The Seventy Mile Bush Tapere Nui a Whatonga

edmondsallan - hello - What a strange title for a journal . I'll try and explain the reason . This name was given to a forest which stretched - 70 miles - from the Wairarapa to Hawkes Bay . This was a key part of a imigration and public works program to establish Scandinavian settlements along the surveyed road and rail lines through the bush . To assist this plan the NZ Government sent a Swedish Settler " Bror Erik Friberg " to recruit in Norway & Sweden . " Friberg " as a government agent was able to offer , a subsidised passage and 40 acres of land at one pound per acre , all of which could be paid off by working on the new road & rail construction .In May 1872 the ship " Hovding " left " Christiania - Oslo for Napier with 365 Norwegians and 11 Danes. Also from London Eng another 71 Danes on board the " Ballaratt " also set sail for Napier .
By 1872 the NZ Government - gave some Scandinavian Names to Norsewood & Dannevirke . New towns in the making , and the streets surveyed were given Scandinavian Names. The way ahead for this new lot of Scandinavian Imigrants was going to be tough as they had to clear the forest to make their homes . I hope you are finding this story on how some of our " Kiwi " land & people are what they are-- where they descended from today , interesting. My cuppa is empty - regards -edmondsallan