conservation

Scenery preservation 1903-1953

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  Premier Richard Seddon outlined his vision for 'God's own country' in 1903 as he steered the Scenery Preservation Act through Parliament. This act was an important landmark in preserving New Zealand's natural and historic heritage.

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• Page 2 – Scientific origins

  European settlers in New Zealand struggled to rework the indigenous landscape.

• Page 3 – Beautiful New Zealand

  Even before systematic colonisation began in 1840, New Zealand had been promoted in British publications as a wild, scenic, romantic wonderland – and a place of extremes

• Page 4 – Pressure groups

  Between the 1880s and the 1920s local scenery preservation societies and other pressure and interest groups became active.

• Page 5 – The Scenery Preservation Act

  Politician Harry Ell was the strongest advocate of scenery preservation in the early 20th century. He raised the issue of legislative protection for the environment in

• Page 7 – Maori and scenic reserves

  Initially Maori had mixed feelings about the Scenery Preservation Act. The Member of Parliament for Northern Maori, Hone Heke Ngapua, welcomed it as a way to protect totara and

• Page 8 – New administration

  Officially, the Scenery Preservation Commission was disbanded because the government had found that some 'simpler machinery was necessary to more effectively carry out the

Treaty signatories and signing locations

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  The Treaty of Waitangi was signed on nine separate sheets by more than 500 Māori. Find out more about the sheets, the signatories and the signing locations

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• Page 6 - Preserving the documentsThe Treaty of Waitangi is kept in the Constitution Room at Archives New Zealand in Wellington. It has not always been so secure. Water, time and rodents have all taken a toll on