French Akaroa

The most comprehensive historical account in English about the lives of French immigrants in New Zealand in existence, this work tells how, in 1840, New Zealand was nearly divided into two countries—a French South Island and a British North Island. That year, the French government made a play for influence in the Pacific and sent French settlers to annex Southern New Zealand. When the French colonists arrived, however, the British had already gotten to the island, and the newcomers lowered their sights and began to settle in Akaroa Harbor on the Banks Peninsula. Chronicling the social and political events and their lasting ramifications, the discussion shows how communities still nurture their French heritage that attracts many tourists to the town of Akaroa to this day. The second edition of a first book published in 1990, this edition has been extensively updated and revised.