Story: European exploration

The battle of the passes (1st of 2)

The battle of the passes

The gold rush on the West Coast in early 1865 intensified Canterbury’s desire to have an easy route to the coast. George Dobson was sent to examine Arthur’s Pass, discovered by his brother Arthur. J. S. Browning explored other alternatives, including the pass to which he gave his name. This 1865 cartoon from Punch in Canterbury expresses the public impatience with the time it was taking. A squatter tries to encourage progress with the carrot of surplus stock sales, while the local newspaper, the Standard, hits from behind.

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Alexander Turnbull Library
Reference: PUBL-0078-003

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page:

Jock Phillips, 'European exploration - Canterbury and the search for a pass', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/cartoon/11268/the-battle-of-the-passes (accessed 25 April 2024)

Story by Jock Phillips, published 24 Sep 2007