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Story: Australians

‘How we see it’

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‘How we see it’

By 1900 federation was seen as a threat to New Zealand. In this image, a New Zealand Graphic cartoonist has depicted Australia as an ogre trying to lure a stoic New Zealand away from her companion, a Māori youth. New Zealand’s response to the ogre’s invitation to ‘come into these arms’ was ‘Nay sir, those arms bear chains’.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library

Reference: J-040-002

by Scatz

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

John Wilson, Australians – Neighbouring nations, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/cartoon/601/how-we-see-it (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by John Wilson, published 4 March 2009, updated 1 July 2024.