A pictorial parade of New Zealand since European settlement, showing the vast changes; the unbelievable growth of some towns and the demise of others. Over 850 photographs tell the story of the early pioneer spirit that gave the country a solid base which generations have built on to make it a country that is today admired and respected globally. Illustrated are the times of celebration and tragedy; the engineering feats that tamed the rugged landscape; New Zealanders who conquered the world with courage and others with ingenuity who were trail-blazers in their field of expertise. To give the reader an instant recognition of the archival pictures featured, colour photographs show the same scene today. The author's concept has been to create a balanced archive of New Zealand in photographic form.