NEW ZEALAND

• Mining

  Gold was discovered in the Otago region and thus a gold rush began and attracted many prospectors to NZ. A disproportionate % of miners were scots. They used their industrial and mining skills to help unearth the significant quantities of gold
• Agriculture

  Wool was a valuable product . Similarly to Canada and other colonies, large amounts of land were offered for very little investment.

  Scots were particularly in sheep farming, many of whom had experience of working sheep runs – where sheep would graze poorer land.

  This knowledge was used by Scots to build economically successful farms in NZ.
• Textiles

  Textile industry and sheep farming were closely linked.

  Scots migrants used their experience with mills in Scotland to grow the NZ textile industry.

  For example: John Ross and Robert Glendining founded a company that dominated the textile industry in Otago. They built the Roslyn Woollen Mill in 1879 – first mill in the southern hemisphere to produce worsted wool.
• Shipbuilding

  As global trade grew there was an increasing demand for faster and larger ships, making international journeys safer and faster.

  Many Scots took the skills they had learned in Clyde shipyards and developed the NZ industry massively.

  For example: Henry Niccol migrated to NZ in 1842 and developed a successful business that was continued by his sons. Between 1843 and 1887, their company built more than 180 ships.
• Politics

  The first colonial secretary was Scots immigrant Andrew Sinclair, who was originally from Paisley.

  Highlands-born Donald McLean was an important politician and was influential in developing European-Maori relations.

  Liberal John McKenzie, Minister of Lands (1891-1900), had childhood experiences in Scotland which fuelled hatred for landlordism and helped shape early settlement in NZ.
• Education

  Scots were heavily involved in the founding of universities.

  The first university in NZ, the University of Otago, was founded in 1869 by Scots Thomas Burn and James MacAndrew.

  It was founded in Dunedin and offered various courses.

  Scottish impacted laws as well, with the Scottish Education Act acting as the basis for NZ’s education system.
• Culture

  Clan societies, pipes and drums, kilts and Highland Games began to be established from the mid 1800s.

  Burns societies – first Burns club was reportedly founded in 1891 in Dunedin.
• Holidays

  Scottish Protestants did not celebrate Christmas – New Year was the most important

  NZ recognised New Year’s Day as a holiday by the late 1800s – events held came from Scots culture, such as the Highland Games.
• Native Societies

  Many Scots wanted to farm which required clearing land – displacing Māori people

  1872 conflict broke out – bitterness of the part of Māoris – largely forgotten about and removed from ‘British’ land.

  Many Scots were sympathetic to the Maori situation – Arthur Charles Hamilton Gordon, First Baron Stanmore and Governor of NZ sided with Maoris on territory disputes.