Abstract:
It is unnecessary to go into detail on the conflicting interpretations of New Zealand political development between 1870 and 1890. The interpretation of Reeves, for some time accepted as offering a solution, has proved inadequate in the light of recent research. For example, E.Bohan. The General Election of 1879 in Canterbury. (Unpublished thesis, University of Canterbury). But Reeves's interpretation, if no longer adequate, cannot be completely discounted, especially as no generally accepted alternative has been advanced. Most historians would agree that politics took their colour from such factors as private needs of the politicians, provincialism, borrowing, land legislation and personalities. Differences would occur though, as between any assessment of their relative importance.
