Skip to main content

Story: Immigration regulation

British children arrive in Auckland, 1949

Image
British children arrive in Auckland, 1949

Because it was felt New Zealand needed more people, immigration from the United Kingdom and Ireland remained free of all restraints after the Second World War. Immigrants from Europe were also relatively free from restrictions. The fares of British orphans and children living in unsatisfactory family circumstances were paid by the government.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library

Reference: 1/2-030012; 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.

All images & media in this story

How to cite this page

Ann Beaglehole, Immigration regulation – 1946–1985: gradual change, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/1376/british-children-arrive-in-auckland-1949 (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Ann Beaglehole, published 4 March 2009, updated 1 August 2015.