scholarly journals Science as theatre: a New Zealand history of performances and exhibitions

2011 ◽  
Vol 10 (02) ◽  
pp. A01 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Hodder
Keyword(s):  
Twentieth Century ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Scientific Research ◽  
Subsequent Development ◽  
Industrial Research ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Displays ◽  
History Of ◽  
Science Centres ◽  
The Government

In colonial times in New Zealand the portrayal of science to the public had a sense of theatre, with nineteenth and early twentieth century grand exhibitions of a new nation’s resources and its technological achievements complemented by spectacular public lectures and demonstrations by visitors from overseas and scientific ‘showmen’. However, from 1926 to the mid-1990s there were few public displays of scientific research and its applications, corresponding to an inward-looking science regime presided over by the Government science agency, the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. The subsequent development of science centres with their emphasis on visitor participation has led to an increase in the audience for science and a revival of theatricality in presentation of exhibitions, demonstration lectures, café scientifiques, and science-related activities.

scholarly journals A History of the New Zealand Civil Service, 1840-1866

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Balfour Douglas Zohrab
Keyword(s):  
Twentieth Century ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Great Britain ◽  
Civil Service ◽  
Administrative System ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Government

<p>The New Zealand Civil service is a typically British growth; it has developed from an inchoate, unregulated aggregation of disorganised departments along no settled line of growth, following no definite policy, aiming at nothing in particular; it sprang in the first instance rather from an imitation of Engliah models than from a real local need; it has been the prey of Governor after Governor, and Ministry after Ministry, and has changed its form and even to some extent its functions according to the ideas of the country's rulers every few years; not until the adoption of the recommendations of the Hunt Commission in 1912 did the service emerge into the regulated atmosphere that is essential to the smooth working of a modern administrative system. It can therefore be said that not until the twentieth century was the New Zealand Civil Service a modern institution; not until 1908 did the Government realise how far New Zealand then lagged behind Great Britain; even now, when we still lag behind, there are few signs of improvement. From the establishment of British sovereignty over New Zealand in 1840 until the passing of the Civil Service Act twenty-six years later there was no system either in the departments themselves or in the service as a whole; if indeed, it may be considered a whole during that time. From 1866 until 1912 the service drifted back towards chaos, as the authorities either did not carry out the provisions of the 1866 Act, or avoided its provisions and winked at its implications. The basis provisions of the Act, indeed, could not be ignored; but loopholes were many, and several of its most beneficial reforms were vitiated by systematic evasion.</p>

scholarly journals A History of the New Zealand Civil Service, 1840-1866

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Balfour Douglas Zohrab
Keyword(s):  
Twentieth Century ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Great Britain ◽  
Civil Service ◽  
Administrative System ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Government

<p>The New Zealand Civil service is a typically British growth; it has developed from an inchoate, unregulated aggregation of disorganised departments along no settled line of growth, following no definite policy, aiming at nothing in particular; it sprang in the first instance rather from an imitation of Engliah models than from a real local need; it has been the prey of Governor after Governor, and Ministry after Ministry, and has changed its form and even to some extent its functions according to the ideas of the country's rulers every few years; not until the adoption of the recommendations of the Hunt Commission in 1912 did the service emerge into the regulated atmosphere that is essential to the smooth working of a modern administrative system. It can therefore be said that not until the twentieth century was the New Zealand Civil Service a modern institution; not until 1908 did the Government realise how far New Zealand then lagged behind Great Britain; even now, when we still lag behind, there are few signs of improvement. From the establishment of British sovereignty over New Zealand in 1840 until the passing of the Civil Service Act twenty-six years later there was no system either in the departments themselves or in the service as a whole; if indeed, it may be considered a whole during that time. From 1866 until 1912 the service drifted back towards chaos, as the authorities either did not carry out the provisions of the 1866 Act, or avoided its provisions and winked at its implications. The basis provisions of the Act, indeed, could not be ignored; but loopholes were many, and several of its most beneficial reforms were vitiated by systematic evasion.</p>

scholarly journals New Zealand’s ‘Critics of Empire’: Domestic Opposition to New Zealand’s Pacific Empire, 1883-1948

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Nicholas Hoare
Keyword(s):  
Nineteenth Century ◽  
Twentieth Century ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Social Context ◽  
The Other ◽  
Colonial History ◽  
The Public ◽  
Colonial Policy ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
History Of

