On February 21 1835 William Colenso (1811-1899) published the first book produced entirely in New Zealand. Colenso began printing a copy of two books from the New Testament, St Paul’s Epistles to the Philippians and St Paul’s Epistles to the Ephesians, on 17 February 1835. The final copy only comprised 16 pages, but was the start of his significant contribution to the industry of printing in New Zealand. Colenso arrived in New Zealand in December 1834, intending to work as a missionary-printer for the Church Missionary Society in Paihia. After his first publication he went on to print significant documents including the Declaration of Independence of New Zealand, the first government gazette, and Maori language versions of the Old and New Testaments. He attended the signing of Te Tiriti on 6 February 1840, later published his memoirs of the event in ‘The authentic and genuine history of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi’.

This photograph of William Colenso was taken c.1880, and comes from a series of photographic records from the Ministry of Works. This series mostly contains images of buildings, roads, railways, and airports from around New Zealand, but also notable figures of New Zealand history, which were probably used in publicity material. The Immigration and Public Works Department was established in 1870 to undertake public works such as the construction of roads, railways, bridges, public buildings and power stations. In 1948 it became the Ministry of Works and in 1974, the Ministry of Works and Development. It was restructured as a State-Owned Enterprise in 1988. Information sourced from NZHistory.net - www.nzhistory.net.nz/people/william-colenso and 'On This Day In New Zealand' by Ron Palenski, 2010.

Archives Reference: ABKK W4358 24414 Box 450

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