Story: Women and men

Attempts to attract women to colonial New Zealand began early. In this 1839 poster advertising the first sailing of a shipload of Scottish settlers, single women are offered free passage:

[The] Bengal Merchant […] will positively sail from Post-Glasgow for New Zealand, with the first body of settlers from Scotland, on Friday, Oct. 25.

Single women, going out as Servants to Cabin Passengers, or in charge of Married Emigrants, will receive a Free Passage on board of this Ship.