<p>The recent resurgence of interest in the ‘other side’ of New Zealand’s colonial history has reaffirmed the need to view the nation’s history in its Pacific context. This historiographical turn has involved taking seriously the fact that as well as being a colony of Britain, New Zealand was an empire-state and metropole in its own right, possessing a tropical, Oceanic empire. What has yet to have been attempted however is a history of the ‘other side’ of the imperial debate. Thus far the historiography has been weighted towards New Zealand’s imperial and colonial agents. By mapping metropolitan critiques of New Zealand’s imperialism and colonialism in the Pacific (1883-1948), this thesis seeks to rebalance the historiographical ledger. This research adds to our understanding of New Zealand’s involvement in the colonial Pacific by demonstrating that anticolonial struggles were not only confined to the colonies, they were also fought on the metropolitan front by colonial critics at once sympathetic to the claims of the colonised populations, and scathing of their own Government’s colonial policy. These critics were, by virtue of their status as white, metropolitan citizens, afforded greater rights and freedoms than indigenous colonial subjects, and so were able to challenge colonial policy in the public domain. At the same time this thesis demonstrates how colonial criticism reflected national anxieties. The grounds for criticism generally depended on the wider social context. In the nineteenth-century in particular, critiques often contained concerns that New Zealand’s Pacific imperialism would disrupt the sanctity of ‘White New Zealand’, however as the twentieth-century wore on criticism bore the imprint of anti-racism and increasingly supported indigenous claims for self-government. By examining a seventy year period of change, this thesis shows that at every stage of the ‘imperial process’, New Zealand’s imperialism in the Pacific was a subject open to persistent public debate.</p>

Out of the laboratory and into the knowledge economy: A context for the evolution of New Zealand science centres

2009 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 335-354 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Hodder
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Scientific Research ◽  
Public Understanding ◽  
Educational Funding ◽  
Economic Implications ◽  
The Public ◽  
International Trends ◽  
Scientific Principles ◽  
Science Centres ◽  
Understanding Of Science

The establishment of science centres in New Zealand coincided with reforms of the way scientific research was conducted and funded and a low-point in career prospects for scientists. For political and financial reasons, most New Zealand science centres sacrificed their independence and became associated with museums and now receive much of their funding through local authorities. This could have assisted in their promotion of the public understanding of science; but the availability of educational funding through a “Learning Experiences Outside the Classroom” scheme motivated the development of educationally oriented programmes targeted to school-children. Despite this emphasis, there is no firm evidence that the centres have had any influence in increasing the popularity of science within education. Moreover, the centres have become perceived predominantly as places for children. International trends suggest that regaining the adult audience might be possible through greater emphasis on scientific research outcomes and their social and economic implications, rather than interactive exhibits portraying scientific principles through idealized and simplified laboratory experiments. In New Zealand, the popularity of science festivals — initiated a few years ago — and the recent growth of café scientifiques, offer promise in this direction. Additional funding for these and research-based exhibitions might yet come from a component of research grants being required to be spent on the promotion of research to the public.

scholarly journals Freshwater Colonists: The Wellington Acclimatisation Society and the Introduction of Trout, 1871-1914

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Alexandra Dekker
Keyword(s):  
Twentieth Century ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Environmental History ◽  
Practical Skills ◽  
The Social ◽  
The World ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Government ◽  
Colonial Government ◽  
Over Time

<p>The Wellington Acclimatisation Society was established in 1871, as part of a larger acclimatisation movement that featured the systematic introduction and exchange of many species across the world. After merging with other lower North Island societies, the Wellington Society began work on introducing trout to the streams and rivers of the district. Initially, the Society was made up of prominent members of the Wellington community, but over time these well-connected enthusiasts gave way to those with practical skills and knowledge. During the twentieth century the Society became an increasingly formalised group, working closely with the Government and other acclimatisation societies within New Zealand, as well as internationally. These networks, which were initially essential for trout introductions through imperial links, soon moved from an emphasis on importations and exchange to a focus on the continued maintenance of trout species throughout the Wellington district. The success of trout introductions relied on the ability of the Wellington Society to sufficiently modify the New Zealand environment. The close ties that existed between acclimatisation societies and the colonial Government meant the Wellington Society could undertake extensive environmental modification and management using a special authority, alongside a degree of involvement from the community. In this way, the introduction of trout had a significant impact on both the social and environmental history of New Zealand.</p>

