economy

Korean War

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  New Zealand was involved militarily in Korea from 1950 to 1957, first as part of the United Nations 'police action' to repel North Korea's invasion of its southern neighbour, and then in a garrison role after the armistice in July 1953.

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• Page 1 - New Zealand in the Korean WarNew Zealand was involved militarily in Korea from 1950 to 1957, first as part of the United Nations 'police action' to repel North Korea's invasion of its southern neighbour, and

The Vogel era

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  In 1870, Colonial Treasurer Julius Vogel launched the most ambitious development programme in New Zealand’s history. The ‘Vogel era’ was a decisive moment in New Zealand’s 19th-century transformation from a Māori world to a Pākehā one.

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• Page 2 – New Zealand in 1870

  Three decades after the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, New Zealand’s two main islands were like two different countries.

• Page 3 – Vogel's vision

  In June 1870, Vogel unveiled the most ambitious public works and assisted-immigration programme in New Zealand’s history.

• Page 4 – Building Vogel's railways

  Julius Vogel wasn’t the first colonial politician to promise to fund public works and immigration with borrowed money. But the early 1870s offered better prospects for success

• Page 5 – Vogel's legacy

  After the initial enthusiasm of the 1870s, Julius Vogel’s reputation suffered in the 1880s when New Zealand’s economy slumped into a long depression that was triggered by an

Feeding Britain

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  From March 1915 the British government purchased New Zealand’s entire output of frozen meat to help ensure a regular flow of food to the British public and the British Expeditionary Force in France and Belgium.

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• Page 1 - Feeding BritainFrom March 1915 the British government purchased New Zealand’s entire output of frozen meat to help ensure a regular flow of food to the British public and the British

The Merchant Navy

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  3 September is Merchant Navy Day, which was first officially commemorated in New Zealand in 2010. The date marks the sinking of the first Allied merchant ship in 1939, just hours after the Second World War began. This is the story of the 'fourth service' at war.

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• Page 3 – Under the Southern Cross

  New Zealand's domestic shipping industry played a vital role during the war. A small tributary of the vast British shipping empire, it was largely confined to 'short-sea' (

The 1970s

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  The 1970s were an era of economic and social change. Global oil shocks hit the New Zealand economy hard, while protests against the Vietnam War and nuclear testing continued. A new generation of activists raised questions about race relations, sexuality and the welfare system in New Zealand.

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• Page 2 - OverviewSummary of what NZ was like in the 1970s, including our population, economy, popular culture, protest issues, politics and sporting

The New Zealand Legion

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  The year 1933 witnessed an unprecedented eruption of protest amongst urban businessmen and professionals in New Zealand. The most prominent manifestation of this protest was a radical conservative movement named the New Zealand Legion.

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• Page 3 – The desire to 'do something'

  The New Zealand Legion was much more than a conservative protest against the coalition government. It was the focal point for a wide range of individuals, overwhelmingly from

• Page 5 – Ideology

  While the New Zealand Legion’s initial policy was deliberately vague, it contained several key elements that were central to the movement’s ideology throughout its life.

• Page 6 – Internal conflicts

  Because the New Zealand Legion was such a catch-all movement for various ideas and grievances, it was inevitable that its inherent contradictions would surface.

• Page 7 – Decline

  Internal divisions and resignations over policy had considerably sapped the New Zealand Legion’s strength by the beginning of 1934.

The 1960s

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  Five decades ago most Kiwis enjoyed a standard of living that was the envy of other nations. During the 1960s the arrival of TV and jet airliners shrank our world, and New Zealanders began to express themselves on a range of international issues, including opposition to the Vietnam War.

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• Page 10 – 1967 - key events

  A selection of the key events in New Zealand history from 1967

US Forces in New Zealand

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  The first American soldiers landed on New Zealand soil in June 1942, beginning an 'invasion' which would have a profound impact on both visitors and hosts over the next 18 months.

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• Page 8 - Economic impactThe presence of thousands of well-paid Americans in New Zealand as part of a large army which needed provisioning sparked a minor economic boom that had some long-term effects on

Pacific aftermath

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  Participation in the First World War changed Pacific Islanders' lives. Returning servicemen had seen the world.

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• Page 5 - Economic, social and political impactThe First World War opened the Pacific Islands to the world more than they ever had been

Dominion status

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  On 26 September 1907 the colony of New Zealand ceased to exist. It became, instead, a dominion within the British Empire.

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• Page 6 - New Zealand in 1907What was New Zealand like when it became a

Container shipping

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  Forty-five years ago, on 19 June 1971, the first all-container ship to visit New Zealand arrived in Wellington. Columbus New Zealand was part of a worldwide revolution in shipping. These simple steel boxes would change our transport industry, our ports and how we work and shop.

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• Page 5 - Transforming our economyContainers changed everything. Railways ordered fleets of flat-deck rolling stock and ‘daylighted’ tiny Victorian tunnels so they could get through. Truckers bought heavy-duty