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The author of a new book says New Zealanders don't realise how much colonial infrastructure - including tracks, roads, ports, buildings and even crown forests - was created using forced prison labour.
The author of a new book says New Zealanders don’t realise how much colonial infrastructure – including tracks, roads, ports, buildings and even crown forests – was created using forced prison labour.
Archivist Jared Davidson’s book Blood and Dirt explores the history of forced prison-labour – including from Maori political prisoners.
He says conditions were awful, and deaths were common – and the practice has never been acknowledged by subsequent governments.
“If this book can contribute to that conversation – and people can start to look at the lands differently, and have some of those conversations, and honour some of those people, then that would be a good start,” Mr Davidson says.
Blood and Dirt is published by Bridget Williams Books.
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