A selective bibliography
An early Pakeha view of the Waikato area comes from the Waikato journals of Vicesimus Lush, 1864 - 8 and 1881 - 2, edited by Alison Drummond (1982). There are also excellent histories of the main population centre Hamilton by H.C.M. Norris: Armed settlers, 1864 - 1874 (1956) and Settlers in depression, 1875 - 1894 (1964).
The abolition of the Auckland province in 1876, and the creation of counties and boroughs led 100 years later to a series of superb centennial histories for Hamilton and surrounding counties. P.J. Gibbons wrote Astride the river; a history of Hamilton (1977), C.W. Vennell and David More wrote Land of the three rivers; a centennial history of Piako County (1976), David More wrote Between the river and the hills; Waikato County 1876 - 1976(1976), and C.W. Vennell and Susan Williams wrote Raglan County hills and sea; a centennial history 1876 - 1976 (1976).
Laurie Barber added The view from Pirongia; the history of Waipa County (1978), Frontier town; a history of Te Awamutu 1884 - 1984 (1984), and No easy riches; a history of Ohinemuri County, Paeroa and Waihi: 1885 - 1985 (1985). Nancy Raynes wrote South of west Hamilton; a history of the early European settlement of the Rukuhia district, 1864 - 1914 (1988 edition), while R.T. Vernon wrote the shorter Around Raglan (1982) and Raglan (1984), and Eric Beer and Alwyn Gascoigne wrote Plough of the Pakeha; a Cambridge regional history (1975). Most have useful bibliographies for further reading.
Of note specifically for the Hauraki Plains area are Te Aroha and the fortunate valley or pioneering in the Thames Valley (1930) and C. Kingsley-Smith wrote This is Te Aroha; the story of the founding of Te Aroha and the settling of its adjoining districts 1880 - 1980 (1980). There is also the Waihi Borough Council diamond jubilee 1902 - 1962 (1962).
For the northern Bay of Plenty Arthur Gray wrote An Ulster plantation; the story of the Katikati settlement (1950 edition), and W.H. Gifford and H. Bradney Williams wrote A centennial history of Tauranga (1940). A.C. Bellamy in part updated it by editing Tauranga 1882 1982 (1982), while Evelyn Stokes wrote A history of Tauranga County (1980).
Further information
The best regional resources are at Hamilton and Tauranga Public Libraries, the Waikato Museum of Art and History and other museums at Cambridge, Te Aroha, Paeroa, Waihi,Tauranga, Raglan and other centres. |