James Cook bicentenary celebrations in New Zealand

1970 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 189-193
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
East Coast ◽  
Prime Minister ◽  
Main Flow ◽  
Capital City ◽  
James Cook ◽  
The Public ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Government ◽  
The City

THE enthusiasm with which the Government and people of New Zealand celebrated the bicentennial of the Endeavour's landfall and the first landing of Europeans on 9 October 1769, at the site where the City of Gisborne now stands, has firmly established James Cook as the outstanding national hero in the history of this young country. In the capital city of Wellington, national celebration of the bicentenary began on 3 October when the Prime Minister, The Rt Hon. Keith Holyoake, opened a Cook Exhibition in the Dominion Museum that will remain open to the public for ten months. Guests on that occasion also previewed the film prepared in New Zealand for exhibition overseas: ‘Your humble and obedient servant, James Cook.’ The Government had agreed that the main national celebrations should be focused on Gisborne. This country town of somewhat less than 30,000 people (not without some similarities to the Endeavour’s home port of Whitby) responded warmly to the honour. Somewhat peripheral to the main flow of tourist and industrial traffic, Gisborne is the business, administrative and market centre for the East Coast, an extensive area of hilly grazing country producing wool and mutton; Gisborne also ranks fourth in New Zealand as a fishing port and the fishing industry continues to grow. Gisborne district has a large and increasing population of Maori people (Ngati-porou tribe) who play a prominent and increasing role in the life of the city. They comprise a higher percentage of the population than in any other district of New Zealand and actively promote their cultural heritage, following the inspiration of the late Sir Apirana Ngata, a notable leader in the district.

scholarly journals Freshwater Colonists: The Wellington Acclimatisation Society and the Introduction of Trout, 1871-1914

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Alexandra Dekker
Keyword(s):  
Twentieth Century ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Environmental History ◽  
Practical Skills ◽  
The Social ◽  
The World ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Government ◽  
Colonial Government ◽  
Over Time

<p>The Wellington Acclimatisation Society was established in 1871, as part of a larger acclimatisation movement that featured the systematic introduction and exchange of many species across the world. After merging with other lower North Island societies, the Wellington Society began work on introducing trout to the streams and rivers of the district. Initially, the Society was made up of prominent members of the Wellington community, but over time these well-connected enthusiasts gave way to those with practical skills and knowledge. During the twentieth century the Society became an increasingly formalised group, working closely with the Government and other acclimatisation societies within New Zealand, as well as internationally. These networks, which were initially essential for trout introductions through imperial links, soon moved from an emphasis on importations and exchange to a focus on the continued maintenance of trout species throughout the Wellington district. The success of trout introductions relied on the ability of the Wellington Society to sufficiently modify the New Zealand environment. The close ties that existed between acclimatisation societies and the colonial Government meant the Wellington Society could undertake extensive environmental modification and management using a special authority, alongside a degree of involvement from the community. In this way, the introduction of trout had a significant impact on both the social and environmental history of New Zealand.</p>

scholarly journals New Zealand’s ‘Critics of Empire’: Domestic Opposition to New Zealand’s Pacific Empire, 1883-1948

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Nicholas Hoare
Keyword(s):  
Nineteenth Century ◽  
Twentieth Century ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Social Context ◽  
The Other ◽  
Colonial History ◽  
The Public ◽  
Colonial Policy ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
History Of

