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turned away at Parihaka, he was met by non-obliging Maori in the Hot Lake district, and had his
patience tested more than any other German explorer. Moreover, the Maori he does witness, even
when more accommodating, are too European to conform to the classical image published in
Hochstetter’s work.
Hübner’s long life and career left him, on the other hand, in the mould of a devoted
‘Anglophile’ at the same time as a diplomat and foreign relations expert, who had a particular
interest in general matters, as well as the effects of government policies on the populace at large.
Remarkably Hübner offers a much more positive view of the colony, whether in its apparent high
level of prosperity, or its noticeable progress, egalitarianism, democracy, natural beauty and
‘Britishness’, despite his visit only several years later, albeit for only a month. An important
factor to consider here is his already visible reputation among the British, which saw him treated
to the best accommodation and free transport. Conversely, it is clear that there was also some
disappointment in the fact that parts of the country left him feeling that he was still in Britain
when witnessing something British but uniquely distinctive would have been better. The main
issue he takes issue with is the naive childlike patriotism and self-promotion of the colony which
leads the population to feel the need to label everything the ‘best in the world’ and make
erroneous comparisons to famous sites in Europe. In saying that, however, he sees this as being
characteristic of all young nations until they reach a higher level of maturity. Without focusing
directly on German immigration, he does share Krull and Haast’s emphasis on the ‘worker’s
paradise’ image, particularly regarding the educated British worker, and relates several concerns
which had been raised by the public such as land monopoly and the perceivable differences
between older genteel colonists and the newer lower middle class. As for the Maori, Hübner fully
endorses their demise in accordance with the philosophical dimensions of Social Darwinism, yet
he still admires their independence and courage, even though he, like Hochstetter’s scientific
perspective, gives them no chance for the future. Beyond this, he does not offer detailed insights
like Dieffenbach or Hochstetter into the treatment of the Maori and produces a fairly diplomatic
viewpoint.
Lendenfeld, by comparison, had the second longest stay, behind Reischek, of the later
explorers, and despite his background in biological and natural sciences, it is his comments made
over a decade and a half after his departure which are the most significant for his perceptions of
New Zealand. Perhaps as a sign of things to come, considering the rise of ‘Anglophobia’ in
Wilhelmine Germany by the end of the century, he not only echoes Hübner’s sentiments in his
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