Kōrero: City boosters and promoters

Auckland, 1842

Auckland and Wellington were early rivals for capital city status. Auckland won this prize in 1840 and its status was proclaimed in this depiction produced two years later. The notable buildings of the new town are indicated by number (below the image), as is ‘A native chief in his canoe’ shown in the forefront.

While the scene depicts little more than a township, the use of the word 'city' in the title shows the hand of a booster. It was deliberately chosen to convey the impression that this is what the settlement would become.

Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi

Alexander Turnbull Library
Reference: 1/2-116561; F

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.

Ngā whakaahua me ngā rauemi katoa o tēnei kōrero

Te tuhi tohutoro mō tēnei whārangi:

Kerryn Pollock, 'City boosters and promoters - Boosterism', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/mi/zoomify/21703/auckland-1842 (accessed 19 March 2024)

He kōrero nā Kerryn Pollock, i tāngia i te 11 Mar 2010