# Old Newspapers From New Zealand **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 14, 2010, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-newspapers-from-new-zealand/560675 "2010-11-14T21:18:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2010, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-newspapers-from-new-zealand/560675/1 "2010-11-14T21:18:08Z")
I just found this site online and it’s pretty cool. I don’t know if anyone has any interest in old newspapers from New Zealand, but I thought it was pretty cool, especially the ads. You can look up old ads, situtations vacant, apartments and rooms for rent etc It goes back to 1839 and runs till 1945, although it’s by no means all inclusive, if you have some time to kill, I thought I’d give the site a shout as it might be interesting to history buffs It’s run by the government of New Zealand, so it’s not a spam site or anything [Papers Past](http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/) I love the [ads like](http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=EP19400627.2.6.2&cl=CL2.1940.06.27&e=-------10--1----0--): > [@](#): > > Lost Blue Roan Cocker Spaniel answers to the name of Rumpus > > Tel 43-302 I wonder if he was ever found? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Canadjun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@Canadjun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Canadjun)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2010, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-newspapers-from-new-zealand/560675/2 "2010-11-14T21:33:17Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > I just found this site online and it’s pretty cool. > > I don’t know if anyone has any interest in old newspapers from New Zealand, but I thought it was pretty cool, especially the ads. You can look up old ads, situtations vacant, apartments and rooms for rent etc > > It goes back to 1839 and runs till 1945, although it’s by no means all inclusive, if you have some time to kill, I thought I’d give the site a shout as it might be interesting to history buffs > > It’s run by the government of New Zealand, so it’s not a spam site or anything > > [Papers Past](http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/) > > I love the [ads like](http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=EP19400627.2.6.2&cl=CL2.1940.06.27&e=-------10--1----0--): > > I wonder if he was ever found? 🙂 I like > [@](#): > > EDANALPSE - Date Aug. 8 or 15. Your character will be at stake. Hmm… I wonder what that was all about? ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2010, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-newspapers-from-new-zealand/560675/3 "2010-11-14T21:50:05Z")
This is the type of thing I will read. The past is very interesting and I’ve never checked out Australian or New Zealand for old newspapers. I love Australian and New Zealand history. ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2010, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-newspapers-from-new-zealand/560675/4 "2010-11-15T03:46:05Z")
I’m sure the folks at our National Library will be thrilled that their hard work in maintaining and adding to Papers Past is appreciated. Just an addition: the link for the Australian newspapers online is [NLA Australian Newspapers](http://newspapers.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/home). They cover more scope chronologically at present. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2010, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-newspapers-from-new-zealand/560675/5 "2010-11-15T07:30:07Z")
I looked up my relatively uncommon surname, and it showed up a lot. Shame it isn’t more recent so it includes articles about me and my immediate family. ---
**Author:** ![maggenpye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecc23a/32.png) [@maggenpye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maggenpye)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2010, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-newspapers-from-new-zealand/560675/6 "2010-11-15T08:22:22Z")
I just found my great-grandfather’s death notice. And the earlier ad, selling his “waggon and six”, which confirms the family version of his history. Very, very cool site. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2010, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-newspapers-from-new-zealand/560675/7 "2010-11-15T13:52:04Z")
1875, those were the days! Back then, a man’d get a month’s hard labor in the local gaol for raising a hand to his wife! ---
**Author:** ![manx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/65b543/32.png) [@manx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manx)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2010, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-newspapers-from-new-zealand/560675/8 "2010-11-15T18:44:19Z")
Thank you so much for posting this! I’m going to have great fun poking around through these. ---
**Author:** ![Rocketeer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocketeer/32/4437_2.png) [@Rocketeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rocketeer)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2010, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-newspapers-from-new-zealand/560675/9 "2010-11-15T19:51:30Z")
Hmmm. I’ll have to poke through them and see if I can find any stories on [Colin McKenzie’s](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colin_McKenzie_%28filmmaker%29) career. It’d be interesting to read contemporaneous accounts. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2010, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-newspapers-from-new-zealand/560675/10 "2010-11-15T20:20:46Z")
> [@Ice\_Wolf](#): > > Just an addition: the link for the Australian newspapers online is [NLA Australian Newspapers](http://newspapers.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/home). They cover more scope chronologically at present. Thanks for the link I love the LOST ads: from the original link I love this from the “lost section” > [@](#): > > _Lost by soldier’s wife. Two £1 Notes, vicinity Railway Station, Woolworths, Cuba Street, badly needed; 6 children Reward_ I wonder how much that’d be like today? How much do you think the reward for two £1 notes is? I like how she puts, 6 children, I wonder if it’s a scam? You know someone thinking a family of six needs money, so people would just give it to her. Hmmm ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2010, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-newspapers-from-new-zealand/560675/11 "2010-11-15T20:26:53Z")
Well, 6 children isn’t really much of a reward. You gotta feed them and all, and they probably require a lot of fattening to make it worth your while to butcher them. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2010, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-newspapers-from-new-zealand/560675/12 "2010-11-15T21:58:46Z")
This is fascinating. I picked one more-or-less at random (The Wellington NZ _Evening Post_, [Aug 14, 1929](http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=EP19290814.1.6&e=-------10--1----0--)). Did they always put the classifieds on the front page? I’m six pages in and only now have I found something like actual news. And, next to the report on options for the water suppply project, an ad for “Nugget” brand boot polish available in “nigger brown”. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2010, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-newspapers-from-new-zealand/560675/13 "2010-11-16T00:58:27Z")
The ads are much better than the articles 🙂 I like the want ads and the personal ads too. ---
**Author:** ![maggenpye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecc23a/32.png) [@maggenpye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maggenpye)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2010, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-newspapers-from-new-zealand/560675/14 "2010-11-16T01:23:07Z")
> [@Rocketeer](#): > > Hmmm. I’ll have to poke through them and see if I can find any stories on [Colin McKenzie’s](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colin_McKenzie_%28filmmaker%29) career. It’d be interesting to read contemporaneous accounts. I remember when that documentary came out - a friend of mine was a filmmaker and absolutely livid that Jackson had received Creative NZ funding for a factual film. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Sparky66789](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky66789](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky66789)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2013, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-newspapers-from-new-zealand/560675/15 "2013-02-28T06:11:58Z")
I have all april 1914 dominion, in a complete set. Do you think this is worth anything or should I give the library a ring?? ---
**Author:** ![Ken001](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/43a26b/32.png) [@Ken001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ken001)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2013, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-newspapers-from-new-zealand/560675/16 "2013-02-28T13:31:21Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > This is fascinating. > > Did they always put the classifieds on the front page? I’m six pages in and only now have I found something like actual news. When I was a young boy in the early 1960s classifieds were still on the front page. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2013, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-newspapers-from-new-zealand/560675/17 "2013-02-28T14:17:49Z")
I discovered this a few years ago when a friend of mine was raving about Arthur Upfield (a mystery writer of the 30s). Some of his novels are serialized there. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2013, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-newspapers-from-new-zealand/560675/18 "2013-03-02T12:10:39Z")
We read Arthur Upfield at school. For some reason, I have a copy of the newspaper that was printed to celebrate Nelsons victory at the Battle of Trafalgar, and it has the same sort of advertisements as in the OP. “Lost one hound- will pay 2 pound reward and not a shilling more” or something in that vein. ---
**Author:** ![Cugel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cugel/32/1199_2.png) [@Cugel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cugel)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 9:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-newspapers-from-new-zealand/560675/19 "2013-03-03T09:23:39Z")
[Trove](http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper) is the Australian version of this. Which I now see was already mentioned.