“Forest Homes Scandinavian Settlements in New Zealand” by G C Petersen.

The Story of the Scandinavian Settlements in the Forty Mile Bush, New Zealand

The Scandinavian settlers in New Zealand are best known as the pioneers of the heavily forested areas of the Wellington and Hawke’s Bay provinces, commonly known as the Seventy Mile Bush. They were foremost in the opening up of this difficult area and made its intensive settlement possible.

This book tells for the first time the inside story of the largest of the Danish settlements, Mauriceville, in the Wairarapa district. It is, however, much wider in scope than a local history. The author describes, from first hand sources or personal experience, the background of the recruitment of Danes, Norwegians and Swedes under Julius Vogel’s Public Works and Immigration Policy, their long journey to New Zealand, their settlement in the lonely untouched bush, and how in the face of extraordinary difficulty and hardship they succeeded in their task. Here the reader may experience intimately the perils and pleasures of these sturdy folk, visit them in their isolated homes or bush camps, and watch the gradual subjection of the forest and the emergence of a rich farming area as well as the rise of colonial born generations who have made a substantial contribution to the texture of our New Zealand race.

Hard covered, 137 page book published by A H & A W Reed in 1966. Dust jacket very very tatty. Some marks on the spine of the book and the first few pages have stains mainly close to the spine. The book is sound, no rips or writing.