George William Rusden was a historian and politician who was a significant figure in nineteenth century Australia and New Zealand. Moving with his family to New South Wales at a young age, Rusden settled in Melbourne on the founding of Victoria in 1851. In Australia, Rusden became a noted authority on the history of white settlement in the country. His knowledge saw him become friends with Anthony Trollope who relied on his opinions when publishing his book, Australia and New Zealand in 1873. Trollope then persuaded Rusden on a visit to London in 1874 to write his own history of Australia. He spent the next seven years working on it, as well as his History of New Zealand, publishing both works in 1883.

Rusden’s History of New Zealand sold tolerably well in London but was highly controversial in New Zealand itself. The history focused on the effects of white settlement on Māori and was critical of the behaviour of government officials and settlers (pākehā) towards them. It explored in great detail policies introduced by the New Zealand government that had damaged Māori life in the decades following the Treaty of Waitangi and defended the actions of humanitarians who sought to protect them from such treatment. Settlers viewed Rusden’s work as a libel against the whole country but there was little that could be done to prove it, except for one passage regarding the behaviour of the then Native Secretary John Bryce during the raid of Handley’s woodshed in 1868. Rusden countered official reports, which stated Bryce had acted honourably, instead opting for an account by Octavius Hadfield, Bishop of Wellington, that had been given to him by Sir Arthur Gordon. Hadfield’s account stated that Bryce, notorious for his harsh policies towards Māori, had killed women and children during the assault. Bryce sued Rusden for libel, claiming £10,000 in damages, and the matter was taken to trial. The case was heard in London, lasting five days. In summarising the case, the judge declared the passage was a libel and the jury took less than 15 minutes to declare that Rusden was guilty, demanding he pay £5,000 to Bryce. Rusden appealed and the damages were reduced to £2,531. He then went on to continue fighting for his cause, publishing this book ‘for the information of friends’ in 1888. The following year he reissued his History, replacing the libellous passage with 21 lines of asterisks and in 1895, produced an expanded second edition (RCINs 1026164-6).

Probably because of his attacks on colonial policy and his support for Māori, Rusden’s History was ignored by historians of New Zealand until the second half of the twentieth century.