<p>The recent resurgence of interest in the ‘other side’ of New Zealand’s colonial history has reaffirmed the need to view the nation’s history in its Pacific context. This historiographical turn has involved taking seriously the fact that as well as being a colony of Britain, New Zealand was an empire-state and metropole in its own right, possessing a tropical, Oceanic empire. What has yet to have been attempted however is a history of the ‘other side’ of the imperial debate. Thus far the historiography has been weighted towards New Zealand’s imperial and colonial agents. By mapping metropolitan critiques of New Zealand’s imperialism and colonialism in the Pacific (1883-1948), this thesis seeks to rebalance the historiographical ledger. This research adds to our understanding of New Zealand’s involvement in the colonial Pacific by demonstrating that anticolonial struggles were not only confined to the colonies, they were also fought on the metropolitan front by colonial critics at once sympathetic to the claims of the colonised populations, and scathing of their own Government’s colonial policy. These critics were, by virtue of their status as white, metropolitan citizens, afforded greater rights and freedoms than indigenous colonial subjects, and so were able to challenge colonial policy in the public domain. At the same time this thesis demonstrates how colonial criticism reflected national anxieties. The grounds for criticism generally depended on the wider social context. In the nineteenth-century in particular, critiques often contained concerns that New Zealand’s Pacific imperialism would disrupt the sanctity of ‘White New Zealand’, however as the twentieth-century wore on criticism bore the imprint of anti-racism and increasingly supported indigenous claims for self-government. By examining a seventy year period of change, this thesis shows that at every stage of the ‘imperial process’, New Zealand’s imperialism in the Pacific was a subject open to persistent public debate.</p>

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH OF THE RUSSIAN MARITIME UNION

2021 ◽  
Vol 66 (1) ◽  
pp. 38-42
Author(s):  
MEDET TECHMURATOVICH JORAEV ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Twentieth Century ◽  
Far East ◽  
Scientific Activity ◽  
Public Organization ◽  
The Public ◽  
Domestic Literature ◽  
Early Twentieth Century ◽  
Scientific Papers ◽  
History Of ◽  
Technical Innovations

The article is devoted to the aspects of scientific activity of the Russian Maritime Union. This public organization in the early twentieth century set itself the task of reviving the Russian imperial navy after the defeat in the russo - japanese war of 1904-1905. Meetings of a public organization where scientific problems were discussed are considered. Special attention is paid to the existing rules for publishing a collection of scientific papers by the leaders of the Russian Maritime Union. Information is given on issues related to the colonization of remote areas of Siberia and the Far East. The reasons for the lag of Russian commercial shipping from Western European countries are investigated. The prerequisites for the successful development of German commercial shipbuilding and shipping in the early twentieth century are analyzed. The relationship between the problems of development of Siberian rivers and the unsatisfactory economic condition of remote Russian territories is traced. The history of domestic public organizations and naval affairs in the early twentieth century is studied. In addition, the organization of the Russian maritime union for the promotion of naval knowledge is being considered. The public organization subscribed specialized foreign and domestic literature and created libraries on these issues, open to the public. Then the Russian maritime union attracted such technical innovations as cinematog- raphy and filmstrips to promote naval knowledge among the Russian population.

The 1912 Duma Elections: The State, the Opposition and the Clergy

Orthodoxia ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 111-124
Author(s):  
F. A. Gayda
Keyword(s):  
The State ◽  
Election Campaign ◽  
Difficult Situation ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Press ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Russian Empire ◽  
First Time ◽  
The Church

This article deals with the political situation around the elections to the State Duma of the Russian Empire in 1912 (4th convocation). The main actors of the campaign were the government, local administration, liberal opposition and the clergy of the Orthodox Russian Church. After the 1905 revolution, the “official Church” found itself in a difficult situation. In particular, anti-Church criticism intensified sharply and was expressed now quite openly, both in the press and from the rostrum of the Duma. A consequence of these circumstances was that in this Duma campaign, for the first time in the history of Russian parliamentarianism, “administrative resources” were widely used. At the same time, the authorities failed to achieve their political objectives. The Russian clergy became actively involved in the election campaign. The government sought to use the conflict between the liberal majority in the third Duma and the clerical hierarchy. Duma members launched an active criticism of the Orthodox clergy, using Grigory Rasputin as an excuse. Even staunch conservatives spoke negatively about Rasputin. According to the results of the election campaign, the opposition was even more active in using the label “Rasputinians” against the Holy Synod and the Russian episcopate. Forty-seven persons of clerical rank were elected to the House — three fewer than in the previous Duma. As a result, the assembly of the clergy elected to the Duma decided not to form its own group, but to spread out among the factions. An active campaign in Parliament and the press not only created a certain public mood, but also provoked a political split and polarization within the clergy. The clergy themselves were generally inclined to blame the state authorities for the public isolation of the Church. The Duma election of 1912 seriously affected the attitude of the opposition and the public toward the bishopric after the February revolution of 1917.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document