I am busy doing research for a 3 month block I will be teaching my kids next year on local geography. This entails stories from the first settlers, the maori's before they arrived, the conflicts, etc. Whilst doing this research I found this following piece on the people who came over on the First Four Ships. They were divided into colonists and emmigrants.
Seems like not much has changed between us and them, and this was in 1850 !!!
... The “emigrants” were mainly agricultural labourers, tradesmen, domestic servants and young married couples. Emigrants travelled in steerage and paid what they could afford for their fare. The shortfall was made up either by the Canterbury Association or by their future employers travelling on the same ship. Emigrants were required to be under 40 years old, to provide their own tools, and to supply testimonials as to their qualifications, medical certificates and certificates from the minister of their parish, countersigned by a Justice of the Peace.
