The Cyclopedia of New Zealand
Encyclopedia
The Cyclopedia of New Zealand: industrial, descriptive, historical, biographical facts, figures, illustrations was an encyclopaedia published in New Zealand
between 1897 and 1908 by the Cyclopedia Company Ltd of Christchurch
. Six volumes were published on the people, places and organisations of provinces of New Zealand. Despite being vanity press
(articles were largely paid for by their subjects) and almost wholly restricted to white male European colonists to the exclusion of Māori, women and other minorities, the Cyclopedia is now a key historical resource because of its breadth of coverage. Many small towns and social institutions were covered which were poorly covered by contemporary news papers (another key historical source).
The Cyclopedia of New Zealand was superseded by the three-volume An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand published by the New Zealand Government in 1966 and then later Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand
a government-run, born-digital encyclopaedia established in 2002.
The Cyclopedia was digitised by the New Zealand Electronic Text Centre
in 2008–2009 and placed on its website.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
between 1897 and 1908 by the Cyclopedia Company Ltd of Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
. Six volumes were published on the people, places and organisations of provinces of New Zealand. Despite being vanity press
Vanity press
A vanity press or vanity publisher is a term describing a publishing house that publishes books at the author's expense. Publisher Johnathon Clifford claims to have coined the term in 1959. However, the term appears in mainstream U.S...
(articles were largely paid for by their subjects) and almost wholly restricted to white male European colonists to the exclusion of Māori, women and other minorities, the Cyclopedia is now a key historical resource because of its breadth of coverage. Many small towns and social institutions were covered which were poorly covered by contemporary news papers (another key historical source).
- Volume 1. Wellington Provincial DistrictWellington ProvinceThe Wellington Province was a province of New Zealand until the abolition of provincial government in 1876.-Area:...
. Published 1897 - Volume 2. Auckland Provincial DistrictAuckland ProvinceThe Auckland Province was a province of New Zealand from 1853 until the abolition of provincial government in 1876.-Anniversary Day:...
. Published 1902 - Volume 3. Canterbury Provincial DistrictCanterbury ProvinceThe Canterbury Province was a province of New Zealand from 1853 until the abolition of provincial government in 1876. On the east coast the province was bounded by the Hurunui River in the north and the Waitaki River in the south...
. Published 1903 - Volume 4. OtagoOtago ProvinceThe Otago Province was a province of New Zealand until the abolition of provincial government in 1876.-Area:The capital of the province was Dunedin...
and SouthlandSouthland ProvinceThe Southland Province was a province of New Zealand from March 1861 until the province rejoined with Otago Province in 1870.-History:When provinces were formed in 1853, the southern part of New Zealand belonged to Otago Province...
Provincial Districts. Published 1905 - Volume 5. NelsonNelson ProvinceThe Nelson Province was a province of New Zealand from 1853 until the abolition of provincial government in 1876.-History:The Marlborough Province split away from the Nelson Province on 1 November 1859 because the majority of the income of the Provincial Council came from land sales in the...
, MarlboroughMarlborough ProvinceThe Marlborough Province operated as a province of New Zealand from 1859 until the abolition of provincial government in 1876. The province of Marlborough split away from Nelson Province on 1 November 1859.-History:...
and WestlandWestland ProvinceThe Westland Province was a province of New Zealand from 1873 until the abolition of provincial government in 1876. The capital was Hokitika.-Area:...
Provincial Districts. Published 1906 - Volume 6. TaranakiTaranaki ProvinceThe Taranaki Province was a province of New Zealand from 1853 until the abolition of provincial government in 1876...
, Hawke's BayHawke's Bay ProvinceThe Hawke's Bay Province was a province of New Zealand. The province separated from the Wellington Province following a meeting in Napier in February 1858, and existed until the abolition of provincial government in 1876...
and Wellington Provincial Districts. Published 1908
The Cyclopedia of New Zealand was superseded by the three-volume An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand published by the New Zealand Government in 1966 and then later Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand
Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand
Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand is an online encyclopedia created by the Ministry for Culture and Heritage of the New Zealand Government. The project was established in 2002 and the website launched in 2005...
a government-run, born-digital encyclopaedia established in 2002.
The Cyclopedia was digitised by the New Zealand Electronic Text Centre
New Zealand Electronic Text Centre
The New Zealand Electronic Text Centre is a unit of the library at the Victoria University of Wellington which provides a free online archive of New Zealand and Pacific Islands texts and heritage materials. The NZETC has an ongoing programme of digitisation and feature additions to the current...
in 2008–2009 and placed on its website.