Skip to main content

Story: Children’s play

Boys on an eeling expedition, around 1910

Image
Boys on an eeling expedition, around 1910

This group of boys is in pursuit of eels in the Tiritea/Fitzherbert area, Manawatū, around 1910. The outdoors have always been a great playground for New Zealand children. Outdoor activities with animals have not always been humane. For boys in particular hunting, fishing, birds'-nesting (finding birds' nests and taking eggs) and general tormenting of animals were common forms of recreation.

Using this item

Palmerston North City Library

Reference: 2011P_IMCA-DigitalMaster_005556

This item has been provided for private study purposes (such as school projects, family and local history research) and any published reproduction (print or electronic) may infringe copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user of any material to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.

All images & media in this story

How to cite this page

Peter Clayworth, Children’s play – Where children play, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/40854/boys-on-an-eeling-expedition-around-1910 (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Peter Clayworth, published 13 February 2013.