Much has changed since the last big social and policy upheaval in the 1980s - how this country conducts itself internationally, its bicultural makeup turning multicultural, its management and mismanagement of a unique but threatened natural environment, its economy and its now unequal society. There are many challenges but also many opportunities. Who will we be? Unquiet Time poses the questions and suggests some answers. Author Colin James is a journalist who has specialised in politics and policy since 1969. He has written six books and many chapters in books and papers, given many briefings to business, not-for-profits and government agencies, including future projections, and has contributed to many conferences at home and abroad.

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Pages: 320

Dimensions: 163 x 240 mm

Publication Date: 10-07-2017

In 1990 those living on Chatham Islands/ Rekohu/ Wharekauri faced crisis. Annexed to New Zealand by a London proclamation, the Islands had experienced 150 years of New Zealand control. Years of muddlement, some good intentions, financial waste exploitation and theft, and failure to deliver democratic rights and basic infrastructure. The after-effects of Rogernomics had produced a government decision to “walk away”. Such infrastructure as existed would be abandoned, with the Islanders left to save themselves, or fail and leave. How could it have come to this? The first part of this book details the improbable constitutional history of the Islands to 1990. It includes gunship visits to enforce rule; support of Maori for Tohu, Te Whiti, and Parihaka pacifism; a revolt where the magistrate’s authority crumbled to nothing; and many more remarkable events. In 1990, Islanders rose to the challenge of their new independence from Wellington. Their independent community co-operative, the Chatham Islands Enterprise Trust, soon flourished. Today it operates electricity, ports, shipping, and other companies; uses a portfolio of fishing quota to support on-Island fishers, and supports private Island businesses. The second part of this book tells how this was achieved. This book will be welcomed by those interested in these or any islands. Equally, those wanting to know more about the most curious parts of the history of government in Aotearoa New Zealand, or just all who enjoy a story of improbable success.

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Pages: 380

Dimensions: 170 x 240 mm

Publication Date: 10-11-2022

The first comprehensive history of New Zealand newspapers since Guy Scholefield’sNewspapers in New Zealand in 1958, Lasting Impressions is a social history that places newspapers and their vital importance in New Zealand’s development as a nation in the context of life in the communities they prospered or failed in. There are detailed descriptionsof the beginnings of the newspaper business in New Zealand, the papers that spread throughout the countryclose behind the first settlers, the daily press’s leap of faith, the proliferation of provincial papers, early twentieth century challenges, and the difficulties faced by World War One newspapers. For the first time in a newspaper history there are also sections on the burgeoning weeklies phenomenon, the distinctive goldfields’ press and the numerous Maori newspapers. The book is both a valuable reference resource and a social history brimming with colourful extracts from newspapers and stories of remarkable personalities. Fraser Books in association with the Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington

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Pages: 676

Dimensions: 170 x 240 mm

Publication Date: 01-10-2018

The Book: Bishops, Boozers, Brethren &Burkhas uses cartoons from 1860s to the present day to discuss the way religion in New Zealand has been represented by our cartoonists. There is no general history of religion in New Zealand so this book is a unique contribution in providing not only a cartoon history of religion in this country but also a history via cartoons. From the 1860s, settlers viewed issues of religion and politics as problematic, but in the main, religion remained part of the fabric of society. However, religion was more of a concern for our cartoonists as New Zealand became an increasingly secular nation from the 1970s onwards. This not only reflects the generation of cartoonists whose work was published from the 1970s but also a shift in New Zealand society more generally. Overall, when religion was less of a contested identity and influence, cartoonists tended to leave religion – and the church alone. However, as the country became, very quickly, a secular society from the 1970s onwards, religion was a target of cartoonists. Religion and the religious were increasingly presented as representing religious and social attitudes and beliefs regarded as out of step with a modern society. The Author: Mike Grimshaw (PhD Otago) is Associate Professor in Sociology at University of Canterbury, New Zealand. A founding series editor for Radical Theologies and Philosophies (Palgrave Macmillan) and founding co-editor of Continental Thought & Theory:(http://ctt.canterbury.ac.nz/about-ctt/), he toils at the intersections of radical theology, continental thought and cultural and social theory. He also has a focus on New Zealand religious and intellectual history; recently publishing a book of interviews with the New Zealand radical religious thinker Sir Lloyd Geering(Geering Interviews, Polebridge, USA, 2018) and edited the letters of the noted New Zealand philosopher Arthur Prior (Arthur Prior, ‘a young progressive’, Canterbury University Press, 2018).

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Pages: 200

Dimensions: 200 x 260 mm

Publication Date: 10-05-2019

PM Ardern announced in a very firm tone, ‘There’s no going out. You all must stay home!’ For four weeks at least the lockdown begun, The three boys looked worried, ‘This won’t be fun’. OR will it? Join Tommy, Leo and Jordie Scott on their real-life lockdown adventures and see how they managed to enjoy their favourite activities at home their own special way. Ideal for pre-schoolers to eight years old. The Author and Illustrator: Abby Scott lives at Parkvale in rural Wairarapa with her husband Jase and three boys. She has a Bachelor of Applied Science from Massey University and has worked in the rural sector for 10 years. “Mum, will lockdown be fun” was inspired by the real-life adventures with her kids during lockdown 2020. Illustrator Mikyla Hull lives in Tauranga with her husband Joe and their two daughters, Indigo and Freya. A trained art teacher, who was taught all over the world, she enjoyed the opportunity to work on the book with her friend Abby. ‘Mum, will lockdown be fun?’

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Pages: 28

Dimensions: 210 x 250 mm

Publication Date: 04-12-2020