Map of the Colony of New Zealand from Official Documents

One of Arrowsmith’s scarcest maps, first published in 1841. John Arrowsmith was the nephew of Aaron Arrowsmith (1750-1833). The younger Arrowsmith introduced ‘The London Atlas’ in 1834. Subsequent editions appeared with title pages dated 1840, 1842 and 1858, but as Arrowsmith was continually adding new maps, there is no firm collation for any edition.

This was the best map of New Zealand at that time, this state shows the progress in the exploration and development of New Zealand, but still pre-dates the addition of New Zealand's counties. The three islands of New Zealand are labelled as New Ulster, New Munster and New Leinster, a nomenclature, soon abandoned, that coincided with the period of Irish immigration following the Potato Famine. Settlements are shown in red and include those of the Canterbury Association. Mount Arrowsmith and the Arrowsmith Range between the Rakaia and Rangitata Rivers were named by Von Haast in memory of John Arrowsmith,